Exchange data restore behavior

This article explains how Exchange data behaves during restore, both generally and depending on the restore method used.

General restore behavior

The following behavior applies to all restore methods—whether using Item Restore or the Restore Wizard.

Outlook tasks restore behavior

• Tasks backed up before the release of version 10.5.0 (May 2025) will be restored as "to do," regardless of their original status.
• Tasks backed up after the release of version 10.5.0 (May 2025) will retain their accurate status (e.g., "to do" or "completed") when restored.

How restored Outlook emails are sorted

New Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the Web (OWA)

Restored emails are sorted based on their last modified timestamp, reflecting when the email was restored rather than its original received date.

Currently, there is no option to customize or change this sorting behavior.

Classic Outlook (Legacy Outlook for Windows)

Restored emails are sorted by their original "Received" timestamp, maintaining their original chronological order. This ensures that emails appear as they did prior to being deleted or restored.

Calendar event behavior

When a calendar event is restored after being removed from attendees' calendars, it is recreated in the organizer's calendar, and an invitation is sent to the attendees.

To prevent calendar-related emails from being sent during a restore process, you can temporarily control mail flow using transport rules in the Exchange Admin Center (EAC). For details, see: Managing Exchange Calendar invites during restore

Method-specific restore behavior

Certain restore behavior depends on the method used: item restore or the restore wizard.

Item restore

In-place restore

• Default behavior: All items are restored to their original location.
• Modified items: Modified items (same item but with different timestamps) will be added to Exchange. They are not renamed but assigned unique IDs upon restore.
• Timestamps: Restored Exchange items retain their original timestamps.
• Deletion behavior: Items present in Microsoft 365 but not in the snapshot will not be deleted.

To new folder 

You can restore data to a separate, newly created folder.

• Available for: Mail, Calendar, and In-Place Archive.
• Folder location: A new folder will be created at the root level of your Mail, Calendar, or In-Place Archive, named: Keepit_Restore_[date of restore]
  "Keepit_Restore_[restore date]".
• Folder requirement: The original folder must still exist in Microsoft 365. If it has been deleted, create a new folder with the same name before starting the restore.
• Deletion behavior: Items present in Microsoft 365 but not in the snapshot will not be deleted.

Restore wizard

In-place

• Available for: Exchange Online (Mail, Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, In-Place Archive) and Public Folders.
• Deletion behavior:
• Exchange items: Items present in Microsoft 365 but not in the snapshot you are restoring will be transferred to the Recover deleted items folder.
  In the web version of Outlook, you can find this folder by selecting Deleted Items > Recover items deleted from this folder. From here, you can restore the items to the Inbox and then move them to an appropriate folder.
  Іn the desktop version of Outlook, you can find this folder by selecting Folder > Clean up section > Recover deleted items. From here, you can restore the items to the Inbox and then move them to an appropriate folder.
• Public Folders:
  Emails: Moved to the Recoverable Items folder.
  Other data types (contacts, journals, notes, tasks, etc.) will be deleted.  

To new folder

• Available for: Mail, Calendar, and In-Place Archive.
• Folder location: A new folder will be created at the root level of the selected Exchange container, named: Keepit_Restore_[date of restore].

Handling Duplicates (Restore Wizard - In-Place)

When restoring in place using the Restore Wizard, you can choose how duplicates are handled.

Modified items — meaning files with the same name but different timestamps — will be handled according to the selected duplicate-handling option:

• Skip duplicate items

Modified items are skipped.

• Rename duplicate items

Modified items are added but not renamed, as each restored item gets a unique ID in Exchange.

Items with same name and same timestamps will always be skipped, regardless of the selected option.

Deletion behavior: In all cases, items present in Exchange but not in the snapshot will be deleted.