SC-300 Implement and Manage User Identities Practice Question
You accidentally delete a cloud-only user account from the Microsoft Entra admin center. You need to restore the user and their associated group memberships. Within how many days must you perform the restoration before the user is permanently deleted?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
30 days
Microsoft Entra ID implements a 'soft-delete' state for user accounts to protect against accidental data loss. During this period, the user object and most of its properties, including group memberships, can be fully recovered. Once this window expires, the data is purged from the system and cannot be retrieved.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
14 days
Why it's wrong here
14 days is not the standard retention period for deleted users in Microsoft Entra ID. While some other services or specific logs might have a 14-day window, identity objects remain in the recycle bin for a longer duration to provide administrators ample time to notice and correct accidental deletions.
- ✓
30 days
Why this is correct
Microsoft Entra ID retains deleted users in a soft-deleted state for exactly 30 days. During this time, the account can be restored with its original SID, properties, and group memberships intact. After 30 days, the user is permanently removed from the directory and the data becomes unrecoverable.
- ✗
60 days
Why it's wrong here
The 60-day period is not used for the soft-delete window of user accounts. While some compliance features or backup solutions might offer longer retention, the native Microsoft Entra ID recycle bin functionality is strictly limited to a 30-day window for all user objects before they are permanently purged.
- ✗
90 days
Why it's wrong here
90 days is a common retention period for certain audit logs or deleted items in SharePoint, but it does not apply to Microsoft Entra ID users. The identity platform uses a shorter 30-day window to balance the need for recovery with the requirement to minimize the storage of orphaned data.
About these practice questions
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Microsoft exam blueprint
This SC-300 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SC-300 exam.