Why Is Restore Unavailable, Failing, or Missing Its Results?
Before submitting another restore, open History > Restore History. A request may still be running, or may have recovered some items before an error. Repeating it can create additional copies.
Restore Now Is Disabled
Check that you selected at least one item, chose a Restore destination, and entered a valid Target folder name. Read the validation message beside the field and review the selected item list.
If the destination list is empty, ask your administrator to check the configured domains, discovered accounts or Shared Drives, and your access. Shared Drive destinations require an active paid license.
The Job Is Queued or Running
Wait for a final result in Restore History and refresh the page to obtain the current state. A confirmation that the task was created means it was accepted, not that the items are already in Google.
The server needs to read the backup data and send the selected items to Google. Large selections, remote storage, and request limits can make this take time. Closing the browser does not cancel the server's job.
Some or All Items Failed
Open the job's errors and record the affected app and item. Have the administrator check the part of the operation named in the message:
| Failure | What needs checking |
|---|---|
| Source backup cannot be read | Backup storage connection, credentials, and availability of the required data and index |
| Destination account is unavailable | Whether the account still exists and can use the destination Google app |
| Google rejects a write | Service account scopes and permissions for the destination account, folder, calendar, or Shared Drive |
| Destination storage or API quota is exceeded | The specific quota reported by Google and the destination's available capacity |
| Shared Drive requires an activated license | Current subscription state, including whether it is still a trial |
A successful backup proves that data was readable at that time; it does not prove that today's restore destination is writable. The service account replacement guide explains permission checks when credentials have changed.
After resolving the cause, check what already succeeded before selecting the items to restore again.
The Job Succeeded but I Cannot See the Result
Confirm the destination selected for the job. It may differ from the account that originally owned the data. Sign in to that destination in Google Workspace, refresh the app, and check the name entered in Target folder:
- Gmail: look for the target label, not only the Inbox.
- Drive: open the target folder in the selected user's Drive or Shared Drive.
- Contacts: look for the target contact group or label.
- Calendar: look for the new calendar and make it visible in the calendar list.
- Tasks: switch to the new task list.
Restoring content does not recreate the original user account or guarantee that all original links and sharing permissions will be reproduced. Verify the recovered content and arrange any required sharing with the data owner.
If you only need to read a copy, export the item. For a result that still cannot be explained, include the destination and job details in a support request.