How to Restore Deleted Shared Drive Data

Quick and easy-to-follow guide for Google Workspace administrators

When you can recover permanently deleted shared drive files and folders

As a Google Workspace admin, you can restore deleted Shared Drive data.
You can only restore data deleted in the past 25 days.
Data deleted over 25 days ago gets permanently purged from Google’s servers and can’t be restored.

Other ways for Google Workspace admins to restore deleted shared drive data

The only workaround to keep data for more than 25 days after its deletion is to can set Google Vault up to retain deleted Google Drive data for as long as you need.
Alternatively, you can use one of our recommended backup services.

How to recover permanently deleted shared drive files and folders step-by-step with images

Step 1

In the Admin console https://admin.google.com, click the Apps icon.

Step 2

Select Google Workspace.

Step 3

Click Drive and Docs. Make sure not to check the box to its left; just click the name.

Step 4

Select Manage shared drives.

Step 5

Hover over the Shared drive and click More on the right, then select Restore.

Step 6

Select the date range and click RESTORE DATA.

You can’t pick specific files to restore – everything in the date range you select will come back. If you want this option, you can check one of our recommended backup services.

Note that it can take some time to restore all the data, depending on how much you are restoring.