Statement 1: Yes. Since the file was created on January 1, 2021, and the retention policy is configured for 5 years, the retention period does not end until January 1, 2026. On January 15, 2023, the file is still within its lifecycle. Unless explicitly deleted by a user, it remains accessible in its original location.

Statement 2: Yes. When a file subject to a retention policy is deleted, it is moved to the Preservation Hold library (PHL). Because the 5-year retention period (ending January 1, 2026) is still active on April 15, 2023, an administrator can recover the file from the PHL or through eDiscovery tools.

Statement 3: No. The retention period is 5 years from the date of creation (January 1, 2021), which expires on January 1, 2026. By April 15, 2026, the retention period has ended. Once the period expires, the policy no longer protects the file from permanent deletion, and the file would typically be purged from the PHL.

Official Vendor Documentation: Learn about retention for SharePoint and OneDrive, Microsoft Purview (September 2025). This specifies that content deleted during a retention period is moved to the Preservation Hold library.

Official Vendor Documentation: How retention works for SharePoint and OneDrive, Microsoft Learn. Explains that the retention period timer starts based on the "Created" or "Last Modified" date as configured.

Technical Specification: Microsoft Purview Data Lifecycle Management Principles, Microsoft Learn (2025). Outlines that "Retention takes precedence over deletion," ensuring files are recoverable until the specified period (5 years in this case) concludes.