Version history overview

The Version History feature is an integral part of Microsoft’s 365 built-in data protection in SharePoint and OneDrive. An item or file's version history lets a user see or restore to a previous version, helpful for undoing unintended changes, whether accidental or due to malicious activities like ransomware. It also ensures auditability to meet an organization's legal and audit requirements.

Users can use version history to:

• View a previous version: Users can view a previous version without overwriting their current version. During a review of the version history within a Microsoft Office document, such as a Word or Excel file, versions can be compared to determine what the differences are.

• Restore to a previous version: If a user makes a mistake in a current version, the current version gets corrupted, or if they simply like a previous version better, they can replace the current version with a previous one. The restored version becomes the new current version. Learn more Restore a previous version of an item or file in SharePoint.

• Track history of a file or item: Users can use version history to see when a file or an item was changed and identify who made the changes.