hi there, I have a user who has deleted an email and also emptied the deleted items folder. The user did this about a year ago but now decides to tell me he needs / wants the email back. How long does a deleted email stay on the exchange server for? Any other information in regards to this would be much appreciated. Thanks

Hi You will have delete items retention for probably 30 days so without a backup from before the mail was deleted you will not be able to recover it. Steve

thank you, so lets say - the backup rota kept was a 12 month cycle this would mean the email could be recovered? - OR if the exchange deleted items retention period was set to 12 months would mean the email could be recovered?

Yes. If you have the backup intact you could recover the email. Even you had deleted items retention set for higher period you could do that but its not recommended to have such long duration for deleted items retention as it would consume huge space probably more than the mailbox limit. You must decide this deleted items retention period during the planning phase itself based on the allotted disk space.