Oops, I Deleted a SharePoint Group! Here’s How to Bring It Back from the Dead

Let’s face it: accidentally deleting something important in SharePoint happens to the best of us. One minute you’re confidently tidying up, and the next, you're hunting for ways to restore that one crucial SharePoint group that just vanished. Good news—SharePoint has your back (kind of).

Check If the Ghosts Are Still Around

Before you go full panic mode, head over to your site’s group graveyard (technically, the URL is <site URL>/_layouts/15/groups.aspx).

You’re looking for your dearly departed default groups here. If they’re listed, congratulations—your groups are still lurking in the shadows, waiting to be revived. If they’re not, you might need to escalate your wizardry .

It’s Association Time!

Now that you’ve confirmed the groups still exist, it’s time to bring them back to life. Navigate to <site URL>/_layouts/15/permsetup.aspx, where SharePoint lets you re-establish the all-important associations.

Fill out the form, selecting the corresponding groups for Owners, Members, and Visitors.

Click “OK” Like a Pro

Once you’ve selected the appropriate groups in the form, it’s time for the big moment: hit OK. Don’t be shy. With this simple action, SharePoint will recreate the associations, and voilà! Your once-deleted groups are now restored, like a phoenix rising from the ashes.