Deleted Users

View and manage recently deleted users from Entra ID. Deleted users are soft-deleted and can be restored within 30 days before permanent deletion.

Note: When a user is deleted, they’re moved to the Recycle Bin for 30 days. During this period, the account can be fully restored with all properties intact. After 30 days, the user is permanently deleted and cannot be recovered.

Deleted Users List

What Happens When a User is Deleted

Immediately

• User cannot sign in
• All active sessions are terminated
• Refresh tokens are revoked
• User removed from all groups
• Licenses are unassigned (returned to pool)
• Manager relationship cleared

Preserved During 30-Day Window

• User profile and all attributes
• Mailbox content (soft-deleted, recoverable)
• OneDrive files (accessible by admin)
• Audit log entries
• User object ID (important for app references)

After 30 Days (Permanent)

Warning: After 30 days, deletion is permanent and irreversible.

• User object permanently deleted
• UPN becomes available for reuse
• Mailbox permanently purged (unless on hold)
• OneDrive content deleted (unless retained)
• Cannot be recovered

Restoring a User

Select a deleted user and click “Restore” to recover the account:

What Gets Restored

Automatically Restored:

• User profile and attributes
• UPN and email address
• Object ID (same as before)
• Mailbox (if within retention)
• OneDrive files

Must Be Re-Assigned:

• Group memberships
• Licenses
• Manager
• App role assignments
• Administrative roles

Warning: If the UPN was reused for a new user, you’ll need to restore to a different UPN and then rename after restoration.

Permanent Deletion

To immediately and permanently delete a user before the 30-day window:

1. Select the deleted user from the recycle bin
2. Click “Delete Permanently”
3. Confirm the action (this cannot be undone)

Warning: Permanent deletion is irreversible. Ensure all data has been backed up or transferred before proceeding. Consider legal hold requirements before permanent deletion.

Common Scenarios

Accidental Deletion

Admin deleted wrong user. Restore immediately, then re-assign licenses and groups. User may need to re-register MFA if registration was recently changed.

Employee Rehired

If within 30 days, restore the original account to preserve OneDrive and mailbox history. Reassign appropriate licenses and update department/title as needed.

Compliance/Legal Hold

Before deleting, ensure no litigation hold applies. If user data is under hold, the mailbox will be preserved even after permanent deletion. Consult legal before permanent deletion of accounts potentially relevant to litigation.

Convert to Shared Mailbox

Instead of deleting, consider converting the mailbox to shared. This preserves email access for the team, reclaims the license, and maintains historical data.

Deleted User Data Access

Access data from deleted users during the retention period:

OneDrive Files

Admin can access deleted user’s OneDrive for 30 days (or longer with retention policy). Transfer ownership to another user or download critical files.

Mailbox Content

Soft-deleted mailbox accessible via eDiscovery or by restoring the user. Set up forwarding before deletion or convert to shared for ongoing access.

Teams Chats

1:1 chats retained in the mailbox. Channel messages remain in Teams as they’re stored in the group mailbox, not the user’s mailbox.

Bulk Operations

• Bulk Restore — Restore multiple accidentally deleted users
• Bulk Permanent Delete — Clean up test accounts or confirmed departures
• Export List — Download deleted users for compliance reporting

Graph API Endpoints

• GET /directory/deletedItems/microsoft.graph.user
• POST /directory/deletedItems/{id}/restore
• DELETE /directory/deletedItems/{id}
• GET /directory/deletedItems/{id}

API Reference

• GET /api/identity/users/deleted — List deleted users in recycle bin
• POST /api/identity/users/:id/restore — Restore deleted user
• DELETE /api/identity/users/:id/permanent — Permanently delete user
• GET /api/identity/users/:id/onedrive — Access deleted user’s OneDrive