How Does Onedrive Recover Overwritten File

Can I recover an overwritten file from OneDrive?

People rely on cloud storage for easy access and synchronization of their files across devices. Take OneDrive, for instance—users can upload their data to the cloud and retrieve it from any device they own.

This allows users to view, edit, share, or delete files seamlessly across platforms. However, accidents happen during editing, and issues like overwriting or accidental deletion can occur.

Losing data due to overwriting or deletion is a frequent problem. Many users face this and wonder, "How can OneDrive recover files that were overwritten or deleted?"

The good news is that it’s often possible to recover overwritten files from OneDrive through several methods. This guide will walk you through how OneDrive restores previous versions and helps you recover deleted files.

How does OneDrive recover overwritten files?

There are generally three ways to recover overwritten files in OneDrive. Here's a breakdown of the methods.

Method 1. Recover overwritten files from version history

OneDrive allows users to restore previous versions of files directly from the local OneDrive folder. This feature functions similarly to the "Previous Versions" and "File History" tools available on Windows systems, keeping a record of changes made to the files.

You can also back up your File History to OneDrive by selecting it as the storage location for your backups.

Step 1. Navigate to the OneDrive – Personal folder, find the file in question, right-click, and choose Version history.

Step 2. Review the available versions, select the desired one, click the three-dot menu, and choose Restore.

The selected version will then replace the current one. If you need to keep the current version as well, click Download before proceeding with the restoration.

Method 2. Rollback your OneDrive

Version History allows you to recover one file at a time, but what if multiple files are involved? In such cases, performing a OneDrive rollback might be more efficient. This option is available to Microsoft 365 subscribers, allowing them to restore their entire OneDrive to a previous state, retrieving overwritten and deleted files in bulk.

✍ Important: You can only roll back your OneDrive to a date within the last 30 days.

Step 1. Go to the OneDrive website, sign in to your Microsoft account, click the Settings icon, then select Options and choose Restore your OneDrive.

Step 2. Pick the desired date from the list and click Restore.

This process reverses all changes made to the files in your OneDrive during the selected period.

Method 3. Restore previous versions of files on the local drive

Another way to recover overwritten files is by using the Windows feature called Previous Versions, provided you have File History or System Protection enabled. This method allows you to restore not just individual files but entire folders, or even the whole OneDrive.

The benefit of using this approach is the ability to recover entire folders or your entire OneDrive, not just a single file.

Step 1. Open the OneDrive – Personal folder, locate the file or folder you want to restore, and select Restore previous versions.

Step 2. Choose the version you want, then click Restore. You can also select Open to review the differences before restoring.

Step 3. You can also restore the entire OneDrive by selecting the OneDrive – Personal folder, choosing Restore previous versions, selecting a version, and then clicking Restore.

This feature is especially useful for retrieving previous versions of Word documents and other specific file types.

How does OneDrive recover deleted/lost files?

Sometimes users attempt to restore a previous version of a folder to recover deleted files, which can work but isn’t always the most efficient method.

If you’ve accidentally deleted files from OneDrive, your first stop should be the Recycle Bin. However, the Recycle Bin only keeps deleted files for 30 days, after which they are permanently removed.

In situations like this, using a reliable Windows data recovery tool can be a better option. These tools allow users to quickly scan their hard drive for deleted data.

One such solution is AOMEI FastRecovery, a powerful tool designed for this exact purpose. It offers advanced scanning technology and various useful features to help locate and recover lost or deleted files.

☛ User-friendly: Its intuitive interface makes it easy for anyone to use, even without technical skills.
☛ Efficient: Recovers over 1000 types of data from HDDs, SSDs, USBs, SD cards, and more in just three steps.
☛ Comprehensive: Retrieves data lost due to accidental deletion, formatting, emptying the Recycle Bin, viruses, and more.
☛ Compatible: Works seamlessly on Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, and Windows Server systems.

Let AOMEI FastRecovery assist you in recovering deleted files or folders from OneDrive with ease.

Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI FastRecovery. Choose the exact partition or disk where your data is lost and click Scan.

Step 2. Then, the recovery tool starts to scan and search. lt will execute the “Quickly Scan" first to find your deleted data fast, and then execute the “Deep Scan" for searching other lost data.

Step 3. Once the scan is completed, all deleted files, recycle bins and other missing files will be displayed. Please select the file you would like to recover and then click "Recover".

Step 4. Then, select a folder path to save your recovered files.

Step 5. Wait patiently for this process of recovery to end.

Conclusion

This article addresses the question, "How does OneDrive recover overwritten and deleted files?" by providing detailed guidance. Users can restore previous versions through the local OneDrive folder, Windows' Previous Versions feature, or OneDrive's built-in Restore function.

For those asking, "How does OneDrive recover deleted files efficiently?" AOMEI FastRecovery is a highly effective solution. At the same time, enhancing your data security is essential to reduce the risk of future data loss.