Microsoft 365 has become the default productivity platform for businesses of all sizes — and with good reason. It’s powerful, flexible, and packed with tools that keep teams connected. But there’s a common and dangerous misconception about Microsoft 365: that everything is automatically backed up.
It’s not.
While Microsoft protects your data from things like infrastructure failures and short-term glitches, it’s not responsible for all the things that can go wrong on your end — like accidental deletions, overwrites, security breaches, or long-term data retention needs.
If you assume Microsoft 365 has it all covered, you’re likely missing some critical pieces.
What Most Businesses Overlook
You might think email is covered (and to a point, it is), but what about documents stored in OneDrive? Shared data in Teams? Calendar entries? Without the right backups in place, recovering this information can be time-consuming — or impossible.
Here are five things in Microsoft 365 that often go unprotected:
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Teams chats and shared files – Teams is now a central hub for collaboration, but messages and shared content can be lost or become inaccessible after account changes or deletions.
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OneDrive files – If an employee leaves and their license is removed, their OneDrive files can be permanently deleted after a short window.
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Shared mailboxes – These aren’t always backed up by default and can contain important client or internal communication.
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Calendar data – Lost meeting records, appointments, or shared scheduling data can impact coordination — especially for teams handling client work or deadlines.
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Deleted emails and folders – After the recycle bin period ends (typically 30 days), deleted content is gone for good unless a third-party backup is in place.
You Need More Than Built-In Retention
Microsoft 365’s retention policies are designed for short-term recovery — not full business continuity. If you’re handling sensitive data, managing multiple user accounts, or simply want peace of mind, a purpose-built backup solution is essential. It ensures you can recover lost or deleted content, comply with retention rules, and stay protected in the event of accidental or malicious data loss.
Get a Free Backup Check
Not sure what your current setup is actually backing up? At Cost+, we offer a free evaluation to identify gaps in your Microsoft 365 data protection. We’ll give you a clear picture of what’s covered — and what’s not — so you can make the right decision before it becomes a problem.
Book your free Microsoft 365 backup check today and protect what matters.