How to Restore Files with Squirrel

Click here for more information about Squirrel Rehydration on the official SmiKar website.

Squirrel makes restoring archived files quick and easy for end users, right from within SharePoint or Microsoft Teams.

This guide shows you how to restore a file that has been archived.

When a file is archived by Squirrel:

• The original file is replaced with a small “stub” file.
• This stub file looks like the original but only contains a link to restore the file.
• When you need the file again, you simply click the link to begin the restore.

• Go to the SharePoint site or Teams location where the file was originally located.
• You will see the file still listed — but it is a stub (small file with the same name, but amended with .html at the end).

• Open the stub file by clicking on it.
• The file will contain a URL that looks like this:

  https://squirrel.smikar.com/restore/?site_guid=xxxxx&file_guid=xxxxx

• Click the link to open the Squirrel Restore page in your browser.

• The Squirrel Restore page will show details about the file and a clickable link to restore the file.
• Click the link to start the restore process.

• Squirrel will retrieve the file from the archive and restore it to the original location.
• You will receive an on-screen confirmation when the file has been restored.
• Refresh the SharePoint or Teams folder after a few moments — your file will be back and ready to use.

• Some files (especially large ones) may take a few minutes to be restored.
• You can continue working and check back later — the file will automatically appear in its original location once restored.
• If you have any issues restoring a file, contact your IT administrator or Squirrel support.

Q: What if I delete the stub file?

• If a stub file is accidentally deleted, IT administrators can still restore the archived file using Squirrel management tools.

Q: Can I restore multiple files at once?

• No — restores are performed one file at a time via the stub link.

Q: Where are the files restored to?

• The restored file will always be placed back in the exact same SharePoint or Teams folder where it was originally archived from.