Microsoft Purview | Data Lifecycle Management - Hard delete OneDrive and SharePoint files with priority cleanup workflow

Introduction

We are introducing a new priority cleanup workflow in Microsoft Purview Data Lifecycle Management that allows administrators to permanently delete (hard delete) specific OneDrive and SharePoint content types, even when retention policies or holds are in place. This capability helps reduce data exposure risk from rapidly growing Copilot-related content while maintaining compliance through required eDiscovery admin review and approval.

This change is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 558343.

When this will happen:

General Availability (Worldwide) Rollout begins late May 2026 and is expected to complete by mid-June 2026.

How this affects your organization:

Who is affected:

• Microsoft 365 administrators managing Microsoft Purview Data Lifecycle Management
• Organizations using OneDrive for Business and SharePoint Online with retention policies or holds

What will happen:

• Admins can create a priority cleanup policy targeting specific content types in OneDrive and SharePoint.
• A new Delete data permanently option enables hard deletion of targeted items.



• Content deleted through this workflow is fully removed and is no longer discoverable in:
  • SharePoint search
  • Copilot experiences
  • eDiscovery (after required approval)
• For content under hold, eDiscovery admin review and approval is required before deletion.
• This capability is not enabled by default and requires explicit admin configuration.
• There is no change to user workflows unless an admin configures and applies a priority cleanup policy.

What you can do to prepare:

• Review your organization’s data risk and retention strategy, especially for Copilot-generated content such as Teams transcripts.
• In Microsoft Purview, plan and configure a priority cleanup policy if permanent deletion is required for specific content types:
  • Navigate to Microsoft Purview portal > Data Lifecycle Management > Priority cleanup.
  • Create a new policy and select Delete data permanently in the policy settings.
• Ensure appropriate eDiscovery admin roles and approval processes are in place for content under hold.
• Update internal governance or compliance documentation to reflect this new deletion capability.

Learn more: Compare types of groups in Microsoft 365 - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Learn

Compliance considerations: