Guide
Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace do not keep your data for you
The Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace recycle bin catches a recent mistake, not a deletion discovered months later. Here is what it recovers, what it erases, and what the contract says.
Updated on 18 October 2026 · Figures are sourced at the bottom of the page; opinions are those of IT CyberWall.
What the recycle bin recovers
| Service | Recovery period |
|---|---|
| Exchange Online (Microsoft 365 email) | Permanently deleted items: 14 days by default, 30 days at most[1] |
| SharePoint and OneDrive | Two-stage recycle bin: 93 days in total after deletion[2] |
| Deleted Microsoft 365 account | 30 days to restore it[3] |
| Gmail | 30 days in the bin, then 25 days for restoration by the administrator[4][5] |
| Google Drive | 30 days in the bin, then 25 days for restoration by the administrator[6] |
| Deleted Google Workspace account | 20 days, after which the data cannot be recovered[7] |
These periods protect you against a recent mistake that is noticed quickly.
What it erases
- Anything discovered too late. A folder deleted four months ago, a departed employee whose mailbox has been deleted: once the periods above have passed, nothing is left.
- Anything an attacker or administrator empties. The second-stage SharePoint recycle bin can be emptied early by an administrator[2]: a hacked account can do the same.
- Anything encrypted and synchronised. A workstation hit by ransomware can synchronise encrypted files to OneDrive or Drive.
What the contract says
The Microsoft Services Agreement is explicit: « We recommend that you regularly backup Your Content and Data »[8]. The provider guarantees the availability of its service, not the retention of your data beyond its recycle bin periods.
The decision to make
If your email, shared files or business documents live in Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, ask yourself one question: can we afford to permanently lose what was deleted more than a month ago? If the answer is no, you need a backup that is independent of the provider.
Choosing a solution, retention period, immutability and restoration are covered in detail by WeDoBack in its guides backing up Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. For our part, we administer your accounts and access, and check that the backup is in place.
Is your data in Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace?
We administer your accounts and access, and check with you that your data is backed up.
Sources
Sources consulted on 18 October 2026. Supplier prices are shown excluding tax, in the currency and region of the published price list, and may change: always check the official page before deciding.
- Microsoft Learn – Change how long permanently deleted items are kept for an Exchange Online mailbox — learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/recipients-in-exchange-online/manage-user-mailboxes/change-deleted-item-retention
- Microsoft Support – Restore deleted items from the site collection recycle bin — support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/restore-deleted-items-from-the-site-collection-recycle-bin-5fa924ee-16d7-487b-9a0a-021b9062d14b
- Microsoft Learn – Restore a user — learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/add-users/restore-user
- Gmail Help – Supprimer ou restaurer des messages — support.google.com/mail/answer/7401?hl=fr
- Google Workspace – Restaurer les messages définitivement supprimés d’un utilisateur — knowledge.workspace.google.com/admin/support/troubleshooting/restore-a-users-permanently-deleted-email?hl=fr
- Google Workspace – Recover deleted files and folders for Drive users — knowledge.workspace.google.com/admin/drive/recover-deleted-files-and-folders-for-drive-users?hl=en
- Google Workspace – Restaurer un compte utilisateur récemment supprimé — knowledge.workspace.google.com/admin/users/restore-a-recently-deleted-user?hl=fr
- Microsoft – Contrat de services Microsoft, section 6.b (version of 30 July 2026) — www.microsoft.com/en-gb/servicesagreement
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