How Recycle Bin Works

Recycle Bin has two stages:

• First stage: When you delete a file from your site or My Site, it goes into the "end user" recycle bin, and stays there for up to 14 days from the time you deleted it. You can remove the file earlier by manually removing (or restoring) it. Items in the first stage count against your site quota. If you deleted the file accidentally, you (or the site collection administrator) can restore it. To restore an item from this stage of the recycle bin, click Recycle Bin, check the box next to the item to restore, and then click Restore selection.

• Second stage: When an item is removed from the first stage, it goes to the Site Collection Recycle Bin, where it remains for another 14 days before it is purged (i.e., removed entirely). Items in this second stage do not count against your site's quota. The size of the second stage is equal to one quarter of your site quota (i.e. with a 10 GB quota, an additional 5 GB is allocated to the second stage Recycle Bin). If you exceed your second stage quota, the system automatically purges the oldest items to make room for new items. Only site collection administrators are able to access and restore files in the Site Collection Recycle Bin. To restore an item from the Site Collection Recycle Bin:
1. On the site actions menu, select site collection
2. Under "Site Collection Administration", select Recycle bin.
3. Check the box next to the item or items to restore, and then click Restore Selection In the confirmation box, click OK.