Microsoft states that distribution groups cannot be restored with the Entra deleted groups feature. Microsoft 365 groups and cloud security groups can be restored for 30 days after deletion. Two paths exist for those groups, the Microsoft Entra admin center and Microsoft Graph PowerShell. Microsoft gives no restore steps for Exchange on-premises distribution lists. Test any restore before you promise a result to users.
Mail to a distribution group bounces after someone deletes it. You look for a Restore button. Microsoft documents one in Microsoft Entra. It does not apply to distribution groups.
Facts follow the Microsoft Entra article Restore deleted groups in Microsoft Entra ID. Exchange 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2019 on-premises servers do not appear in it.
Which Group Types can Microsoft Restore?
| Group type | Restorable with this feature |
|---|---|
| Microsoft 365 group (assigned or dynamic) | Yes |
| Cloud security group | Yes, in preview and in public clouds only |
| Distribution group | No |
Microsoft hides deleted groups for a fixed 30 days. Cloud security group restore is unavailable for EDU tenants that use OneDrive for Business storage.
Who can Restore a Deleted Group?
- Global Administrator, Group Administrator, Partner Tier 2 Support and Intune Administrator. Any deleted eligible group.
- User Administrator and Partner Tier 1 Support. Any eligible group except groups assigned to the Global Administrator role.
- Regular users. Only eligible groups that they own.
How to Restore a Group in the Entra Admin Center?
- Sign in to the Microsoft Entra admin center as at least a Groups Administrator.
- Open Microsoft Entra ID and select Groups and then All groups.
- Select Deleted groups.
- Select Restore group to recover the group with its content.
Delete permanently removes the group for good. Select it only when you want that result.
How to Restore a Group With PowerShell?
Microsoft lists the Microsoft Graph PowerShell beta module for this task. List the deleted groups first and then restore one by its object ID.
Install-Module Microsoft.Graph.Beta
Connect-MgGraph -Scopes "Group.ReadWrite.All"
Get-MgBetaDirectoryDeletedGroup
Restore-MgBetaDirectoryDeletedItem -DirectoryObjectId Restoring a group with documents or a SharePoint site can take up to 24 hours. Check the group with Get-MgBetaGroup afterward.
What does Microsoft Not Say?
- Any restore step for a deleted distribution group.
- Any step for Exchange 2010, 2013, 2016 or 2019 on-premises distribution lists.
- Any way to recover a group that is past the 30 day period.
Related reading: how to recover deleted items in Exchange and how to restore an Office 365 mailbox from backup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Restore a Deleted Distribution Group?
Microsoft states that the Entra deleted groups feature does not restore distribution groups.
How Long can I Restore a Deleted Microsoft 365 Group?
Microsoft hides deleted groups for a fixed period of 30 days.
Who can Restore a Deleted Group?
Global Administrators and Group Administrators can restore any eligible group. Regular users restore only groups that they own.
Does This Apply to Exchange 2016 Distribution Lists?
Microsoft does not say. Exchange on-premises servers do not appear in the article.
How Long does a Restore Take?
Groups with documents or SharePoint sites can take up to 24 hours to restore fully.
Key Takeaways
- Distribution groups are not restorable with the Entra feature.
- Microsoft 365 groups and cloud security groups return within 30 days.
- Admin center and Graph PowerShell are the two documented paths.
- Content can take up to 24 hours to return.
- Exchange on-premises distribution lists need another source.
Sources and References
Facts follow Microsoft Learn.
- Restore deleted groups in Microsoft Entra ID (Microsoft Learn) learn.microsoft.com