Restore-MgDirectoryDeletedItem

What is Restore-MgDirectoryDeletedItem?

The Restore-MgDirectoryDeletedItem cmdlet in Microsoft Graph PowerShell restores a previously deleted directory object such as a user, group, or application that exists in the Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) recycle bin. This cmdlet is particularly useful for recovering users or groups that were accidentally deleted or removed during bulk operations.

Why Use Restore-MgDirectoryDeletedItem?

Administrators use this cmdlet to recover deleted directory objects without data loss. It helps restore user accounts, group memberships, and associated properties that remain intact during the soft-delete retention period (typically 30 days).

Key benefits include:

• Recovering accidentally deleted users or groups.
• Reducing downtime and reconfiguration efforts.
• Maintaining directory structure and permissions.
• Automating restoration workflows for bulk recovery

Prerequisites

Before using this cmdlet, install the Microsoft Graph module and connect with the appropriate scopes based on the object type you wish to restore.

For users:

Connect-MgGraph -Scopes "User.DeleteRestore.All"

For restoring groups:

Connect-MgGraph -Scopes "Group.ReadWrite.All"

How to Use Restore-MgDirectoryDeletedItem?

You must provide the DirectoryObjectId of the deleted item to restore it. The ID can be retrieved using the Get-MgDirectoryDeletedItem cmdlet.

Syntax:

Restore-MgDirectoryDeletedItem -DirectoryObjectId <directory-object-id>

Restore-MgDirectoryDeletedItem Example

Example: Restore a deleted directory object

Restore-MgDirectoryDeletedItem -DirectoryObjectId ae22d08d-1ef5-4ac0-b36b-376864f6b63a

This command restores the deleted directory object (such as a user or group) with the specified DirectoryObjectId from Microsoft Entra ID’s recycle bin.

Summary

Key Point	Details
Cmdlet Name	Restore-MgDirectoryDeletedItem
Purpose	Restores soft-deleted directory objects such as users or groups
Required Scope	User.DeleteRestore.All or Group.ReadWrite.All
Primary Parameter	DirectoryObjectId
Automation Benefit	Enables administrators to automate recovery of deleted users or groups
Use Case	Quickly restore accidentally deleted accounts or groups from Microsoft Entra ID