Restore Teams data
Overview
In case of accidental deletion or malicious activities leading to data loss, you can retrieve or restore your lost data from inSync backups.
Microsoft API limitations
- Native restore of Conversations (within Standard and Private Channels) is not supported. Instead, the Channel Conversations are restored as HTML files at the Channel file locations at underlying Teams or Private Channel site.
-
Restore of Wiki data under the Wiki tab within Microsoft Teams is not supported. Wiki data is restored within the SharePoint Online site at this location: Site contents> Teams Wiki data - as .mht files><Channel Name>.
-
You can restore Private Channel data (Files and Wiki) only if the associated SharePoint site exists. Conversations are restored in HTML format under the Files tab.
-
Team Private Channel restore (for Private Channel folder) is limited to ‘In-Place’ restore only. You cannot restore the Private Channel folder to another existing or new Team.
Workflow
Here's a basic workflow of Teams data restore.
See the Support matrix for restore.
An administrator can restore Teams' data using the inSync Management Console at the following locations based on the selection for restore:
Restore Location
Restore to the same team:
Restore data to the same team from which it was backed up.
- If the same team does not exist in the Microsoft Teams app, a possible scenario wherein, the team was deleted after the backup, inSync creates a new team with the same Team name (along with its Settings and Channel data) within Microsoft Teams.
- In inSync, both the deleted team and the new team with the same name co-exist and are listed on the inSync Management Console after discovery. Both of these Teams listed have their own respective backup snapshots which may differ. For example, Team XYZ is deleted from Microsoft Teams app after it was backed up by inSync, you can restore this team with the same name (Team XYZ) from inSync. After the restored team is discovered in inSync Management Console, two Teams with similar names Team XYZ co-exist. Each of these Team XYZ has its own different snapshots based on the backups initiated for them.
Restore to a different team:
You can restore the data using any one of the following ways:
- Restore to another existing team: Restore one team's data to another existing team.
- Restore to a new team: Create a new team in your Microsoft 365 tenant and restore data to this new team.
The Restore to a different team option is available only for the following scenarios:
Because of Microsoft API limitations, Team Private Channel restore (for Private Channel folder) is limited to ‘In-Place’ restore only. You cannot restore the Private Channel folder to another existing or new Team.
- Full team restore (Settings and all Standard Channels)
- Only Standard Channels (without Team Settings) restore
- Only Team Settings (without Standard Channels) restore
Restore Options
- In-Place Restore: To restore and update the existing data with the data selected for restore.
Note: For a successful In-Place Restore, ensure that the hierarchy of files/folder data within the inSync snapshot is exactly similar to the hierarchy of data within the existing Teams' Channel.
- Restore as a Copy:
- For Standard Channel: Restore to a new channel with name <channel_name>-INS-<count> at the root level.
- For Files or folders (Standard Channel): Restore to a new folder with name <inSync Restore datetimestamp> inside the channel.
For the Private Channels folder selection, you can perform only In-Place restore. Restore as a Copy is not supported for Private Channels folder selection. However, you can perform Restore as a Copy if you have selected only the Files, Wiki, and Conversations data within a Private Channel.
Note: Restore of a Private Channel Site which is either permanently deleted or moved to Microsoft 365 tenant recycle bin is not supported.
Restore considerations due to Groups naming policy
When a restore is initiated, a group is created, and then the team is created. The Microsoft Groups API leverages the Microsoft 365 groups naming policy and the new team is created as per the naming policy.
For more information about naming policy see, Microsoft 365 groups naming policy in the Microsoft documentation.
Consider the following when you:
-
Restore to a new team
-
Restore a deleted team
The team will be created as per the group naming policy wherein if you are using:
-
Custom Blocked Words naming policy: The custom word that you have blocked in the naming policy will be appended with a three-digit randomly generated number when the new team is created. So the new team will be created with the name <blocked word><three digit number>.
For example,-
Word blocked in the naming policy: Sample
-
Original team name: Development Sample
-
Restored new team name: Development Sample123
-
For more information, see Custom block words in the Microsoft documentation.
-
Prefix-Suffix naming policy: The prefix or suffix you have defined in the naming policy will be appended to the new team. So the new team will be created with the name <Prefix>Name of the team<Suffix>
For example,-
Prefix string: Company Name | Suffix string: Cost Code
-
Original team name: Development Sample
-
Restored new team name: CompanyNameDevelopment SampleCostCode
-
Considerations when restoring to a new or same team:
- The allowed special characters for team name are a-zA-Z0-9_.-
Periods (.) are allowed only when surrounded by valid characters, for example, 'help.desk'.- If a team name contains only ‘..’ or ‘….’, the restored team name will be 'msteams_ timestamp', for example, 'msteams_1650882827'.
- If a team name contains '.' at the start or end, it is trimmed out from both ends of the restored team name.
- If the team name is '.teamname1' the restored team name will be 'teamname1'
- If the team name is 'teamname2.' the restored team name will be 'teamname2'
- If the team name is '.teamname3.' the restored team name will be 'teamname3'
- Ensure that the restored team has no more than 256 characters or the restore will fail. If the team name contains more than 248 characters, the Restore to a new team option restores only metadata and does not restore the conversation and Team site.
Restore Teams' data
Prerequisite
Ensure the following:
- The status of the Teams and the corresponding SharePoint sites must be Enabled in inSync Management Console.
- At least one successful backup is mandatory for the selected Teams metadata, Files, Wiki, and Conversations.
- For successful Teams' restore, the corresponding SharePoint Online Site Collection must be configured for backup in inSync Management Console.
Procedure
- Sign in to Druva Cloud Platform Console and navigate to Microsoft 365 > Teams.
- On the Teams page, click the Team name that you want to restore.
- On the Team's Summary page, click Restore Data.
- On the Snapshot Viewer page, use the snapshot selector to select the snapshot from which you want to restore data.
Notes:
- If a Sharepoint Team Site or a Private Channel is quarantined then the corresponding teams data is quarantined. You cannot perform a full restore on this quarantined teams data.
- You cannot restore or download the data if the associated team site is quarantined.
- On the Snapshot Viewer page, from all the listed Teams' Settings and Channel list, browse and select the Team Settings and/or Channel(s) that you want to restore.
- Click Restore. The Restore window appears based on the Team's component selected for restore - Full Team (Settings and all Channels), only Channels (without Team Settings, or only files or folders within Channel). See Support matrix for restore.
- Use the Activity Stream option to view the details and download logs of completed restore activity.
Support matrix for restore
Here's a matrix that lists the supported restore types for Teams' data:
| Teams Data selection in inSync | Restore Location | Restore Options | |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-Place Restore | Restore as a Copy | ||
|
Full Team (Team Settings and all Channels-Standard and Private)
|
Restore to the same team |
|
|
| Restore to another existing team |  |
 |
|
| Restore to a new team |
|
||
| Only Team Settings (No Channels selected) | Restore to the same team | |
|
| Restore to another existing team | |
|
|
| Restore to a new team |
|
||
|
Entire Standard Channels' folder (Without Team Settings)
|
Restore to the same team | |
|
| Restore to another existing team | |
|
|
| Restore to a new team |
|
||
|
Restore to the same team | |
|
| Restore to another existing team | |
|
|
| Restore to a new team |
|
||
| Specific Files within the Files' folder | Restore to the same team | |
|
| Restore to another existing team |
|
|
|
| Restore to a new team |
|
||
|
Restore to the same team | |
|
| Restore to another existing team |
|
|
|
| Restore to a new team |
|
||
| Specific Wiki within the Wiki folder | Restore to the same team | |
|
| Restore to another existing team | |
|
|
| Restore to a new team |
|
||
|
Entire Private Channels' folder (Without Team settings)
|
Restore to the same team | |
|
| Restore to another existing team | |
||
| Restore to a new team | |
||
| Tabs folder | Restore to the same team | |
|
| Restore to another existing team | |
||
| Restore to a new team | |
||
| Single or specific tab within the tabs folder | Restore to the same team | |
|
| Restore to another existing team | |
||
| Restore to a new team | |
||
| Calendar | Restore to the same team | |
|
| Restore to another existing team | |
||
| Full Team Restore | |
||
Scenario 1: Full Team Restore (Team Settings and all Channels selected)
- ► UI selection screenshot
Note: For Private Channels, only In-Place restore is supported. See the Support matrix .
| Restore Location | Restore Options | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Restore to the same team |
|
Adds the missing data and overwrites the existing same data within the same team with the data selected for restore. Things to consider:
|
|
Restore to a different team: Use any one of the following options:
|
Restore to another existing team: You can perform an In-Place Restore.
|
Restore to another existing team: Adds the missing data and overwrites and replaces the existing same data within the team with the data selected for restore. Restore to a new team: Creates a new team in the Microsoft 365 tenant with the data selected for restore after a successful restore. |
Scenario 2: Only Team Settings (Permissions, Members, Apps, and Team Description)
| Restore Location | Restore Options | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Restore to the same team |
|
Adds the missing data and overwrites the existing Teams' settings data within the same Team with the data selected for restore.
For example: During the first backup cycle: A is an owner and B is a member. After the first backup, A is changed to member and B to an owner. Now, if you perform a restore, restored data continues to show A as owner and B as a member. |
|
Restore to a different team: Use any one of the following options:
|
Restore to another existing team: You can perform an In-Place Restore.
|
Restore to another existing team:
Restore to a new team: Creates a new team in the Microsoft 365 tenant with the data selected for restore after a successful restore. |
Scenario 3: Entire Standard Channels' folder (Team Settings not selected)
| Restore Location | Restore Options | Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Restore to the same team
|
|
For In-Place Restore: Adds the missing data and overwrites the existing same Channel data with the Channel data selected for restore in the same team and its Files and Wiki data gets restored in the corresponding SharePoint Site.
For Restore as a Copy: New <channel_name>-INS-<count> channel which contains all the backed up Files and Wiki data is created.
Wiki tab is not created in the Microsoft Teams app. |
|
Restore to a different team: Use any one of the following options:
|
Restore to another existing team: You can perform an In-Place Restore and Restore as a Copy.
|
Restore to another existing team: For In-Place Restore: Adds the missing data and overwrites the existing same Channel data with the Channel data selected for restore in another team and its Files and Wiki data gets restored in the corresponding SharePoint Site.
For Restore as a Copy: New <channel_name>-INS-<count> channel which contains all the backed up Files and Wiki data is created.
Wiki tab is not created in the Microsoft Teams app. Restore to a new team: Creates a new team in the Microsoft 365 tenant with the Channel data selected for restore after a successful restore. |
Scenario 4: Entire Files' folder within a Channel
| Restore Location | Restore Options | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Restore to the same team |
|
For In-Place Restore: Adds the missing data and overwrites the existing Files' data within the Team with the Files' data selected for restore in Microsoft Teams and its corresponding SharePoint Site Collection > Documents><Channel Name>. For Restore as a Copy: New <inSync Restore datetimestamp> folder that contains all the backed up files' data within the Files tab in Teams app. A new <inSync Restore datetimestamp> folder is also created within the corresponding SharePoint Site Collection>Documents><Channel Name> where this Channels' folder resides. For example, there is a Test Team with channel X > Files folder (Contains Files data). For Teams app: If you perform restore as a copy for this Files folder, post restore, new <inSync Restore datetimestamp> folder is created under the Files' tab of channel X within the Test Team. For SharePoint: A new <inSync Restore datetimestamp> folder is created within the SharePoint Site Collection>Documents><Channel X>. |
Scenario 5: Specific files within the Files' folder
| Restore Location | Restore Options | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Restore to the same team |
|
For In-Place Restore: Replaces the existing file within the Team with the file selected for restore in Microsoft Teams and its corresponding SharePoint Site collection > Documents><Channel Name>. For Restore as a Copy: New <inSync Restore datetimestamp> folder that contains all the backed up files' data within the Files tab in Teams app. A new <inSync Restore datetimestamp> folder is also created within the corresponding SharePoint Site Collection>Documents><Channel Name> where this Channels' folder resides. |
Scenario 6: Entire Wiki folder within a Channel
| Restore Location | Restore Options | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Restore to the same team |
Due to Microsoft API limitation, the restore of Wiki data under the Wiki tab within Microsoft Teams is not supported. Wiki data is restored only within the Site contents> Teams Wiki data - as .mht files><Channel Name>
|
For In-Place Restore: Adds the missing data and overwrites the existing wiki data with the data selected for restore in Site contents> Teams Wiki data - as .mht files><Channel Name> within SharePoint Site. For Restore as a Copy: A new <inSync Restore datetimestamp> folder is created under the same channel within the Site contents> Teams Wiki data - as .mht files><Channel Name> within SharePoint Site from where the wiki data was backed up. |
Scenario 7: Specific Wiki files within the Wiki folder
Perform the actions mentioned in the table below as per your restore requirements.
| Restore Location | Restore Options | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Restore to the same team |
Due to Microsoft API limitation, the restore of Wiki data under the Wiki tab within Microsoft Teams is not supported. Wiki data is restored only within the Site contents> Teams Wiki data - as .mht files><Channel Name>
|
For In-place restore: Adds the missing data and overwrites the existing Wiki files with the Wiki files selected for restore in Site contents> Teams Wiki data - as .mht files>Channel name within SharePoint Online. For Restore as a copy: A new <inSync Restore datetimestamp> folder is created under the same channel within the Site contents> Teams Wiki data - as .mht files within SharePoint Site from where the Wiki data was backed up. |
Scenario 8: Entire Private Channels' folder (Without Team's settings)
Note: Due to Microsoft API limitations, only Restore to Same Team is supported.
Perform the actions mentioned in the table below as per your restore requirements.
| Restore Location | Restore Options | Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Restore to the same team
|
|
For In-Place Restore: Adds the missing data and overwrites the existing same Channel data with the Channel data selected for restore in the same team and its Files and Wiki data gets restored in the corresponding SharePoint Site.
|
Things to consider for Private Channel restore
- In the case of Private Channels, you can restore only the Channel and its members if the same team exists in the Microsoft Teams app.
- For a successful restore of Private Channels, ensure that you select the checkbox besides Members. By default, Permissions are selected.
- The Private Teams are displayed with a lock icon beside them.
- Entire Files or specific files, entire Wiki folder or specific wiki files, and entire Conversations or specific conversation files under the Private Channels can be restored as a copy.
Scenario 9: Entire Tabs folder within a Channel
| Restore Location | Restore Options | Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Restore to the same team
|
|
For In-Place Restore:
|
Scenario 9: Single or multiple specific Tabs within Tabs folder
Perform the actions mentioned in the table below as per your restore requirements.
| Restore Location | Restore Options | Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Restore to the same team
|
|
For In-Place Restore:
|
Things to consider for Tabs restore
- For third-party apps such as Trello, Evernote, etc, authentication is required wherein the administrator must log in to the app post-restore completion.
- Restore of tabs fails if the file or link associated with the tab is deleted from Microsoft Teams. For example,
- Restore of Document library tab fails if it is associated with a deleted SharePoint site.
- OneNote tab: In-Place restore of OneNote tab fails for a team that has OneNote tab pointing to a section in another team.
- The tabs restored to a different or new team continue to point to their original file, irrespective of the file location.
- If the original tab is not present in the destination channel, every restore request creates a new tab. For example, you create a restore request for 3 tabs that are not present in the destination channel. When you perform an In-Place restore for these tabs, 3 new tabs are created. If you repeat the restore action, 3 more new tabs will be created. i.e. Total 6 tabs are created (INS-24174).
- When you restore a tab, all the underlying apps associated with the tab also get restored.
Restore Archived Teams data
Due to Microsoft API limitations, you cannot backup Private Channels and Tabs (App info) for archived Teams.
Restore of Archived Teams data can be performed based on the state of Teams in inSync and Microsoft 365.
Scenario: Team is in an archived state in both inSync and Microsoft 365
You cannot restore archived Teams data using inSync. However, you can download the archived Teams data. Once the archived team is unarchived and the Team status changes to active within inSync, you can perform a restore. For more information on how to download Teams data, see Download Teams data.
Scenario: Team is in an archived state in Microsoft 365 and active in inSync
The state of the archived team changes in inSync only after at least one discovery cycle is initiated from inSync Management Console.
The following table provides details of the supported restore options for archived teams.
| Restore Location | In-Place Restore | Restore as a Copy |
|---|---|---|
| Restore to the same team |
|
|
| Restore to another existing active team | ||
| Restore to another archived team |
Recover Teams Conversations data in HTML format
Currently, native or in-place restore of Teams Conversations (or Posts) is not supported due to Microsoft API limitations.
Recovery of Conversations is useful in scenarios such as accidental deletion or corruption of messages in a Channel’s Conversation. It enables administrators to quickly provide the Channel members the required information for business continuity.
As an option, inSync provides administrators an option to recover the Teams Conversations in HTML format. The HTML file (generated by Druva) can be recovered in the Standard Channel in Microsoft Teams.
This HTML file can then be used to recover Conversations by administrators.
- Currently, administrators can recover Conversations only within the Standard Channels in Microsoft Teams.
- The HTML file (Druva generated) is also not a complete set of Conversations due to Microsoft API limitations.
The HTML file supports the following information in a Conversation:
-
Plain text
-
Text with an attachment
-
Meeting Attachment
-
Reference File
-
Reference File Preview
-
Hero Card
-
Thumbnail Card
-
Connector Card
Location of the HTML file
The HTML file is by default downloaded at the following location in Microsoft Teams -
(Channel Name) > Files tab > inSync Post Restore > (Conversations in individual .html files)
Procedure
- Sign in to Druva Cloud Platform Console and navigate to Microsoft 365 > Teams.
- On the Teams page, click the Team name for which you want to restore conversations.
- On the Team's Summary page, click the Backups tab. From all the listed Teams' Settings and Channel list, browse and select the checkbox besides Name to select the entire Team's data (Team Settings and all Channels) for restore. You can also select a conversation folder or a specific conversation.
- Use the snapshot selector to select the snapshot from which you want to restore data.
- Click Restore. The Restore Location window appears. Select the restore location as per your requirement.
- The Restore Options window appears. Select the restore option as per your requirement.
Note: Regardless of selection of restore location and option, Conversations are available as HTML file under the Files tab inside the Channel of Microsoft Teams.
- Click Restore to recover conversations data in HTML format (Druva generated) under the Files tab inside the Channel of Microsoft Teams.
After the recovery is complete, log in to Microsoft Teams to view a recovered conversation.
Procedure
- Go to Standard Channel > Files tab.
- Locate the <inSync Post Restore-> folder.
- Click the <inSync Post Restore-> folder to view the individual conversations .HTML files.
- Click on the specific HTML file to view the details of conversations.
If a channel has more than 10,000 conversations, then the HTML file is split into multiple files with a numeric sequential suffix (1,2, and so on). Each HTML file includes a maximum of 10,000 Conversations.
For Example: Channel ABC has 20,000 conversations. When you perform a restore of this ABC channel, there will be two HTML files created as follows:
- inSyncPost_<ID>_1.html (First 10,000 conversations)
- inSyncPost_<ID>_2.html (Subsequent 10,000 conversations)