How to Recover Deleted Files From SharePoint Sites

Updated on:

May 12, 2026

By:

Use this interactive demo to learn how to restore deleted files from your SharePoint Recycle Bin.

Quick summary

SharePoint's built-in Recycle Bin lets users recover deleted files without admin intervention by restoring them to their original location in just a few clicks. This guide walks through the exact steps to find, select, and restore a deleted file directly from a SharePoint site dashboard.

Steps

From the SharePoint site main dashboard, open the left-side panel and click Recycle Bin.
Browse the Recycle Bin list, find the deleted file you want to recover, and tick the checkbox next to it.
In the top navigation bar, click the Restore button to initiate recovery.
The selected file is instantly restored to its original file location on the SharePoint site.

📌 Why this matters

Accidental file deletion is one of the most common disruptions in collaborative workplaces, and knowing how to recover deleted files from SharePoint can save teams hours of lost work. SharePoint's Recycle Bin provides a fast, no-code recovery path that restores files to their original location without requiring IT support or admin privileges. For organizations relying on SharePoint for document management and team collaboration, this built-in restore feature reduces downtime and protects against permanent data loss. Understanding this workflow helps users and administrators confidently manage file recovery across SharePoint sites.

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