---
title: File versions and recovery
path: user-guide/file-versions
status: published
---

ScaiDrive keeps prior versions of every file. If you overwrite something by mistake, or want to compare with last week's draft, the previous version is one click away.

## How versions work

Every time a file is uploaded, edited, or replaced, ScaiDrive saves the old content as a version. Versions accumulate per file, not per share. Your organization sets a retention policy — typically 30 days, 90 days, or "forever" — that controls how long old versions stick around before they're cleaned up.

Versions don't count against your storage quota the same way as live files: block-level deduplication means only the *changed* parts of a file are stored extra.

## Browsing versions

In the web client: right-click any file → **Version history**.

A panel opens showing every version, newest at the top:

| Column | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Version | Sequential number, with `current` on the live one |
| Date | When it was created |
| Editor | Who saved it (or "external" if it came from a sync client) |
| Size | File size at that version |

Click a version to preview it inline (same renderer as for current files).

## Restoring an old version

Two ways:

- **Restore as current** — overwrite the live file with the chosen version. The previous "current" becomes another version (you can undo this action).
- **Download** — pull the old version down without touching the live one. Useful when you want to compare or extract part of it.

Either action is logged in the audit trail and visible to administrators.

## Versions on shared files

Versions are tied to the file, not the share — so if a file is in a share two people have access to, both see the same version history. A reader can browse versions and download them; only contributors and above can restore.

## Versions in the desktop and mobile apps

The desktop app exposes versions via right-click → **Version history**, opening the web client to the same panel. The mobile apps don't (yet) browse versions; use the web client when you need to.

## Permanently deleting a file

If you delete a file, it goes into the **Trash** (recoverable for a configurable retention window — your administrator sets this, typically 30 days). After the trash retention expires the file and all its versions are permanently removed.

To delete permanently before the trash expires:

1. Move the file to trash.
2. Open **Trash** in the share sidebar.
3. Right-click → **Delete permanently**.

This is irreversible. Versions are also deleted.

## Legal holds

If a file is subject to a legal hold (your administrator can place one for litigation or compliance reasons), it can't be permanently deleted — even by an owner — and versions aren't cleaned up until the hold is lifted. You'll see a "hold" badge in the file's metadata.

## What's next

- [Sharing with your team](/docs/scaidrive/user-guide/sharing-with-your-team).
- [External sharing](/docs/scaidrive/user-guide/external-sharing).