Restoring files and folders using Granular Restore Option

Last published : Apr 02, 2026
Granular Restore Option can be used to restore unstructured files and folders. This feature is particularly useful if you need to search more than one recovery point (multiple backup dates) to find a missing file or folder.
To restore a file or folder
  1. On the View menu, click Tools.
  2. Click Run Granular Restore Option.
  3. In the Open Recovery Points dialog box, open the recovery point for the last known time that the mail was present on the Exchange server.
    Use latest recovery points for this computer Opens a recovery point using the latest recovery points from the computer on which you work.
    Use alternate system index (.sv2i) file Opens a recovery point using its system index file.
    System index file name Lets you specify a path and a file name of a system index file that you want to use for recovery.
    Browse Lets you browse to a path that contains a system index file.
    For example, you can browse to an external (USB) drive, a network location, or to removable media to select a system index file.
    Use recovery points for another computer . Opens a recovery point that resides on another computer.
    Browse Lets you browse to a path that contains recovery points.
    For example, you can browse to an external (USB) drive, a network location, or to removable media to select recovery points.
    Computer Name Identifies the names of recovery point files and virtual disk files in the specified path of another computer.
  4. Click OK.
  5. On the Files and Folders tab, browse or search for the file that you want to restore.
  6. You can view more than one recovery point at a time. To see a view of the file system that contains multiple recovery points, click Versions. Now select the versions that you want to view by checking them in the list.
You can sort the list by clicking the column headers. You can enter a search term in the search field (near the documents list). When you add or delete characters in the search box, the results change automatically.
  1. Click the file to view its contents or to restore it, and then select the check box beside it.
  2. On the Tasks menu, click Restore Files , and then select the destination for the restore.
    Note: If you view multiple recovery points and more than one version of a file is available, you can expand the list of versions. Click the plus sign next to each file. After you select a file for restore, choose the version of the file that you want.
See Restoring a Microsoft Exchange mailbox.
See Restoring a Microsoft Exchange email folder.
See Restoring a Microsoft Exchange email message.