Old versions, deleted files and undelete

Last updated: November 9, 2026

In a bucket with versioning, nothing you overwrite or delete is gone straight away. BucketWorx lets you see old versions, bring them back, and undelete files.

These need a bucket with versioning turned on (Backblaze B2 always has it). Turn it on in the bucket's Properties.

• See a file's versions. Select the file and press Show versions in the details panel. Each version is listed newest first, with its date and size, and "Current" on the latest. Select one to Download it or Restore it, which makes it the current version again and keeps every other version.
• Preview or share an older version. From beta 5, selecting an older version previews it straight away, marked "Older version" and "Not the current file", with Show current to go back. Share link… beside Download and Restore makes a link to that exact version: whoever opens it gets the older file, not the current one. Deletion markers have neither.
• See deleted files. Press the trash button by the folder's name (or "Show deleted" in the command palette). Deleted files show muted, marked "Deleted" with the day. It stays on as you move between folders until you turn it off.
• Undelete. Right-click a deleted file and choose Undelete. The file comes back exactly as it was. Undelete folder… brings back everything deleted in a folder, at any depth.
• Delete a version for good. Select a version under Versions and choose Delete permanently…, to free up storage. You type delete to confirm, because this one can't be undone.

The recycle bin: only what was deleted

From beta 4, the button with a trash can and an × beside Show deleted (or Show deleted only in the command palette) lists only what was deleted, in this folder and every folder below it, newest first. A line under the folder's name says "Showing only what was deleted, here and in every folder below", with an × to leave; leaving puts back the folder view and sort you had.

• The date column shows when each file was deleted, and Size and Class are those of the file as it was. Column headers still sort. While it lists, the heading counts "At least N deleted", and Stop listing ends it early. If there's nothing, it says "Nothing deleted here."
• Undelete brings back the files you select, as above.
• Delete permanently… (on a deleted file's right-click menu, or "Delete all versions…" in the details panel) removes every version of the files you select, for good. It reads their versions again first, says how many files, versions and bytes that is and that it can't be undone, and you type delete. It deletes the oldest versions first and the deletion marker last, so if it stops part way the files are still deleted, never brought back by accident. A file that changed since it was listed is left alone, and named.
• It's there wherever Show deleted is. Where it isn't, the palette says why: the provider keeps no versions (Neon, Supabase Storage), or versioning has never been on for this bucket.

On the command line, bucketworx-cli ls --deleted-only s3://bucket/folder/ lists the same thing (add --json for machine-readable output).

All of this is in the free edition.

Find the files with the most versions

Old versions are stored and paid for like any file, and a file saved many times can hide gigabytes. From beta 5, the Several versions button beside Deleted only (or "Show files with several versions" in the command palette) lists every file in the folder and the folders below that has 2 or more versions.

• Each file shows how many Versions it has, how much its Older versions take, and the Total. The biggest older versions come first; click a column heading to sort by it.
• At least N versions narrows the list without asking the server again. A summary such as "12 files with several versions, 3.4 GB in older versions" shows above the list.
• Deleted files show muted, with all their versions counted as older, and keep Undelete and Delete permanently….
• It and Deleted only turn each other off, and it clears when you open another bucket.

On the command line: bucketworx-cli ls s3://bucket/folder/ --multi-version, with --min N and --json.

Object Lock: retention and legal hold

In a bucket made with Object Lock, a version can be protected so nobody can delete or overwrite it: by a retention date, or by a legal hold that stays until someone takes it off. A file's details show its lock. From beta 5 you can change it: Edit… in the Object Lock section of a file's details, Edit Object Lock… on a version in Versions, or the same on the right-click menu for a selection or whole folders (their current versions). A batch runs in the transfer drawer, where it can be paused, resumed, cancelled or retried.

• Governance mode can be shortened or removed, but only with the s3:BypassGovernanceRetention permission, and BucketWorx says so before trying.
• Compliance mode can't be undone, by anyone, the root account included, until the date passes. BucketWorx refuses to shorten or remove it, or to switch it to governance, before asking the server. Setting compliance needs you to tick that you understand.
• Nothing changes behind your back. Each change checks the lock is still the one you saw, so a retry can't undo someone else's change.
• Where it's offered: Amazon S3, Wasabi, Storj, Backblaze B2 and MinIO, on a bucket with versioning and Object Lock. Storj refuses the bypass, so governance retention there can be lengthened but not shortened.

On the command line: bucketworx-cli lock show, lock hold PATH on|off and lock retain PATH --mode governance|compliance --until DATE (or --remove). See the command line.