Tutorial / Cram Notes
Restoring Deleted Microsoft 365 Groups
When a Microsoft 365 Group is deleted, it’s retained for 30 days by default. During this period, it’s possible to restore the group along with its associated mailbox, site, and contents.
Steps to Restore a Deleted Microsoft 365 Group:
Using the Microsoft 365 admin center:
- Navigate to the Microsoft 365 admin center.
- Go to the “Groups” section, then select “Deleted groups.”
- Find the group you want to restore and select the “Restore” option.
Using PowerShell:
- Connect to the Azure Active Directory module for Windows PowerShell with the appropriate credentials.
- Use the Get-AzureADMSDeletedGroup cmdlet to list all deleted groups.
- Restore the group using the Restore-AzureADMSDeletedDirectoryObject cmdlet with the group’s Object ID.
Example of PowerShell Commands:
# Connect to Azure AD
Connect-AzureAD
# List all deleted groups
Get-AzureADMSDeletedGroup
# Restore the group by Object ID
Restore-AzureADMSDeletedDirectoryObject -Id <Object ID>
Troubleshooting Deletion of Microsoft 365 Groups
Sometimes, a Microsoft 365 Group might be deleted unintentionally or you may experience issues when attempting to restore. Here are a few troubleshooting steps:
- Check the Audit Log: The audit log can provide insight into what happened to the Microsoft 365 Group. You can access this through the Security & Compliance center and filter the log for group deletion events.
- Ensure You Have Permissions: To restore a group, you need to have the necessary permissions, such as being a Global Admin or a Groups Admin.
- Confirm The Retention Period: If it’s been more than 30 days since deletion, the group would be permanently deleted and cannot be restored.
- Check Service Health: Sometimes, the problem might be due to a service outage. Check the Microsoft 365 Service Health dashboard for any ongoing issues that could affect group services.
- Use PowerShell:
- Verify if the group still exists within the recovery window using PowerShell.
- Check for any errors during the restoration process through PowerShell.
Considerations for Non-Restorable Groups:
Certain actions might lead to Microsoft 365 Groups being non-restorable:
- Purposely purged by an administrator.
- Group expiration policy has been enacted, and the group surpassed the retention period.
When you encounter a group that cannot be restored, you may need to recreate the group and reconfigure its settings, permissions, and membership.
Conclusion
Handling the restoration and troubleshooting of Microsoft 365 Groups is a critical task for an administrator managing Microsoft Teams environments. By following proper guidelines and leveraging tools such as the Microsoft 365 admin center and PowerShell, admins can effectively manage group lifecycles, including recovery from accidental deletions.
Be mindful that proactive measures like regular auditing, understanding group expiration policies, and having a clear group governance strategy can mitigate the risks of accidental deletion and streamline the recovery process when needed.
Practice Test with Explanation
(True/False) Microsoft 365 Groups can be restored within 30 days after deletion.
- Answer: True
Explanation: Deleted Microsoft 365 Groups can be recovered within 30 days of deletion through the Exchange admin center or using PowerShell.
(Multiple Select) Which of the following tools can be used to restore a deleted Microsoft 365 Group?
- A) Azure Active Directory Portal
- B) Exchange Admin Center
- C) Microsoft Teams Admin Center
- D) PowerShell
Answer: A, B, D
Explanation: Microsoft 365 Groups can be restored using the Azure Active Directory Portal, Exchange Admin Center, and PowerShell. The Microsoft Teams Admin Center does not provide a direct way to restore groups.
(Single Select) If a Microsoft 365 Group is permanently deleted, after how many days is it generally unrecoverable?
- A) 7 days
- B) 30 days
- C) 90 days
- D) 14 days
Answer: B. 30 days
Explanation: Once a Microsoft 365 Group is deleted, it is held in a ‘soft delete’ state for 30 days, after which it is permanently removed and cannot be recovered.
(True/False) Only global administrators can restore a deleted Microsoft 365 Group.
- Answer: False
Explanation: Both global administrators and user administrators in Azure Active Directory can restore deleted Microsoft 365 Groups.
(Single Select) When restoring a deleted Microsoft 365 Group, which of the following is NOT restored automatically?
- A) Group email conversations
- B) Group calendar events
- C) Deleted files in the group’s SharePoint site
- D) Planner tasks
Answer: C. Deleted files in the group’s SharePoint site
Explanation: When a Microsoft 365 Group is restored, the group’s email conversations, calendar events, and Planner tasks are restored. However, deleted files in the SharePoint site must be restored separately from the SharePoint Recycle Bin.
(True/False) Team channels and chats are also restored when a Microsoft 365 Group connected to a Team is restored.
- Answer: True
Explanation: Restoring a Microsoft 365 Group connected to a Team brings back the Team’s channels, chats, and files because their data is tied to the group.
(Multiple Select) Which of the following statements are true when dealing with a restored Microsoft 365 Group?
- A) Users will need to be re-added manually.
- B) Group email and SharePoint permissions are restored automatically.
- C) Planner data may need to be manually restored.
- D) Teams meeting links associated with the group need to be recreated.
Answer: B, C
Explanation: After restoring a Microsoft 365 Group, the group’s email and SharePoint permissions are restored automatically. Planner data is also typically restored, but in some cases, it may require manual intervention.
(Single Select) What is the PowerShell cmdlet used to restore a deleted Microsoft 365 Group?
- A) Restore-MsolGroup
- B) Restore-M365Group
- C) Undo-SoftDelete
- D) Restore-Group
Answer: A. Restore-MsolGroup
Explanation: The correct cmdlet to restore a deleted Microsoft 365 Group is Restore-MsolGroup when using Azure Active Directory PowerShell for Graph.
(True/False) Microsoft 365 Groups cannot be restored if the group’s SharePoint site was deleted separately.
- Answer: False
Explanation: The group can still be restored, and the SharePoint site might be recoverable through the SharePoint admin center Recycle Bin, but it must be addressed separately from the group restoration.
(Single Select) What effect does restoring a Microsoft 365 Group have on its linked resources like OneNote notebooks or Stream videos?
- A) They are automatically restored without any additional action.
- B) They are lost and cannot be restored.
- C) They must be restored separately.
- D) They are only restored if a system-wide backup was performed.
Answer: A. They are automatically restored without any additional action.
Explanation: Linked resources such as OneNote notebooks or Stream videos are part of the group’s shared resources and are automatically restored with the rest of the group’s data.
(True/False) A Microsoft 365 Group associated with a Team can be restored using the ‘Recover team’ option in the Teams Admin Center.
- Answer: False
Explanation: The Teams Admin Center does not have a ‘Recover team’ option for restoring a Microsoft 365 Group. Restoration must be done through Azure Active Directory, Exchange admin center, or PowerShell.
(Multiple Select) A soft-deleted Microsoft 365 Group must be recovered by which of the following deadlines to ensure full data recovery?
- A) 14 days for Planner tasks
- B) 30 days for the entire group
- C) 15 days for Teams chats
- D) 25 days for Stream content
Answer: B. 30 days for the entire group
Explanation: A soft-deleted Microsoft 365 Group has 30 days for administrators to recover the entire group, including its associated data and services, before it is permanently deleted.
Interview Questions
What is a deleted group in Microsoft 365?
A deleted group in Microsoft 365 is a group that has been deleted and is still recoverable from the Deleted Office 365 groups container within 30 days.
How can you check the Deleted Office 365 groups container for deleted groups?
You can use the Exchange Online PowerShell command Get-UnifiedGroup -SoftDeletedState to check the Deleted Office 365 groups container for deleted groups.
What is the process to restore a deleted group in Microsoft 365?
To restore a deleted group in Microsoft 365, you need to go to the Deleted Office 365 groups container and restore it from there. You can do this using the Microsoft 365 admin center, PowerShell, or Exchange admin center.
Can a restored group retain its original email address?
Yes, a restored group can retain its original email address if the email address is still available and not already in use.
What is the process to restore a group that was deleted more than 30 days ago?
If a group was deleted more than 30 days ago, it is permanently deleted and cannot be restored.
What happens to the data associated with a restored group?
The data associated with a restored group is also restored, including conversations, files, and events.
How long does it take for a restored group to be fully functional?
It can take up to 24 hours for a restored group to be fully functional.
What is the recommended best practice for group deletion in Microsoft 365?
The recommended best practice for group deletion in Microsoft 365 is to use a retention policy to automatically delete groups after a set period.
Can deleted groups be recovered using Microsoft Graph APIs?
Yes, deleted groups can be recovered using Microsoft Graph APIs.
What is the difference between a deleted group and a removed group?
A deleted group is a group that has been deleted and can still be recovered, while a removed group is a group that has been permanently deleted and cannot be recovered.
Can a group be recovered if it was removed from the Deleted Office 365 groups container?
No, a group cannot be recovered if it was removed from the Deleted Office 365 groups container.
Can you restore individual items from a deleted group?
Yes, you can restore individual items from a deleted group using PowerShell or the Microsoft 365 admin center.
What is the process to troubleshoot deletion of a group in Microsoft 365?
The process to troubleshoot deletion of a group in Microsoft 365 involves checking the audit log and looking for any events related to the deletion of the group.
What are the most common reasons for group deletion in Microsoft 365?
The most common reasons for group deletion in Microsoft 365 are accidental deletion by users, removal of expired groups, and removal of groups by administrators.
Can a deleted group be recovered if it was associated with other services, such as Planner or Teams?
Yes, a deleted group can be recovered if it was associated with other services, such as Planner or Teams. The associated services will also be restored along with the group.
Great article! Restoring Microsoft 365 Groups can be tricky. Any tips for ensuring the process is smooth?
I followed the steps but can’t see the deleted Group in my admin center. Is there a time limit for recovery?
Thanks for this helpful guide!
How do I restore a deleted Group using PowerShell?
This article was not detailed enough for complex scenarios. More advanced troubleshooting tips would be appreciated.
What permissions are required to restore a deleted Microsoft 365 Group?
I restored a Group but some of the content is missing. Any insights?
Is there a way to automate the backup of Microsoft 365 Groups?