Restore an entire OneDrive after a mass mistake without losing new work

Restore your OneDrive can undo broad changes such as mass deletion, corruption or ransomware within the supported window. It is a much wider operation than restoring one document version. Microsoft says subscribers can undo actions across files and folders from the last 30 days, and items created after the selected restore point go to the recycle bin. Prepare an inventory of newer legitimate work before you roll back the whole drive.

Before you start​

Confirm the account and Microsoft 365 entitlement. If malware is suspected, first stop and clean affected devices so sync does not replay the damage. Ask collaborators to pause edits while you choose a point. Record the date and a few known-good files that can confirm the restore.

Do it step by step​

1. Sign in directly at OneDrive.com and locate Restore your OneDrive from Settings or the recovery prompt. Check the account name; personal and work drives can look similar.
2. Inspect the activity chart and change list around the incident. Choose a point just before the harmful batch, not simply the earliest available day. A very early point may roll back much more legitimate work.
3. List files created or changed after that point that you need to preserve. Download safe copies to an independent location when appropriate, especially if multiple people have worked on them.
4. Run the restore and allow OneDrive time to process. Do not simultaneously rename or move large folders from another device. Watch the confirmation and error messages rather than assuming completion when the page closes.
5. Inspect representative older files and the recycle bin. Microsoft notes that items created after the restore point move to the recycle bin; recover legitimate newer items individually and reconcile conflicting versions carefully.
6. Resume synchronization on clean devices, check for fresh errors and tell collaborators when editing can resume. Save a separate offline backup of the recovered critical work.

Check the result​

The mass error is reversed, sample documents open, and legitimate files created afterward are recovered or intentionally left behind. No connected device is reintroducing the bad changes.

If something goes wrong​

If the feature is unavailable, check subscription, retention window and account type. Use individual version history, recycle bin or an independent backup for narrower recovery. Ask Microsoft or organization support before repeated broad restores.

Know the limit​

A whole-drive restore can affect many collaborators and cannot recover files permanently removed from the recycle bin. The supported window is limited. A cloud restore point is not a replacement for independent backups or incident cleanup. Microsoft whole-OneDrive restore