Have you accidentally deleted an important email on Office 365, and don’t know how to retrieve it? Luckily, there are several methods to recover deleted emails from Office 365 Admin. Whether you deleted your emails by accident or intentionally, you can restore them easily. This blog post includes methods to recover deleted emails from Office 365 Admin, as well as reasons why emails get deleted, and recommended precautions to prevent this from happening again.
Video Tutorial:
What’s Needed
Before you start recovering your deleted emails from Office 365 Admin, make sure you have the following information:
- Your Office 365 username and password
- Your Exchange Online administrator account details
- The exact time and date when you deleted the email
- The mailbox name or the identity of the deleted email
What Requires Your Focus?
When it comes to recovering deleted emails from Office 365 Admin, attention to detail is essential. It’s important to accurately identify the deleted email and recover it from the correct mailbox. You must also know the exact time and date of the email’s deletion. Additionally, you will need to be familiar with the different recovery methods available to you, and which one is most appropriate for your situation. Make sure you carefully follow each step of your chosen recovery method.
Different Methods to Recover Deleted Emails from Office 365 Admin
Method 1: Recover Deleted Emails from the Deleted Items Folder
If you recently deleted an email and haven’t emptied the Deleted Items folder, you can quickly retrieve it by following these steps:
- Log in to your Office 365 account.
- Click on the "Deleted Items" folder on the left-hand side of the screen.
- Select the email that you want to recover.
- Right-click on the email and choose "Move" > "Inbox" or "Drafts" to move the email to that folder.
- The email will be restored to the folder that you selected.
Pros:
- Quick and easy to use if the email was deleted recently.
- No need for third-party software or admin access.
Cons:
- Only useful if the email was deleted recently and hasn’t been permanently deleted.
- Can’t recover the email if it was deleted before entering the Deleted Items folder.
Method 2: Use the “Recover Deleted Items” Feature in Exchange Online
Another way to recover deleted emails in Office 365 Admin is by using the "Recover Deleted Items" feature in Exchange Online. This method is helpful for recovering emails that were deleted a long time ago or have been permanently deleted from the Deleted Items folder. Here’s how to use this feature:
- Sign in to Office 365 and Exchange Online as an administrator.
- Click on the "Deleted Items" folder.
- Click on the "Recover Deleted Items" icon in the top right-hand corner.
- Select the email or emails that you want to recover and click on "Recover Selected Items."
- The email(s) will be restored to the Deleted Items folder.
Pros:
- Can recover emails that were deleted a long time ago or have been permanently deleted.
- Works well for recovering multiple emails at once.
Cons:
- Only available for Exchange Online accounts.
- Requires admin access to recover email(s).
Method 3: Use a Third-Party Email Recovery Tool
If the above methods don’t work for you, or you need to recover emails that were deleted a long time ago, a third-party email recovery tool can help. Some of the best tools for recovering deleted emails from Office 365 Admin are:
- Stellar Phoenix Exchange Server Recovery
- Kernel Office 365 Backup and Restore
- BitTitan Data Migration
These tools can be used to recover deleted emails and other mailbox items from Exchange Online, Exchange Server, and other email platforms. Follow the tool’s instructions to recover your deleted emails.
Pros:
- Can recover emails that were deleted a long time ago or have been permanently deleted.
- Can recover other mailbox items in addition to emails.
- Works with several email platforms, not just Office 365 Admin.
Cons:
- Requires purchasing and learning how to use a third-party tool.
- May take longer to recover emails than other methods.
Why Can’t I Recover Deleted Emails from Office 365 Admin?
There are several reasons why you may not be able to recover deleted emails from Office 365 Admin. Here are some possible issues and their fixes:
1. The Email Was Deleted More Than 30 Days Ago
By default, deleted emails are kept in the Deleted Items folder for 30 days before being permanently deleted. If the email was deleted more than 30 days ago and hasn’t been backed up, you won’t be able to retrieve it. Fix: Consider using a third-party email recovery tool to recover deleted emails that are older than 30 days.
2. The Email Was Permanently Deleted from the Deleted Items Folder
If an email is deleted from the Deleted Items folder and then the folder has been purged or emptied, the email is considered permanently deleted. Fix: Use a third-party email recovery tool to recover deleted emails that have been permanently deleted.
3. You Don’t Have Admin Access
In order to use some of the email recovery methods, you must have admin access to the Exchange Online account. Fix: Ask your IT or Exchange Online administrator for admin access.
4. The Email Wasn’t Assigned to the Correct Folder for Recovery
If you’re using the Recover Deleted Items feature in Exchange Online, it’s important to ensure that the deleted email was assigned to the right folder for recovery. Fix: Make sure you select the correct mailbox and folder to recover the deleted emails.
Implications and Recommendations
Losing critical emails can cause significant damage to individuals and organizations. Recovering lost emails, especially those containing important information or sensitive data, is essential. The above methods can help you recover your lost emails from Office 365 Admin. To prevent data loss in the future, it’s important to regularly back up your email data and be cautious while deleting emails.
Recommended Precautions:
- Regularly back up important emails and data.
- Consider archiving or moving older emails to prevent accidental deletion.
- Enable email retention policies to keep deleted items for a longer period of time.
- Review and double-check before deleting any emails.
5 FAQs about Recovering Deleted Emails from Office 365 Admin
Q1: Why are my emails getting deleted in Office 365?
A: Emails can be accidentally deleted using Outlook or other mail clients or intentionally deleted by an admin or user. A system failure, data corruption, or cyber-attacks can also lead to email deletion.
Q2: Can I recover permanently deleted emails from Office 365 Admin?
A: Yes, but it requires using a third-party email recovery tool, as the emails are considered to be permanently deleted and won’t appear in the deleted items folder.
Q3: Which method is the quickest to recover deleted emails in Office 365?
A: The quickest method is recovering the email from the Deleted Items folder, provided it hasn’t been emptied.
Q4: Can I recover emails that are older than 30 days?
A: Yes, you can recover emails that are older than 30 days with a third-party email recovery tool.
Q5: Can I use the Recover Deleted Items feature on shared mailboxes?
A: Yes, as long as you have permission to access that mailbox.
Final Words
Recovering deleted emails from Office 365 Admin is a crucial task, and it’s important to know the methods and precautions to ensure that you never lose your important emails again. The above methods can help you recover your lost emails in Office 365 Admin, and the recommended precautions can help you prevent it from happening again.