SharePoint Recycle Bin - Complete Tutorial

Many people use SharePoint to store, share, and manage important files. Sometimes files can be deleted by mistake, leading to confusion about where to find them. The Recycle Bin in SharePoint is usually found on the SharePoint Site Contents page or in the site’s left-hand menu, often labeled as “Recycle bin”.

SharePoint also has a second-stage Recycle Bin for items not found in the main bin, which adds another layer of safety for deleted files.

Table of Contents

Recycle Bin in SharePoint

SharePoint includes a built-in Recycle Bin that helps users recover deleted files, folders, and other items. When someone deletes a file, folder, library, list, or even a version of a file, it goes to the Recycle Bin instead of being erased immediately. This feature allows users to restore content if it is removed by accident.

Users can view, restore, or permanently delete items in the SharePoint Recycle Bin.

The SharePoint Recycle Bin is available from the Site Contents page, usually located at the top right. The deleted items stay here for a limited time, usually 93 days, before being automatically removed.

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How the Two-Stage SharePoint Recycle Bin Works

SharePoint has a two-stage Recycle Bin system to prevent accidental data loss.

First-Stage Recycle Bin:

When an item is first deleted in SharePoint, it moves to the site (first-stage) Recycle Bin.
Here, users can view and restore files without needing an admin.
Items stay in the first-stage for the retention period or until they are manually deleted.

Second-Stage Recycle Bin (also known as Site Collection Recycle Bin):

If a user deletes an item from the first-stage Recycle Bin, it goes to the second-stage.
Only site collection admins can access this bin.
Items remain here until the retention period ends or the admin deletes them.

This process adds an extra layer of recovery and protects against accidental permanent deletion. The two stages make it easier to recover important files even after users try to clear items from the main Recycle Bin.

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Access SharePoint Recycle Bin

SharePoint Online provides two kinds of Recycle Bins for deleted files and items: the Site Collection Recycle Bin and the End-User Recycle Bin. You should know how to access the SharePoint recycle bin.

Access the Site Collection Recycle Bin

The Site Collection Recycle Bin is for site administrators and gives access to all deleted content at the site collection level, including files removed from user Recycle Bins.

To reach the Site Collection Recycle Bin in SharePoint Online:

Go to the main SharePoint site.
Click on the Settings icon (gear symbol).
Select Site settings from the menu.
Under Site Collection Administration, choose Recycle Bin.

You can view and restore items deleted by any user within the site collection. There is also a second-stage Recycle Bin located at the bottom of the main Recycle Bin page, holding items after they are deleted from the user’s Recycle Bin.

This feature is crucial in Microsoft 365 environments for site administrators who need to manage large teams or recover files removed by multiple users.

Navigate to the End-User Recycle Bin

The End-User Recycle Bin is for individuals who need to recover files they personally deleted. Each user with access to a SharePoint Online site can use it.

Here’s how a user can find it:

Open the SharePoint Online site.
From the left-side navigation, click Recycle Bin.

The Recycle Bin shows deleted documents, lists, or other items.
Users can select any item and click Restore to recover it back to its original location.

This Recycle Bin is easy to access and helps prevent the permanent loss of important files. It is especially helpful in Microsoft 365, where many people collaborate and accidental deletions are common.

You can also access the SharePoint recycle bin from the Site Contents page, like below:

Go to the Settings or gear icon (On the top of the page) -> Site contents -> Recycle bin as in the image below.

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Restore Deleted Items from SharePoint Recycle Bin

Once we go to the SharePoint Recycle bin page, all the deleted files are visible as shown in the screenshot below.
To delete all items from the Recycle Bin, click the Empty Recycle Bin option without selecting any items.

Moreover, you have the choice to select an item and either restore it by clicking the Restore button or delete it by clicking the Delete button.
We can also view the deleted item details, such as the file deletion date, the person who deleted it, the Original location of the file, and more.

Once we click the Restore button, the specific files or items will be removed from the Recycle Bin and restored to their original location.

This is how to restore SharePoint deleted items from the recycle bin.

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First-Stage Recycle Bin vs. Second-Stage Recycle Bin

SharePoint utilizes a two-stage recycle bin system to assist users in recovering deleted items and provide site collection administrators with more control. Each stage has its own rules for storing and restoring items.

How Deleted Items Move Between Stages

When an item, such as a file or document, is deleted in SharePoint, it is first sent to the first-stage recycle bin. This recycle bin is sometimes called the “user recycle bin.” Items in this stage stay here for a set period, usually 93 days from the time they are deleted.

If a user deletes an item from the first-stage recycle bin, it does not immediately disappear. Instead, it moves to the second-stage recycle bin. This second stage is also called the “site collection recycle bin.” Here, items can be recovered by a site collection admin. If deleted from the second-stage recycle bin, the item is permanently deleted and cannot be recovered.

A quick summary of what happens:

Deletion from library: Item goes to the first-stage recycle bin.
Deletion from first-stage: Item moves to the second-stage recycle bin.
Deletion from second-stage: Item is permanently removed.

Role of the SharePoint Site Collection Admin

The site collection admin has special access in SharePoint. While regular users can see and restore only items they deleted in the first-stage recycle bin, site collection admins can see every item in the second-stage recycle bin across the whole site collection.

Only site collection admins can restore items from the second-stage recycle bin. This extra access helps them recover files if a user accidentally deletes needed documents twice or cannot find them in the first stage. Admins can also permanently remove items from the second stage, which is helpful when managing storage space.

This level of control ensures that important documents are not lost too easily, giving admins final say over deleted content before it’s gone forever.

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SharePoint Recycle Bin Permissions

Permissions control who can see and restore items in the Recycle Bin. Regular users can view and restore items they deleted themselves from the First-stage Recycle Bin. They cannot see or manage items deleted by others.

Site Owners and those with higher permissions can view and recover any deleted items for the site. Site Collection Administrators can access the Second-stage Recycle Bin, enabling them to recover items deleted by others or restore files removed from the First-stage Recycle Bin.

A simple table outlines access:

Role	First-stage Access	Second-stage Access
Regular User	Own items only	No
Site Owner/Full Control	All site items	No
Site Collection Admin	All items	Yes

These rules help manage content responsibly and prevent unauthorized restores or deletions. Proper permission management is key to keeping sites organized and secure.

Conclusion

The SharePoint recycle bin enables users to restore deleted files and items without requiring special permissions or IT assistance.

Users can find the recycle bin by going to the Site Contents page or the left-side panel on the SharePoint site.

SharePoint Recycle Bin – Complete Tutorial

Recycle Bin in SharePoint

How the Two-Stage SharePoint Recycle Bin Works