MC1269861 - OneDrive: Files deleted from the cloud will no longer appear in the local Recycle Bin or Trash

Introduction

To improve OneDrive sync performance and make file recovery more predictable, OneDrive will change how cloud-initiated file deletions are handled on local devices. When a file that is locally available on a device is deleted from the cloud, it will no longer appear in the local Recycle Bin on Windows or Trash on macOS. Recovery will instead be available from the OneDrive or SharePoint web recycle bin, depending on where the file was stored.

This change improves sync performance for users with large file libraries, making delete operations faster and ensuring restores are simpler and more predictable with a single authoritative copy in the appropriate web recycle bin (OneDrive or SharePoint).

When this will happen:

• General Availability (Worldwide, GCC, GCC High, DoD): We will begin rolling out in early May 2026 and expect to complete by late May 2026.

How this affects your organization:

Who is affected:

• All OneDrive users on Windows and macOS

What will happen:

• Files deleted from the cloud (OneDrive web or another device) that were locally available on the device:
• Will be removed directly from the local disk.
• Will not appear in the local Recycle Bin (Windows) or Trash (macOS).
• Can be recovered from the OneDrive or SharePoint web recycle bin (for up to 93 days).
• Files that are cloud-only (Files On-Demand) are unchanged.
• Files deleted locally on the device will continue to appear in the local Recycle Bin or Trash as they do today.
• There is no admin configuration or opt-out for this change.

What you can do to prepare:

• No admin action is required
• We recommend the following readiness steps:
  • Inform users that cloud-deleted files that were locally available must be restored from the OneDrive or SharePoint web recycle bin, not the local Recycle Bin or Trash. Learn more: Restore deleted files or folders in OneDrive | Microsoft Support.
  • Update internal help desk articles or user documentation that reference local recovery for cloud-deleted files.
  • Ensure support teams understand the difference between cloud-initiated deletes of locally available files and local deletes.

Compliance considerations:

No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.