Speed vs. convenience — Microsoft is changing how OneDrive syncs

A major change to OneDrive is about to roll out. Starting next month, files that are locally available on a device and then deleted from the cloud will no longer appear in the Recycle Bin of the device.

The change is being made to improve OneDrive sync performance and "make file recovery more predictable," according to Microsoft.

I recently managed around 300GB of data that was synced to OneDrive, including documents, photos, and videos. Between moving files, deleting items, and uploading new versions of older content, syncing took ages. I happily welcome anything that improves sync performance for OneDrive.

I'm curious to see if some people respond to the change negatively. It improves OneDrive sync performance, but it also removes a safety net of having files appear in the Recycle Bin or Trash of a physical device.

The current setup of OneDrive allows you to restore a cloud-saved file on your device without having to open a browser. That will no longer be the case after next month.

Microsoft sent word about the change through the Microsoft 365 Message Center (archived here).

"Starting May 2026, files deleted from OneDrive cloud won't appear in local Recycle Bin or Trash but can be recovered from the OneDrive or SharePoint web recycle bin. Local deletes remain unchanged. No admin action needed; users should be informed about the new recovery process."

As of right now, deleting a file from the cloud results in that file appearing in the Recycle Bin on Windows or Trash on macOS. If you delete a large number of files, that can create a lot of work to keep OneDrive in sync.

Following the change, deleted files will also be deleted from the local disk. You will still be able to recover the files if needed, you will just have to do so through the OneDrive or SharePoint web recycle bin. Those recycle bins keep files for up to 93 days, so you'll need to make sure to restore any files you need before they're deleted forever.

If you delete a file on-device, that file will still appear in the Recycle Bin or Trash depending on your operating system.

The change will start rolling out in early May and should be done before the end of that month.

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