Deleting a SharePoint site removes it permanently from your organization
When you delete a SharePoint site, the entire site and everything in it — documents, lists, permissions, version history — is gone. Microsoft keeps a deleted site in the recycle bin for 93 days, so you can restore it during that window if you change your mind. After 93 days, it is permanently removed and cannot be recovered.
You need admin rights to delete a site. If you created the site but do not have admin access to it, you will need to ask your SharePoint administrator or your organization's IT department to do it for you. The person deleting the site does not need to be the person who created it — any admin with the right permissions can delete any site.
The deletion process itself takes only a few minutes, but the site may take several hours to fully disappear from search results and navigation menus across your organization.
Key Takeaways
- Deleted SharePoint sites stay in the recycle bin for 93 days and can be restored during that time, but after 93 days they are permanently gone.
- Only SharePoint administrators can delete a site, even if you created it yourself.
- Before deleting, read or move any documents you might need later, because deletion is permanent after the 93-day window closes.
- The deletion process takes a few minutes, but the site may take several hours to stop appearing in search results and team navigation.
- If you delete a site by mistake, contact your IT department or SharePoint administrator when ready — they can restore it from the recycle bin.
Steps to delete a SharePoint site as an admin
Go to the SharePoint admin center by visiting admin.microsoft.com, then select SharePoint from the left menu. You will see a list of all sites in your organization. Find the site you want to delete and click on it to open its details page.
At the top of the site details page, click the Delete button. SharePoint will ask you to confirm the deletion and may warn you about how many users have access to the site. Click Delete again to confirm. The site will be marked for deletion when ready, though it may take a few hours to fully remove from all menus and search results.
If you cannot find the Delete button, check that you are logged in as a SharePoint administrator. Site owners and members do not see this option — only admins do.
What happens to documents and data when you delete
All documents, lists, pages, and custom columns stored on the site are deleted along with it. This includes version history — you cannot recover an old version of a document after the site is deleted. Any permissions you set up on that site are also removed.
If the site was connected to a Microsoft Teams channel, deleting the SharePoint site will also delete the Teams channel. If you want to keep the Teams channel, do not delete the site — instead, archive the site or remove it from navigation so it is hidden but still exists.
External sharing links to documents on that site will stop working when ready. Anyone who had the link will see an error message when they try to access the document.
Restoring a deleted site from the recycle bin
If you delete a site by mistake, you have 93 days to restore it. Go back to the SharePoint admin center, then select Deleted Sites from the left menu. You will see a list of all sites deleted in the past 93 days. Find the site you want to restore, click on it, and select Restore.
The site will return to its original location with all its documents, lists, and permissions intact. Users will be able to access it again, and it will reappear in search results and navigation menus. Restoring a site takes a few minutes.
After 93 days, the Deleted Sites list will no longer show that site, and it cannot be restored. If you need to keep a site but do not want people to use it, archive it instead of deleting it — archived sites stay in your organization indefinitely and can be reactivated later.
Alternatives to deleting: archiving and hiding
If you are not sure whether you need the site later, archive it instead of deleting it. An archived site is read-only — people can view and read documents, but nobody can edit or add new content. Archived sites do not appear in navigation or search results by default, so they stay out of the way.
You can also remove a site from navigation without deleting or archiving it. This hides it from the Sites menu and search, but the site still exists and people can access it if they have the direct link. This is useful if a site is only for a specific team or project and does not need to be visible to everyone.
To archive a site, go to the site settings and look for the Archive option. To hide a site from navigation, go to the SharePoint admin center, find the site, and toggle the visibility setting.
Permissions you need to delete a site
You must be a SharePoint administrator or a global administrator in your organization's Microsoft 365 account. Site owners and site members cannot delete a site, even if they created it. If you are not sure whether you have admin rights, ask your IT department.
Some organizations restrict who can delete sites. Your company may require approval from a manager or a records management team before a site can be deleted. Check with your IT department about your organization's policies before you try to delete a site.
What to do before you delete
Before you delete a site, read any documents you might need in the future. You have 93 days to restore the site from the recycle bin, but after that, the documents are gone forever. If you are not sure whether you will need something, read it and store it somewhere safe.
Tell the people who use the site that it is being deleted. Give them time to read their own copies of documents and move any important files to another location. If the site is connected to a Teams channel, let the team know that deleting the site will also delete the channel.
Check whether any other sites or documents link to pages on this site. After deletion, those links will be broken. If the site contains important reference material that other teams rely on, consider archiving it instead of deleting it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete a SharePoint site if I created it but do not have admin rights?
No. Only SharePoint administrators and global administrators can delete sites. Contact your IT department or SharePoint administrator and ask them to delete it for you. You will need to tell them the name of the site.
What happens to a Teams channel if I delete its SharePoint site?
The Teams channel is deleted along with the SharePoint site. If you want to keep the channel, archive the site instead of deleting it. Archived sites stay in your organization and can be reactivated later if you need them.
Can I recover a site after the 93-day recycle bin period ends?
No. After 93 days, a deleted site cannot be recovered. If you think you might need a site later, archive it instead of deleting it. Archived sites remain in your organization indefinitely and take up minimal storage space.
How long does it take for a deleted site to completely disappear?
The deletion is when ready, but the site may take several hours to stop appearing in search results, navigation menus, and user interfaces across your organization. During this time, the site is marked for deletion but may still be visible in some places.
What if I delete a site by mistake and the 93 days have already passed?
If the site is no longer in the Deleted Sites list, it cannot be recovered. Contact your IT department when ready to see if they have a backup. Some organizations keep additional backups of SharePoint sites, though this depends on your company's data retention policies.