Microsoft admits irreversible data loss for non-profits

Microsoft has acknowledged a serious data management error within its cloud services that resulted in the irreversible loss of information for non-profit organizations. The issue specifically affected Microsoft 365 Business Premium subscriptions, where data was deleted prematurely before the expiration of designated retention and export periods.

According to reports from September 28, 2026, the company confirmed that attempts to recover the affected datasets have failed. Microsoft stated it is currently unable to determine the exact volume of data lost or the specific nature of the deleted information. It remains unclear how many organizations were impacted or why the system's built-in protection mechanisms for retention periods were bypassed.