Guide · Updated 2026-10-13
How to restore a deleted Entra ID user
If someone deleted a user in Microsoft Entra ID, you can usually bring it back for 30 days. Here is how, and what to do when that window is gone.
Restore from the Entra admin center
- Sign in to entra.microsoft.com as a User Administrator or higher.
- Go to Entra ID, then Users, then Deleted users.
- Tick the user and select Restore user.
- Check the user can sign in, and confirm their licenses and group memberships.
Restore with Microsoft Graph
Find the user under deleted items, then call the restore action on that object ID: POST /directory/deletedItems/{id}/restore. The same works from the Microsoft Graph PowerShell module.
Things to check
- The 30 day window: after it, the user is permanently deleted and cannot be restored from Microsoft.
- Users synced from on-premises Active Directory need extra care. Restore them from the on-premises side where you can.
- A restored user does not always get back everything: group memberships, roles and app assignments may need checking.
When the 30 days have passed
That is where a backup helps. storiv keeps snapshots of users and groups with history, so you can restore a deleted user or group after Microsoft's recycle bin has emptied. Restores start with a preview and never delete anything.
Common questions
- How long can I restore a deleted Entra ID user?
- For 30 days after deletion. After that the user is permanently deleted unless you have your own backup.
- Who can restore a deleted user?
- A User Administrator, or a role with higher privileges such as Global Administrator.
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