# Deleting Backed-Up Data for SharePoint Online

To reduce backup capacity, administrators can delete backed-up data. Deleting data is permanent. When you delete data, it is no longer included in backups and cannot be restored.

You might also want to permanently delete data for legal purposes and to adhere to compliance regulations. You can delete the following types of data:

- Specific files, folders, lists, and sites

- Items that match search criteria

After a file is deleted, the next backup operation will not include the deleted file.

## Before You Begin

To delete data, you must be assigned the Delete Data permission on the Microsoft 365 application.

Important

Users cannot delete data from SharePoint Online apps when compliance lock is enabled on a storage policy copy. Users also cannot reduce the retention period for Microsoft 365 and server plans in this state. To delete data, disable compliance lock on the associated storage policy copy.

## Deleting Sites

1. From the Command Center navigation pane, go to Protect > Microsoft 365.

   The Microsoft 365 Overview page appears.

2. On the Apps tab, click the app.

   The Overview page of the app appears.

3. On the Sites tab, select the sites that you want to delete.

4. At the top of the table, click the menu button , and then select Manage > Delete backup data.

   The Confirm delete dialog box appears.

5. In the box, type DELETE, and then click Delete.

## Deleting Files, Folders, and Lists

1. From the Command Center navigation pane, go to Protect > Microsoft 365.

   The Microsoft 365 Overview page appears.

2. On the Apps tab, click the app.

   The Overview page of the app appears.

3. On the Sites tab, select a site, and then click Restore > Restore documents.

   The restore documents page appears.

4. In the right pane, select the items that you want to delete.

5. At the top of the page, click Delete.

   The Confirm delete dialog box appears.

6. In the box, type DELETE, and then click Delete.

## Deleting Data Found in Search

1. From the Command Center navigation pane, go to Protect > Microsoft 365.

   The Microsoft 365 Overview page appears.

2. On the Apps tab, click the app.

   The Overview page of the app appears.

3. On the Sites tab, select the site where you want to delete data.

4. At the top-right area of the page, click Restore > Restore files.

   The restore files page appears.

5. To find specific items that you want to delete, at the top of the page, in the Search bar, enter a file name or keyword.

6. To narrow the search results, click the filter button , and in the dialog box, enter additional search criteria such as the file type, size, or modified date.

7. Click Search.

8. In the right pane, select the items that you want to delete.

9. At the top of the page, click Delete.

   The Confirm delete dialog box appears.

10. Beside Selection Range, select the files you want to delete:

    - To delete only the selected files, select Selected.

    - To delete all the files that match the search criteria, select All.

11. In the box, type DELETE, and then click Delete.

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