Microsoft Teams files keep going missing, but no one knows why

Cloud
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

The recent Azure Active Directory (AAD) outage has had a strange side-effect; it’s being blamed for randomly deleting files from Microsoft SharePoint and Microsoft Teams.

A misconfiguration in AAD caused major headaches for users of various Microsoft’s collaboration platforms such as SharePoint, Teams, Office 365, XBox Live, and others. Microsoft soon rolled out a mitigation and everything was back to normal in a few hours.

Now reports are pouring in from SharePoint and Teams users about their files mysteriously ending up in the recycle bin, either in the online trash or surprisingly in the one on their desktop.

Ex-files

Several users have reported the strange behaviour in Microsoft’s community forums, as well as on Reddit and some admins even shared their experience with BleepingComputer, going back to as early as a day after AAD’s outage.

Microsoft has issued a couple of advisories regarding the issues, one for SharePoint and another for OneDrive. Reportedly, Microsoft blames the AAD outage as the cause of the issue without shedding any light on how the now resolved outage is responsible for this unexplained behaviour.  

Furthermore, BleepingComputer reports that while both advisories suggest that subsequent file sync will restore the deleted files, that didn’t work and users had to manually move them out of the recycle bin to their original location.

The issue reportedly also extends to the free users of Microsoft Teams, who’ve had their shared files also mysteriously disappear. Microsoft has apparently found the cause of the issue and said they were working on applying mitigations, though any explanation about the odd behaviour was conspicuous by its absence.

Via: BleepingComputer

Mayank Sharma

With almost two decades of writing and reporting on Linux, Mayank Sharma would like everyone to think he’s TechRadar Pro’s expert on the topic. Of course, he’s just as interested in other computing topics, particularly cybersecurity, cloud, containers, and coding.

Read more
A hand laying out a password
Microsoft fixes concerning issue with its Entra ID authentication tool
OneDrive on a Laptop
Microsoft One Drive for Business might not be storing your data as securely as you might hope
A person at a laptop with a cybersecure lock symbol floating above it.
A worrying security flaw could have left Microsoft SharePoint users open to attack
A concept image of someone typing on a computer. A red flashing danger sign is above the keyboard and nymbers and symbols also in glowing red surround it.
Microsoft Teams and other Windows tools hijacked to hack corporate networks
ChatGPT on smartphone and desktop.
Microsoft claims its servers were illegally accessed to make unsafe AI content
Phishing
Russian cyberattackers spotted hitting Microsoft Teams with new phishing campaign
Latest in Software & Services
TinEye website
I like this reverse image search service the most
A person in a wheelchair working at a computer.
Here’s a free way to find long lost relatives and friends
A white woman with long brown hair in a ponytail looks down at her computer in a distressed manner. She is holding her forehead with one hand and a credit card with the other
This people search finder covers all the bases, but it's not perfect
That's Them home page
Is That's Them worth it? My honest review
woman listening to computer
AWS vs Azure: choosing the right platform to maximize your company's investment
A person at a desktop computer working on spreadsheet tables.
Trello vs Jira: which project management solution is best for you?
Latest in News
Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses
Samsung's rumored smart specs may be launching before the end of 2025
Apple iPhone 16 Review
The latest iPhone 18 leak hints at a major chipset upgrade for all four models
Quordle on a smartphone held in a hand
Quordle hints and answers for Monday, March 24 (game #1155)
NYT Strands homescreen on a mobile phone screen, on a light blue background
NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, March 24 (game #386)
NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background
NYT Connections hints and answers for Monday, March 24 (game #652)
Quordle on a smartphone held in a hand
Quordle hints and answers for Sunday, March 23 (game #1154)