Is it possible to retrieve a deleted feature service from ArcGIS Online?

Answer

It is possible to recover a feature service if it is still in the Recycle Bin in ArcGIS Online. However, after 14 days, the items in the Recycle Bin and the service REST endpoint will be permanently deleted, with no way to recover them. Without the service endpoint, it is impossible to access the service definition information required to recreate the feature service.

After 14 days, if a service definition file is created and saved when the feature service is published, the service can be republished using this service definition file. However, this only restores the original features, as any edits made to the feature service are not reflected in the original service definition file. The file can be republished from its item page in ArcGIS Online.

As a precautionary measure, Esri recommends enabling 'Delete Protection' on important items before publishing the feature service. 'Delete Protection' can also be enabled on the published feature service to prevent accidental deletion. This setting can be enabled through the item page in ArcGIS Online while editing the item properties by checking the Delete Protection option. For more information, refer to ArcGIS Blog: Protect and manage your ArcGIS Online content.

Alternatively, back up the content in ArcGIS Online by following the instructions provided in How To: Back up content in ArcGIS Online.