OneDrive Storage Full? Free up Space on Win/Mac

But before that, let’s understand what OneDrive contains and why the storage gets full.

Microsoft OneDrive Full: What is Stored in It?

OneDrive is a secure and convenient application by Microsoft to store and manage data. It usually includes:

• Personal files
• Uploaded and synced files from the computer or mobile device
• Office documents
• Photos in your camera roll and screenshots
• Other OneDrive files and photos from Desktop/Documents/Pictures
• Items in the Recycle Bin

All of this contains space, and after a certain point in time, your storage quota exceeds the general limit. Thus, you get the “OneDrive Full Storage” issue.

Common Reasons for OneDrive Storage Full Error

Below are the specific factors for which users’ work is halted, and the drive storage is completely occupied:

• Identical files are synced to multiple devices or folders.
• Backing up your Desktop and Documents folders results in local files being duplicated to the cloud.
• Uploading large videos and photos from your phone or shared folders.
• Discovering hidden SharePoint or Teams data under your connected account.
• Finding files in the OneDrive Recycle Bin that still count against your storage limit.

After identifying the source of the issue, the clean-up process to remove duplicate files from OneDrive is likely to be more targeted and safe.

How to Free Up Space in OneDrive?

To free your overfilled OneDrive, there are a few manual workarounds and efficient automated software. You can use any of the following based on your preferences and needs. These are briefly explained as follows.

Manually Resolve OneDrive Storage Full Issue

The methods for Windows and Mac OS cleanup may differ. Let’s first understand how to clear files from OneDrive on Windows:

1. Unlink and Relink OneDrive on PC

1. Press the OneDrive icon on your desktop and open Settings.
2. Then, go to Accounts and under your profile, click Unlink this PC.
3. A pop-up appears for confirmation. Press Unlink Account.
4. Wait for a while, and later, reconnect your account.
5. Click the Change Location button to store it at another place during setup.

An alternative to this is, you can choose to:

1. Go to the Apps section of your Windows Settings.
2. Next, locate the OneDrive app and Uninstall it.
3. Afterwards, reinstall the same.
4. If you do not wish to do this, simply reset it to clear cache files.
5. To do so, click Win + R and in the dialog, enter:

   %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\onedrive.exe/reset

6. Finally, click OK and sign in to your OneDrive account once again.

2. Use the Files-On-Demand Feature

1. Open the OneDrive icon and move to Settings.
2. Next, go to Sync and Backup and then Advanced Settings.
3. Here, enable the Files-On-Demand feature to keep the data online, freeing the local disk space.

If these didn’t work for your OneDrive storage full problem, you can only try manual deletion.

3. Delete Large OneDrive Files

1. Open OneDrive and use the File Size to sort folders manually.
2. Delete them one by one and also ensure to empty the Recycle Bin.

Note: Especially clear the files that are unused for a long time or have very large attachments or so.

4. OneDrive Space Full on Mac

1. On your Mac, launch OneDrive from the menu.
2. Go to Help and Settings and choose Preferences.
3. Then, under Sync and Backup, enable Files On-Demand (Online-only).
4. Afterward, open Finder and then the OneDrive Folder.
5. Select your large files and right-click to choose Free Up Space.
6. At last, for a faster removal, check ~/Library/Caches/OneDrive to delete residual and clear clutter.

Professionally Fix OneDrive Storage is Full

Since the above methods are good enough only for a temporary fix, a more reliable solution is essential. SysInfo OneDrive Duplicate Remover is one such solution. It enables you to free up the cluttered OneDrive storage all at once without much hassle. Plus, the software is easy to use for everyone, whether on Mac or Windows, and allows swift optimization in no time. Moreover, it supports all types of files (Images, Documents, Videos, Audio, etc.) and keeps the OneDrive clean and secure.

Steps to Eliminate OneDrive Storage Full Issue

1. Launch OneDrive Duplicate Finder & Remover Tool and sign in to your account.
2. A preview of the storage summary will be displayed, highlighting the details.
3. Then, click Scan All Folders to check the OneDrive files, and a list appears.
4. Further, press Find Duplicate Files, and a dialog showing unique and duplicate files appears. Click OK.
5. Then, using the Select Duplicates option, filter the duplicates to remove.
6. In the end, choose them to Delete Permanently or Move to Bin for clearance.

That’s it. Isn’t this much easier and better than struggling with different free manual tricks?

Conclusion

Experiencing a “Microsoft OneDrive Storage Full” warning is a genuine issue of data being cluttered and can result in corruption. Hence, it is essential to use the free manual methods for a few file clearances or, instead, get your hands on the professional software for more optimum outcomes. It will not only create more available space in OneDrive but also improve sync speed, reliability, and data integrity, all of which are especially important for team members managing shared folders or workflows across devices.

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About The Author:

Suman Rawat

Suman Rawat is a technical content writer and expert in the fields of email migration, data recovery, and email backup. Her passion for helping people has led her to resolve many user queries related to data conversion and cloud backup.