One user's mailbox is empty: can we restore just that one?
Yes, with proper M365 backup, granular restore (one mailbox, one folder, even one mail) is standard. Without such backup it gets complicated.
Try this first
- 1First: check Outlook > Deleted Items > 'Recover deleted items'. Up to ~30 days in 'Deleted items', plus a few days in 'Recoverable items > Purges' from Microsoft itself.
- 2Then: M365 Compliance Center has eDiscovery/Content Search to recover a mailbox if the retention policy allows. Admin work.
- 3With an external backup tool (Veeam, AvePoint, etc.): pick the user, pick a date, pick 'restore to original' or 'restore to PST'. The second option is safer if you are not sure what the user has changed.
- 4Communicate with the user: have them close Outlook during the restore, otherwise you get sync conflicts.
When to bring us in
Restore-to-original can cause duplicates or conflicts if you choose wrong. Call before you tick 'overwrite'; undoing it costs more than picking right up front.
See also
- We have backups but we do not know if they workA backup that cannot be restored is not a backup. Testing matters as much as taking the backup.
- Suspected ransomware: what to do RIGHT NOWThe first 30 minutes are critical. One wrong move spreads the damage. Read before acting.
- Someone accidentally deleted an important folderUsually fine to recover. The trick: do not save anything new on that drive until you know how.
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