What is the difference between the recycle bin and the final recycle bin in SharePoint?

Summary

In Microsoft SharePoint there is a so-called two-level recycle bin: a "normal" recycle bin (site recycle bin) and a "final" recycle bin (site collection recycle bin).

You can manage, restore or irrevocably delete the deleted items in each recycle bin.

For example, if you notice that you cannot reuse a previously deleted unique name or cannot delete a content type, the deleted item may still be in one of the recycle bins.

You can only use a unique name again or delete a content type after an element has been permanently deleted from the recycle bin of the website collection (final recycle bin).

Learn about the special features of the recycle bin function in SharePoint Online in this article.

Important requirements

• Microsoft SharePoint basic knowledge

• To manage deleted elements of a website, you must be a website collection administrator.

Solution

If you use the default settings of Microsoft SharePoint, the deleted items of all users are first moved to the "normal" recycle bin of the site and "kept" there until they are finally deleted.

You can display, restore or permanently delete the deleted items in this recycle bin.

How to find the website's recycle bin:

1. Click on the gear icon to open the settings.

2. Click on Website content in the settings.

3. Click on Recycle bin in the page menu.

You will see all deleted elements.

All elements that you delete on this page are first moved to the final recycle bin (recycle bin of the website collection).

As a site collection administrator, you can open the final trash by clicking on Recycle bin in the sidebar.

Only after you delete an item from the "normal" and the "final" recycle bin can you reuse a unique name or delete a content type, for example.

Detailed information on the recycle bin and the various recycle bin functions in Microsoft SharePoint can be found on the Internet, e.g. on the Microsoft support website for Microsoft 365.