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Microsoft 365 Backup : restauration granulaire des fichiers SharePoint et OneDrive
BlogM365 NewsMicrosoft 365 Backup: Granular Restore for SharePoint and OneDrive Files
M365 News#Microsoft 365 Backup#SharePoint#OneDrive

Microsoft 365 Backup: Granular Restore for SharePoint and OneDrive Files

Microsoft 365 Backup introduces granular file restoration for SharePoint and OneDrive in public preview. Complete guide for IT administrators.

Houssem MAKHLOUF
March 10, 2026
6 min read

TL;DR par Minerva

généré par IA

Microsoft 365 Backup introduces granular file restoration for SharePoint and OneDrive in public preview. Complete guide for IT administrators.

Introduction to Microsoft 365 Backup Granular Restore

Microsoft is significantly enriching the capabilities of Microsoft 365 Backup with the introduction of granular restoration for files and folders in SharePoint and OneDrive. This feature, currently in public preview, revolutionizes the traditional data recovery approach by allowing administrators to restore specific items without impacting an entire site or account.

i

2026 Update

This feature addresses a growing demand from IT administrators seeking a more precise solution than complete SharePoint site or OneDrive account restoration for recovering individual items.

Evolution of Recovery Capabilities

Limitations of Traditional Methods

Until now, administrators faced two limited options:

  • Complete Restore: Recovery of an entire SharePoint site or OneDrive account
  • Microsoft 365 Recycle Bin: Limited recovery to 93 days with functional restrictions

These approaches proved particularly inefficient for targeted recovery scenarios, notably in cases of:

  • Accidental deletion of critical documents
  • Corruption of specific files
  • Regulatory compliance requests
  • Localized security incidents

Benefits of Granular Restoration

The new feature brings significant benefits:

  • Precision: Exact selection of items to restore
  • Efficiency: Significant reduction in recovery time
  • Compliance: Appropriate response to personal and sensitive data requirements
  • Resource Optimization: Minimization of infrastructure impact

Deployment Schedule and Availability

Rollout Phases

1

Public Preview

The public preview phase began in March 2026 and will continue until mid-March 2026. This period allows organizations to test the feature in their production environments.

2

General Availability

General availability deployment is planned from late April to early May 2026, ensuring gradual and controlled adoption.

✦

Implementation Advice

Take advantage of the preview period to train your teams and adapt your recovery procedures to the new granular capabilities.

Technical and Administrative Prerequisites

System Requirements

To use granular restoration, your environment must meet several conditions:

ComponentRequirementImpact
Azure LicenseSubscription with pay-as-you-go billingVariable cost based on usage
Microsoft 365 BackupService activated at tenant levelMandatory prior configuration
PermissionsSharePoint Backup Administrator roleStrict access control

Roles and Permissions

The SharePoint Backup Administrator role is the minimum prerequisite for:

  • Accessing restore points
  • Browsing file hierarchies
  • Initiating recovery operations
  • Configuring destination settings

Step-by-Step Restore Process

Accessing the Restore Interface

1

Sign in to Admin Center

Access the Microsoft 365 admin center via https://admin.cloud.microsoft/ and authenticate with an account having appropriate permissions.

2

Navigate to Microsoft 365 Backup

In the Settings menu, select Microsoft 365 Backup to access backup and restore options.

3

Select Target Service

Choose Restore under the SharePoint or OneDrive section depending on your data source.

Configuring Granular Restore

4

Choose Restore Method

On the method selection page, opt for Restore specific files or folders to enable granular mode.

5

Select Resources

Identify the target OneDrive account or SharePoint site in the list of backed-up resources, then click Next.

6

Define Restore Point

Choose the appropriate date and time for restoration. The system automatically suggests the nearest restore point if no exact point exists.

Precise Item Selection

7

Browse Hierarchy

On the Content page, select the required sub-site then the target document library. Use the search function to quickly locate numerous libraries.

8

Search and Select

In the Select files and folders section, use the library-level search bar or manually browse the hierarchy to identify items to restore.

9

Validation and Launch

Check the required files and folders, then click Next. On the Review and Finalize page, verify your selection before clicking Start Restore.

!

Important Limitation

File selection is limited to the currently displayed folder hierarchy. Any search in another hierarchy will clear the current selection.

Advanced Technical Features

Restore Options

The feature offers two operational modes:

  • In-place Overwrite: Direct restoration to the original location
  • Copy to New Location: Creation of a copy in a different directory

Impact on Existing Architecture

The implementation respects several continuity principles:

  • Policy Preservation: No impact on existing backup policies
  • Backward Compatibility: Works with all existing restore points
  • Granular Auditing: Extension of traceability to file and folder level
i

Architecture

This update affects neither the storage nor the location of backups. It only adds a layer of granular access to existing restore points.

PowerShell Scripts for Administration

Verification of Microsoft 365 Backup Configuration

⚡PowerShell
1# Connect to Microsoft 365 service
2Connect-MgGraph -Scopes "https://graph.microsoft.com/.default"
3
4# Check Microsoft 365 Backup status
5$backupStatus = Get-MgServicePrincipal -Filter "displayName eq 'Microsoft 365 Backup'"
6Write-Output "Microsoft 365 Backup Status: $($backupStatus.accountEnabled)"
7
8# List protected sites
9$protectedSites = Get-MgSite -All | Where-Object {$_.isBackupEnabled -eq $true}
10Write-Output "Protected Sites: $($protectedSites.Count)"

Audit of Restore Permissions

⚡PowerShell
1# Check SharePoint Backup Administrator roles
2$backupAdmins = Get-MgDirectoryRoleMember -DirectoryRoleId (Get-MgDirectoryRole -Filter "displayName eq 'SharePoint Backup Administrator'").Id
3
4foreach ($admin in $backupAdmins) {
5 $user = Get-MgUser -UserId $admin.Id
6 Write-Output "Backup Administrator: $($user.displayName) - $($user.mail)"
7}

Best Practices and Recommendations

Operational Strategy

To optimize the use of this feature:

  • Update Runbooks: Integrate granular restore procedures into your existing processes
  • Team Training: Educate administrators on new capabilities
  • Intelligent Prioritization: Prioritize granular restore over complete restore
  • Document Use Cases: Identify optimal scenarios for each method

Governance and Compliance

✦

GDPR Compliance

Granular restoration facilitates compliance request management by enabling targeted recovery of personal data without exposing irrelevant information.

Glossary of Technical Terms

Microsoft 365 Backup: Integrated cloud backup service for Microsoft 365 data

Restore Point: Time-specific snapshot of data at a given moment

Granular Restore: Process of recovering specific items rather than complete containers

SharePoint Backup Administrator: Specialized Azure AD role for managing SharePoint and OneDrive backups

Pay-as-You-Go Billing: Pricing model based on actual resource consumption

Useful Links and Official Documentation

  • Microsoft 365 Backup Documentation
  • Azure Billing Configuration for Microsoft 365 Backup
  • SharePoint Administration Guide
  • Microsoft 365 Admin Center
  • Azure AD Role Management

Conclusion

The introduction of granular restoration in Microsoft 365 Backup marks a significant evolution in data recovery management. This feature addresses the growing need for precision and efficiency in modern IT environments, while maintaining the ease of use characteristic of the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.

Organizations can now optimize their recovery strategies by adopting a more targeted approach, reducing downtime and improving their regulatory compliance posture.

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HM

Houssem MAKHLOUF

Microsoft 365 enthusiast & IT professional.

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