PowerShell Script - Undelete a deleted File share - Azure Backup

2025-10-17

This script helps you to undelete a file share, if you deleted it accidentally. With soft delete, you can restore a deleted file share within 14 days and recover its contents, snapshots, and recovery points. Learn more about soft delete.

#Import-Module Az.Storage -MinimumVersion 1.7.0 -Scope Local
Param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$True)][System.String] $ResourceGroupName,
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$True)][System.String] $StorageAccountName,
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$True)][System.String] $FileShareName,
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$True)][System.String] $SubscriptionId,
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$False)][System.Boolean] $ListOption,
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$False)][System.String] $DeletedShareVersion
    )

Function Restore-DeletedFileShare
{
    Param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$True)][Microsoft.WindowsAzure.Commands.Common.Storage.LazyAzureStorageContext] $Context,
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$True)][System.String] $FileShareName,
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$False)][System.String] $DeletedShareVersion
        )

    if ([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($FileShareName))
    {
        Write-Error "Please specify the required input parameter: FileShareName" -ErrorAction Stop
    }

    $FileShareName = $FileShareName.ToLowerInvariant()

    Write-Verbose "Restoring a file share with the name: $FileShareName" -Verbose


    Write-Information -MessageData "Started: Creating SASToken to List File Shares" -InformationAction Continue

    $listToken = New-AzStorageAccountSASToken -Context $Context -Service File -ResourceType Service -Permission "l" -Protocol HttpsOrHttp -StartTime (Get-Date).AddHours(-1) -ExpiryTime (Get-Date).AddHours(1)

    Write-Information -MessageData "Completed: Creating SASToken to List File Shares" -InformationAction Continue

    Write-Information -MessageData "Started: Listing File Shares to find the deleted file share" -InformationAction Continue

    $listSharesUrl = [string]::Concat($Context.FileEndPoint, "?include=metadata,deleted&comp=list&api-version=2019-10-10&", $listToken.Substring(1))

    $listSharesResponse = Invoke-WebRequest $listSharesUrl -Method "GET" -Verbose

    if ($listSharesResponse.StatusCode -ne 200)
    {
        Write-Error "Request to list file shares failed." -ErrorAction Stop
    }

    Write-Verbose $listSharesResponse.RawContent -Verbose

    $listSharesResponseContent = $listSharesResponse.Content.Substring(3)

    Write-Information -MessageData "Completed: Listing File Shares to find the deleted file share" -InformationAction Continue

    Write-Information -MessageData "Started: Search for a deleted file share with the specified name" -InformationAction Continue

    $deletedFileShares = Select-Xml -Content $listSharesResponseContent -XPath "/EnumerationResults/Shares/Share[Deleted=""true"" and Name=""$FileShareName""]"

    $matchedCount = 0
    $deletedShareVersions = New-Object System.Collections.Generic.List[string]

    foreach($share in $deletedFileShares)
    {
        if($matchedCount -eq 0)
        {
          Write-Verbose $share.Node.InnerXml -Verbose

          Write-Information -MessageData "Completed: Search for a deleted file share with the specified name And Found versions" -InformationAction Continue
        }

        $shareVer = $share.Node.Item("Version").InnerText
        $shareDelTime = $share.Node.Item("Properties").Item("DeletedTime").InnerText
        $retDays = $share.Node.Item("Properties").Item("RemainingRetentionDays").InnerText

        $deletedShareVersions.Add($share.Node.Item("Version").InnerText)

        Write-Information -MessageData "DeletedVersion: $shareVer, DeletedTime: $shareDelTime, RemainingRetentionDays: $retDays"  -InformationAction Continue

        $matchedCount++
    }

    if($ListOption -eq $True)
    {
       return;
    }

    if ($matchedCount -eq 0)
    {
        Write-Error "Deleted file share with the specified name was not found." -ErrorAction Stop
    }
    elseif($matchedCount -eq 1 -and ([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($DeletedShareVersion) -or $deletedShareVersions.Contains($DeletedShareVersion)))
    {
      $DeletedShareVersion = $deletedShareVersions
    }
    elseif ($matchedCount -gt 1)
    {
      if ([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($DeletedShareVersion) -or !$deletedShareVersions.Contains($DeletedShareVersion))
      {
        Write-Error "More than one share with the specified name was found. Please specify a valid DeletedShareVersion parameter from above possible values." -ErrorAction Stop
      }
    }

    Write-Information -MessageData "Completed: Search for a deleted file share with the specified name And Found version: $DeletedShareVersion" -InformationAction Continue

    Write-Information -MessageData "Started: Creating SASToken to Restore File Share" -InformationAction Continue

    $restoreToken = New-AzStorageAccountSASToken -Context $Context -Service File -ResourceType Container -Permission "w" -Protocol HttpsOrHttp -StartTime (Get-Date).AddHours(-1) -ExpiryTime (Get-Date).AddHours(1)

    Write-Information -MessageData "Completed: Creating SASToken to Restore File Share" -InformationAction Continue

    Write-Information -MessageData "Started: Restore File Share" -InformationAction Continue

 $restoreShareUrl = [string]::Concat($Context.FileEndPoint, $FileShareName, "?restype=share&comp=undelete&api-version=2019-10-10&", $restoreToken.Substring(1))

    $restoreHeaders = @{"x-ms-deleted-share-name" = $FileShareName; "x-ms-deleted-share-version" = $DeletedShareVersion}

    $restoreResponse = Invoke-WebRequest $restoreShareUrl -Headers $restoreHeaders -Method "PUT" -Verbose

    if ($restoreResponse.StatusCode -ne 201)
    {
        Write-Error "Request to restore a file share failed." -ErrorAction Stop
    }

    Write-Verbose $restoreResponse.RawContent -Verbose

    Write-Information -MessageData "Completed: Restore File Share" -InformationAction Continue
}

Connect-AzAccount -Environment AzureChinaCloud
Select-AzSubscription -Subscription $SubscriptionId
$sa = Get-AzStorageAccount -ResourceGroupName $ResourceGroupName -Name $StorageAccountName


Restore-DeletedFileShare $sa.Context $FileShareName $DeletedShareVersion

Prerequisites

Before you run the script, ensure that the following prerequisites are met:

Install the latest Azure PowerShell Az modules from this link before running the script.
Keep the following details handy as you need to pass them as values for different parameters of the script:
- -SubscriptionId - ID of the subscription where the file share is present.
- -ResourceGroupName - Resource Group of the Storage Account hosting the file share.
- -StorageAccountName - Name of the storage account hosting the file share.
- -FileShareName - Name of the file share to be undeleted

You can execute the script in the following scenarios:

No multiple deleted versions with the same name as the file share you're trying to undelete.
Multiple deleted versions with the same name as the file share you're trying to undelete.

To execute the script to undelete a file share, follow these steps:

Save the preceding script on your machine with a name of your choice. In this example, we saved it as Undelete.ps1
Run the script according to the scenario that fits your requirements.

Scenario 1: No multiple deleted versions

There are no multiple deleted versions with the same name as the file share you're trying to undelete.

The following example undeletes the file share share1 present in storage account afsshare.

   .\UnDelete.ps1 -ResourceGroupName afsshare -StorageAccountName afsshare -SubscriptionId aaaa0a0a-bb1b-cc2c-dd3d-eeeeee4e4e4e -FileShareName share1

The output should show the message Completed:Restore File Share

Scenario 2: Multiple deleted versions

There are multiple deleted versions with the same name as the file share you're trying to undelete.

After you save the script, undelete a version of the file share share1 by following these steps:

Execute the script as follows by providing the file share name.

.\UnDelete.ps1 -ResourceGroupName afsshare -StorageAccountName afsshare -SubscriptionId aaaa0a0a-bb1b-cc2c-dd3d-eeeeee4e4e4e -FileShareName share1

Completed: Search for a deleted file share with the specified name and Found versions
DeletedVersion: 01D5D7F77ACC7864, DeletedTime: Fri, 31 Jan 2020 05:30:33 GMT, RemainingRetentionDays: 14
DeletedVersion: 01D5D7F7A76CAF42, DeletedTime: Fri, 31 Jan 2020 05:31:25 GMT, RemainingRetentionDays: 14
Restore-DeletedFileShare : More than one share with the specified name was found. Please specify a valid DeletedShareVersion parameter from above possible values.

Choose the version from the output of step 1 that you want to undelete and pass it as a value for the -DeletedShareVersion parameter.

The following example undeletes the 01D5D7F77ACC7864 version of the share1 file share.
```
.\UnDelete.ps1 -ResourceGroupName afsshare-StorageAccountName afsshare -SubscriptionId aaaa0a0a-bb1b-cc2c-dd3d-eeeeee4e4e4e -FileShareName share1 -DeletedShareVersion 01D5D7F77ACC7864
```

Next steps

Manage Azure Files backups with PowerShell

PowerShell script to undelete an accidentally deleted File share

Sample script for undeleting a file share

Prerequisites

Execute the script to undelete a file share

Scenario 1: No multiple deleted versions

Scenario 2: Multiple deleted versions

Next steps

Additional resources