---
title: Cloud Backup & Recovery Solution for Microsoft 365
description: Don't lose your valuable business data! Protect it with M365 Cloud Backup & Recovery Solution. Secure, reliable, and easy to use. Learn more now.
canonical_url: https://www.acronis.com/en/solutions/backup/cloud/m365/
locale: en
last_updated: 2026-10-13
---

# Cloud Backup & Recovery Solution for Microsoft 365

Complete, automated, cloud-to-cloud backup of Microsoft 365, supporting SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams and Exchange. Includes unlimited cloud storage, with ongoing maintenance managed by Acronis, ensuring your protection is secure and always up-to-date.

[Try now](https://www.acronis.com/en/trial/?utm_webteam=solution-header)  
[Get a demo](https://www.acronis.com/en/solutions/request-demo/?utm_webteam=solution-header)

[![Image 2: G2 Grid Leader for Endpoint Protection Suites](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/3ead81d51504df24bae6c7d4ce3a7cb9.png)](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/posts/customers-named-acronis-a-leader-across-seven-g2-fall-2026-grid-reports/)
G2 Grid Leader for Endpoint Protection Suites

Looking for help?

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Does Microsoft 365 have cloud backup?

Microsoft 365 data can be backed up to the cloud. However, Microsoft offers limited backup features to users; you can use a few retention and recovery capabilities but won't have access to robust backup and recovery services. As a business, Microsoft is focused on ensuring data access. Data retention and data integrity are the user's responsibility.

Nonetheless, Microsoft offers a basic backup feature that backs up your Microsoft 365 data every 12 hours. (and keeps it on the cloud for 14 days).

However, if you need to restore a file or folder from the backup, you'd need to initiate a full restore. Restoring the entire backup will overwrite all data on the designated (target) drive. Doing so will significantly increase Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) and can also lead to data loss if you don't have another complete backup of your updated business data.

Depending on the size of your company and the volume of business-critical data (documents, emails, team chats, etc.), Microsoft 365 native tools may not provide adequate protection. Moreover, Microsoft 365 native backup isn't a 'true backup'. That means that Microsoft mirrors data from your Microsoft 365 account to at least two different data repositories within the same region as your primary data center. Even if this can protect your data against locally-based disasters, it won't protect it from human error. Since mirroring is a form of syncing, any changes to data on your primary network will be reflected on both copies during the next sync cycle. So, if you accidentally delete essential documents, they will be deleted from the 'backups' as well.

So, to summarize, Microsoft 365 has a cloud backup feature to an extent. If you want to rely on dedicated cybersecurity features and proper backup tools, it's recommended to go for a third-party backup solution.

### Should I back up M365?

Backups are essential for both individual users and companies of different sizes.

If you're a home user, you probably have cherished photos, important documents, and even personally identifiable information (PII) on your PC or laptop. If you fall victim to phishing or a cybersecurity attack, perpetrators may gain access to your data. They can hold it hostage for ransom, sell it on the black market, or use it to initiate identity theft or financial fraud. In a ransomware scenario, a full backup will ensure you can recover all your data to a new device without compromising its integrity.

Comprehensive backup will also help if your device suffers physical damage, gets stolen, and even if you accidentally delete an important file or document. Having a reliable backup means you can always restore your data, especially if your backups reside on a dedicated cloud.

As for businesses, compromising crucial data may lead to downtime, negatively impact revenue, or harm your brand's image. As targeted cyberattacks evolve with each passing minute, organizations should ensure they can always recover essential data. Backing up critical company data can safeguard your business against accidental deletion, internal and external security threats, and natural disasters. Moreover, comprehensive backup helps achieve legal and compliance requirements and manage hybrid email deployments and data migrations to Microsoft 365. Lastly, a robust backup solution will help reduce retention policy gaps and employee confusion and help protect Teams' data structure.

Regardless of your company's size, a complete system backup ensures you can always bounce back following a security incident. To fortify your backups, it's best to use redundant data backups according to the 3-2-1 rule of backup. This way, even if one of your backups is compromised, you can quickly recover data from another.

### What is the best way to back up Microsoft 365?

If your business uses Microsoft 365 to handle business-critical data, syncing sensitive files and documents isn't enough to protect your environment against human error, cyberattacks, or natural disasters.

To ensure your data's integrity and availability, you must rely on dedicated backup software and create backups following the 3-2-1 rule of Backup. Acronis Cyber Protect enables quick and easy backups regardless of your server environment. The solution integrates top-tier backup and enhanced anti-malware protection to protect cloud data from modern threats. Even if your data is compromised, stolen, or corrupted, you can quickly recover anything – from individual files to full system images – within a few seconds.

Acronis Cyber Protect enables flexible and intuitive Microsoft 365 and OneDrive backup to secure files, folders, email attachments, access permissions, and more. Having all of your operational data at a click's reach ensures minimal downtime, which benefits your business continuity and steady revenue flow. Managing all backups, cloud data, and local endpoints protection via a singular web-based interface denies the need to hire additional IT staff or use several different solutions, saving you both time and money.

In addition, you'd have access to flexible reporting and monitoring tools. You can monitor backup statuses via advanced reporting and monitoring capabilities and benefit from customizable reports, widgets, and critical alerts. You can initiate universal restores to any hardware if you need to migrate your primary system to a secondary site. With Acronis' optimized system recovery process, you can restore data to physical and virtual platforms and even new, dissimilar hardware. The process takes a few clicks, so that you won't waste additional time on cumbersome reinstallation and configuration. Lastly, regular malware scans of all backups will detect and remove any pesky threats and eliminate the risk of restoring infected data, ensuring a clean and quick recovery.

### What is the best storage for M365 cloud backup?

There are several key points to consider when backing up M365 data.

First and foremost, it's critical to use a true backup solution for your [M365 data](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/posts/microsoft-365-backup/). Microsoft provides only infrastructure-level protection for M365, so you must ensure your data's safety. Microsoft doesn't protect against data loss events related to accidental deletion or cyberattacks. Therefore, you must safeguard your M365 cloud backups.

It's crucial to rely on a solution capable of backing up Microsoft 365, OneDrive, and Azure Active Directory data. Moreover, it's best to use a solution that enables granular data recovery. Having to restore full system images every time you need an individual file is counterproductive and may cost you more time and effort. In addition, you must be able to restore backups to a location of your choosing. While most scenarios require recovery to the M365 cloud, your business may need to restore data to different M365 subscriptions or a dedicated server. In those cases, you need a flexible solution to enable recovery to multiple systems.

You should also look for a solution that meets your required service-level agreements and provides the needed reporting to satisfy compliance audits. Comprehensive reporting will ease the load on the teams responsible, speed up the auditing process, and, ultimately, save you money.

Lastly, your M365 cloud backups require a fortified storage location. You need to be able to store important information and be confident that it is protected from all potential cyber threats via the most advanced anti-malware and anti-virus features. You need a solution that covers both data at rest and in transit to ensure your data is always available and can be restored to different systems quickly and reliably. Also, it's best to keep multiple copies of your backups (on-premises and off-site) on different storage carriers. Hence, a solution that supports the [3-2-1 backup rule](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/posts/backup-rule/) is a must to negate downtime and stay competitive.

Product help

In case you have any difficulties, we have collected all the useful materials for this product in our [Knowledge Base](https://care.acronis.com/s/support-portal/service-provider/acronis-cyber-protect-cloud), [Video Tutorials](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3zjwuoZ-r6lESqYXA6lH4w/playlists?view=50&sort=dd&shelf_id=2) and [Documentation](https://www.acronis.com/support/documentation/). Also you can always ask your question on our [Discussion Boards](https://forum.acronis.com/).

Technical support

Customers with active product maintenance or subscription are entitled to 24/7 technical support. Follow the instructions at the [Technical Support Site](https://www.acronis.com/support/providers/backup-cloud/) to get prompt support by phone, chat or e-mail.

## Why protecting Microsoft 365 data and applications is critical

Did you know an alarming 85% of organizations using Microsoft 365 suffered email data breaches?

Data breaches are on the rise due to increasing cyberattack complexity. Organizations that use Microsoft 365 are responsible for protecting their data and applications against cyberthreats.  
  
You should consider implementing a comprehensive data protection solution that includes backup and recovery, cybersecurity and endpoint protection management.

![Image 3: Embedded thumbnail for backing up your files](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/00a848ec385c4ce2c158ed9b44714285.png)

*   **With more than 400 million active monthly users, Microsoft 365 is the go-to productivity solution for many organizations.**   
*   **Without third-party backup, sensitive business data is at risk from data loss (e.g., accidental deletions and malware attacks).**   
*   **Microsoft reported 1,220 new common vulnerabilities and exposures (CVEs), while attacks against Teams continue to rise.**   

## Back up your Microsoft 365 data with Acronis

Microsoft 365 provides robust services for business collaboration, yet Microsoft does not take responsibility for customer data. In fact, Microsoft recommends that users regularly back up content and data using third-party services. You share some responsibility.

Yet without third-party backup, sensitive business data such as emails or shared files stored in Microsoft 365 are not protected from the most common or most serious data loss issues.

![Image 4: Acronis](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/d550ed9af0f7fa1581fd92a61c65ec8c.png)

## Anti-malware scans of Microsoft 365 backups

Acronis performs heuristics-based anti-malware scanning on Microsoft 365 backup archives to identify and remove malware from them. 

This prevents a potential scenario in which malware could infect a resource in Microsoft Exchange or a Microsoft 365 application, be replicated to backup archives, and be reintroduced into the production Microsoft 365 environment when the infected resource is restored during recovery. This native integration of data protection and cybersecurity eliminates malware instances in Microsoft 365 backups before they can reinfect live systems. 

![Image 5: Acronis](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/25610acb610c3439629378ef604eb2ec.png)

## Why Acronis?

Acronis provides best-in-class, cloud-to-cloud, agentless backup and recovery for Microsoft 365, including free cloud storage.

### Leverage agentless backup

Ensure your clients’ Microsoft 365 data is backed up and recoverable with best-in-class, cloud-to-cloud agentless backup and recovery technologies.

### Address vulnerabilities

Monitor all Microsoft products for vulnerabilities and close security gaps quickly with automated patch management that’s prioritized by vulnerability criticality.

### Protect data, improve compliance

Make sure critical Microsoft 365 data is backed up and recoverable and improve compliance with legal and regulatory mandates.

Key features to protect your Microsoft 365 data

### One solution for any workload

Save on licensing, education and integration. Acronis Cyber Protect is a scalable solution that protects clients’ data across 30+ platforms — physical, virtual, cloud or mobile.

### Quick, granular restore

Avoid client downtime and ensure their business continuity by recovering their data in seconds. You can granularly back up and restore required pieces of data (e.g., emails, files, sites, contacts and attachments).

### Automatic protection for new Microsoft 365 items

Reduce headaches by streamlining backup management for Microsoft 365. New users, groups and sites are automatically protected.

### Quick backup search

Find a needed file in seconds. Enhanced search for mailboxes allows you to search by email subject, recipient, sender or date. Also search with Word forms or partial information and search Teams, OneDrive for Business and SharePoint Online by site item and file name.

### Powerful status monitoring

Achieve higher levels of transparency and security thanks to advanced reporting capabilities and backup-status monitoring, including widgets, notifications and alerts for critical events.

### Group management

Update and apply specific policies for large groups — up to hundreds of users — not just one at a time.

### Everything included in the price

The low, predictable cost includes software and free cloud storage, making budgeting a breeze.

### Automated maintenance

Acronis takes care of the ongoing maintenance ensuring your protection is always up-to-date and secure.

## Microsoft 365 shared responsibility model

Microsoft 365 provides infrastructure resilience, but data protection is your responsibility.

![Image 6: Acronis](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/c34db00750343201f69cb0dff25d8414.png)

|  | Infrastructure and data | Security onus | Regulatory obligations |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Microsoft’s responsibility | • Data center (DC); • Network controls; • Applications; • Virtualization; • Operating systems (OS) | • DC protection; • Software failures; • Natural disasters; • Power outages; • OS errors; • DC redundancy / replication; • Short-term data recovery | • Role of a data processor; • Process customer's data as per the controller's instructions; • Timely response to breaches; • Transparent policies and audit trail |
| Your responsibility | • Data and information; • Endpoint devices; • Access management; • Account and applications | • Data and information; • Malware; • Deletion; • Ransomware; • Sync errors; • Data backup; • Business continuity | • Role of a data controller; • Onus of consent, access, privacy and protection of data; • Data backup, retention and archival; • Specific legal requirements; • GDPR; • HIPAA; • FINRA; • SOX |

Protect your Microsoft and Google data against ransomware and other modern cyberthreats

This webinar highlights the limited protection offered by Microsoft and Google for critical business data in their productivity suites, emphasizing the need for additional security measures. Learn practical steps to strengthen defenses against cyberattacks, ransomware and malicious emails. Gain insights on user education for reducing common attack vectors and safeguarding essential data across Microsoft 365, Google Workspace and related applications.

![Image 7: Acronis](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/7df6d9b68417de789dbd7eb16e197d4c.png)

56:26

[Acronis (56:26)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBtofNAtcSQ)

## #Resources

Acronis is the only solution that can protect any piece of data across 30+ platforms — physical, virtual, cloud or mobile, ensuring that clients' data is always safe and available via quick backup and granular restore capabilities.

![Image 8: Acronis](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/289dad262fec1adfa689ee4552db2fd2.png)

*   [Analyst Reports DCIG places Acronis in top five backup solutions for Microsoft 365](https://www.acronis.com/en/resource-center/resource/dcig-places-acronis-in-top-five-backup-solutions-for-m365/)
*   [Blog The Ultimate Guide to Backup Microsoft 365](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/posts/microsoft-365-backup/)
*   [Blog How to protect your business’s Microsoft 365 data](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/posts/how-to-protect-your-businesss-microsoft-365-data/)
*   [Case study Williams Racing takes back control with Acronis Cyber Protect](https://www.acronis.com/en/resource-center/resource/williams-racing-takes-back-control-with-acronis-cyber-protect/)

## Solutions

Acronis Cyber Protect

For businesses

Centralized cyber protection solution to streamline your endpoint protection, backup and disaster recovery, and management through integration and automation.

[Purchase online](https://www.acronis.com/en/products/cyber-protect/purchasing/)  
[Free trial for Business](https://www.acronis.com/en/products/cyber-protect/trial/)

Acronis Cyber Platform

For service providers

Integrated cyber protection platform unifying cybersecurity, data protection and management to reduce complexity, streamline your services and cut costs.

[Free trial for MSPs](https://www.acronis.com/en/products/cloud/trial/)

## Acronis is the market leader in backup and data protection

*   21,000+ service providers 
*   150+ countries 
*   5,000,000+ workloads protected 

[![Image 9](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/5509c4b3d5ae9ed36396600f5145fab2.png) OPSWAT Platinum certification for anti-malware](https://www.opswat.com/blog/opswat-access-control-certification-oaccp-update-for-july-2021)  
[![Image 10](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/012047b54ec17d152de5455170d8d02b.png) AV-TEST Advanced Threat Protection certification](https://www.acronis.com/en-us/blog/posts/acronis-cyber-protect-cloud-shines-in-av-tests-advanced-threat-protection-evaluation/)

![Image 11](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/fc3081cc150fa16b84715d62c7f024d2.png)

ICSA Labs endpoint anti-malware certified 

[![Image 12](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/58b578e61a31215118ebb82d6f05246d.png) AV-Comparatives participant and test winner](https://www.av-comparatives.org/vendors/acronis/)

![Image 13](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/05a8910d2b2c1fcb85ca3cc986d709c8.png)

Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization member 

![Image 14](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/b79f8d8911336c5d18e2ef260c6821f2.png)

VirusTotal member 

[![Image 15](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/738fc2693fb317928c18ff684516667c.png) Cloud Security Alliance member](https://cloudsecurityalliance.org/star/registry/acronis-international-gmbh)

![Image 16](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/40f10ecad7556002985eed4fcacd9afa.png)

Anti-Phishing Working Group member 

![Image 17](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/17000458764c9ad13a018bb312dd385c.png)

Microsoft Virus Initiative member 

![Image 18](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/dbce28082bfa2ae4d22c767cbff8109b.png)

Preferred Microsoft 365 Backup partner 

Industry recognition

[![Image 19: DCIG names Acronis a Top 5 Vendor for Microsoft 365 Backup for both MSPs and mid-market enterprises. Download either report for free.](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/b87422337a7153bcaab2cce22ce337b7.png)](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/posts/dcig-validates-power-of-acronis-backup-solutions-with-top-5-vendor-honors/)  
[DCIG names Acronis a Top 5 Vendor for Microsoft 365 Backup for both MSPs and mid-market enterprises. Download either report for free.](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/posts/dcig-validates-power-of-acronis-backup-solutions-with-top-5-vendor-honors/)