Still keeping data in unlicensed Microsoft OneDrive? Act now or lose it forever

Microsoft has announced a new policy regarding unlicensed OneDrive accounts, stating that data from these accounts will be archived after 93 days of inactivity starting this month. After an additional 93 days, the data will be permanently deleted. To restore access, users must act quickly and pay a fee.

This change, set to take effect on January 27, 2025, aims to enhance security by removing or archiving data from unlicensed accounts. Organizations that previously retained data for free by disabling accounts will now face charges for data recovery and a subsequent monthly fee. Reactivated accounts will have a 30-day active period before being archived again.

Additionally, retention policies or legal holds on data from unlicensed accounts will lead to data archiving instead of permanent deletion, with charges for data access and ongoing fees. Microsoft emphasizes that archived OneDrive accounts will fully comply with retention policies and litigation holds, with changes to retention policies affecting archived accounts. Users are advised to be cautious about these impending changes and take necessary actions to safeguard their data.