Bypass Retention Policies and Delete Contents in SharePoint and OneDrive

𝐌𝐚𝐣𝐨𝐫 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐎𝐧𝐞𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 & 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐏𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬.

Microsoft is introducing a new capability that allows administrators to bypass existing retention and legal hold policies. Yes, you can now delete content before the retention period ends (with the right governance in place).

Suppose your org is generating tons of Copilot-related content like meeting recordings, transcripts, and notes, clogging up OneDrive or SharePoint. In that case, this gives you greater control to manage that data outside standard retention rules.

💡 The new feature is called Priority Cleanup, and no, it’s not a free-for-all. Microsoft has ensured that it includes tight governance to prevent misuse. Here’s how it works:

✅ Requires at least two admins with specific roles.
✅ Roles: Priority Cleanup Admin + Retention Management, assigned in Microsoft Purview.
✅ Off by default, you’ll need to configure it.
✅ There’s a simulation mode (yay for testing!), audit logs for transparency, and disposition reviews for oversight, so everything’s accountable.
✅ Releasing in September 2025.

This kind of capability brings more flexibility, but it also comes with a bigger responsibility to keep compliance in check.

Are you planning to enable Priority Cleanup? How’s your org prepping for it?