The document will return in the search result after the document has been deleted from the server based on SharePoint Online within Microsoft Office 365

  • Article

SYMPTOMS

On a web site that is based on SharePoint Online within
Microsoft Office 365, you delete a document from the document library. However,
when you search in the web site, the document that has been deleted may be
returned in the search result unexpectedly.

CAUSE

There are two reasons that may cause this issue.

  1. The search function may pull the document from
    the recycle bin.
  2. The full content crawl has not been performed on
    the SharePoint Online server since the document deletion.

Note,
in this scenario, when you try to select the document in the search result, a 404
error will return and you are unable to access the document really. 

RESOLUTION

For the document that is located in the first level recycle
bin, it can be deleted indefinitely by the site Administrator or the document Owner
from the second level site recycle bin or will auto-delete after 30 days.

 

For the server where the full content crawl has not been
performed, you have to wait the full content crawls to be implemented.

Note, full content
crawls are only implemented weekly or as needed

APPLY TO

  • Microsoft Office 365 for enterprises
  • Microsoft Office 365 for small businesses