Microsoft says data on OneDrive that is inactive for 93 days will be deleted

According to technology website TechRadar, from January 27, data on accounts using Microsoft's (US) OneDrive cloud storage service that have been inactive for 93 days will be deleted or archived.

The move targets unlicensed OneDrive accounts, which typically belong to people who have left the organization, been removed from the SharePoint admin center, or had their licenses revoked by an administrator.

After 93 days of inactivity, the data on these accounts will be moved to the trash, and after another 93 days, it will be permanently deleted. However, users can still retrieve the data by reactivating the account or setting up a retention policy. However, they will have to spend a lot of money and time to restore the data.

Microsoft Corporation said that OneDrive users need to immediately check their account status and take timely measures to avoid losing important data.

Technology experts say that Microsoft's efforts to improve OneDrive's security and compliance are a warning to millions of users about protecting their personal data on the cloud.

In another development of this corporation, after cutting 10,000 employees in January 2023 and at least 2,500 employees in June 2024, Microsoft announced another round of labor cuts in early 2025. Microsoft did not announce the specific number of labor cuts this time. However, in the context of the wave of layoffs spreading across the industry, experts predict that the technology job market will have major disruptions in 2025.

The number of employees affected by this reduction accounts for less than 1% of Microsoft's total global workforce of 228,000 as of six months ago. Microsoft's workforce increased sharply from the first quarter of 2021, peaked in the second quarter of 2023, and began to decline slightly in the following quarters.

According to Microsoft, the technology corporation has always focused on developing talent and supporting employees to develop themselves, and when an individual does not meet the standards, the corporation will have appropriate solutions. Thus, Microsoft's new round of job cuts is likely part of a restructuring strategy rather than a difficult financial situation.

The development occurred when Microsoft recorded a 12% increase in revenue in the most recent quarter, but Microsoft's stock price did not meet investors' expectations.