How to Recover Previous File Versions Using Microsoft OneDrive

Quick Tips

• OneDrive can be accessed either directly via the desktop app or through any browser.
• Only files that have been uploaded to OneDrive can be restored to previous versions.
• OneDrive for Business has a similar restoration process, but some files might not be recoverable based on your role settings.

Collaborating on documents via the cloud has become practically a necessity, whether in school, higher academia, or business. But sometimes, things might go wrong and files just stop looking like they should. If you’re using OneDrive to make long-distance file sharing seamless (one of the few worthwhile options), then you can use its “Version History” options to reroll a document to a previous look. There are a few ways to recover previous file versions in OneDrive and they’re all relatively simple.

Method 1. Recover Previous File Versions in OneDrive Through the File Explorer

If you have OneDrive, the most common way it’s integrated with your devices is through a direct app that sits on every PC that you’re syncing the files between. In that case, whenever a file is dropped into OneDrive, all apps that have your profile installed will continue fetching updated versions of the file whenever they can access the internet. You can then use the Windows File Explorer to manipulate the files inside it.

Step 1. Open File Explorer and navigate to OneDrive on the left. It looks like a cloud icon and has your or your company’s account name on it.

Step 2. Find the document you want to roll back in your OneDrive directory. In our example, we’ll go to “Documents” and use the “Test file” Word doc.

Step 3. Right-click on the file, select “OneDrive” from the list of options, and choose “Version history.”

Step 4. Select the version from the list (if multiple people worked on the file, each should be named and timestamped).

Step 5. Hover over the version you want to restore, click the three dots icon on the right, and select “Restore.”

The file will be restored, but you will also get to keep the most recent version in the history if you want to roll back the process (again). The process may take a while to complete.

Method 2. Recover Previous File Versions in OneDrive through the Taskbar

If the file you want to recover is one of the most recently viewed or edited files, you can expedite the process by working directly through the taskbar.

Step 1. Click once on the OneDrive app on your taskbar (you may need to “Show hidden icons” to get to it).

Step 2. Hover over the file you want to reroll, then click the three-dots icon on the right.

Step 3. Choose “Version history” from the menu.

Step 4. Select the version you want to restore, click on the “More options” three-dots icon, and hit “Restore.”

Wait for the process to finish and the restored version should be loaded as the newest one.

Method 3. Recover Previous File Versions in OneDrive via Browser

If you don’t use Windows or simply want to access the files regardless of the platform, you can use OneDrive’s website.

Step 1. Open your browser and go to https://onedrive.live.com/

Step 2. Enter your Microsoft OneDrive account credentials to log in (if needed).

Step 3. Use the toolbar on the left to navigate. Most recent items should go to the “Home” tab.

Step 4. Go to “My files,” find the file you want to recover and click on it. You should see an options menu on the top.

Step 5. Click on “Version history” from the top menu, and a pop-up menu should open on the right.

Step 6. Click on the three-dots icon next to the version’s timestamp and select “Restore.”

Using OneDrive for Business

The steps for using OneDrive for Personal and OneDrive for Business are largely the same. The only difference is that you may have separate storage for shared and private files (indicated by different folders). Additionally, you might not have the option to restore previous versions if your team admin has disabled it based on your role permissions. If that happens, contact your organization’s administrator for assistance.