This short guide is intended to help you use the OneDrive File Restore feature.
What is a file restore?
A file restore allows users who use OneDrive to restore any file or folders they have stored. This feature providers users with a simple way of restoring to any specific point in time.
Restore builds on existing OneDrive capabilities like the recycle bin (This allows files to be undeleted) and versioning history (allows an individual file to be restored to a previous version). A new feature of OneDrive is the Ransomware detection. This feature sends notifications when any signs of ransomware may be found on your files.
What are the requirements to use File Restore?
To be able to use OneDrive you will need to have a OneDrive personal account set up, you can set this up from the following link if you haven’t already:
You will also need an Office 365 Home or Personal subscription. If you are unsure about your current subscription, you can check it out from the link:
https://onedrive.live.com/?v=upgrade
How do you use OneDrive File Restore?
It’s a very simple procedure to use the File Restore procedure, just follow the steps below:
Step 1 – Go to the Restore page
- Navigate to it from the main the main page
- Start at the main OneDrive page at https://onedrive.com
- Click on the gear icon in the upper right, then select “options”
On the options menu on the left, select “Restore my OneDrive”
Go directly to https://onedrive.live.com/
Step 2 – Select a point in time (3 options)
- Use the drop-down to select one of the presets (yesterday, one week ago, three weeks ago)
- Use the drop-down to select a point of interest, if available ( for example, a specific date and time when ransomware was detected)
- Select “Custom date and time” in the drop down, then select a specific activity in the list.
Step 3 – Restore
- Start the Restore – Click on the restore button
- Monitor the restore – Wait on the restore page until it’s completed
Step 4 – Verify
- Check if the files were properly restored to their previous condition
- You may also want to check on activities performed by the restore.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far back are you able to restore?
You can only restore to any point in time in the last 30 days.
Can I undo any restores?
Yes. You will just need to restore the point in time before your performed the restore.
How long does a restore usually take?
It can vary on the number of files and folders, for a few thousand activities a restore should take less than 10 minutes. If there are hundreds and thousands of activities it could possibly take a few hours.
Can I restore after I empty the recycle bin?
File restore uses the recycle bin to go back in time. If the recycle bin was emptied or if any files were permanently deleted from the recycle bin, then those files will be able to be restored.
More Information
If you would like to learn more about File Restore you can find official content about this feature in the Restore you OneDrive page.
Also I have included a YouTube video below to give you more of a visual representation.
I hope you enjoyed this guide, please take a look into our other exciting guides on all things Microsoft!
