sharepoint online storage limit exceeded

SharePoint Online: Overcame Storage Limit Exceeded

By Matthew YoungMarch 6, 2026

Frequently encountered by SharePoint users, the 'storage limit exceeded' message can cause considerable frustration and confusion. But don't worry, understanding and working around this issue can free up space, ensuring your SharePoint experience remains productive and trouble-free.

SharePoint Online offers a substantial amount of storage per user. However, when you hit that limit, SharePoint notifies you to prevent filling up your site collection completely. In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve into what happens when you exceed your SharePoint Online storage limit, how to check your usage, and strategies to manage your storage efficiently.

Understanding Your SharePoint Online Storage

Each SharePoint Online user gets a significant amount of storage space (extending up to 25TB per user). Yet knowing your storage limit and usage is crucial to prevent unexpected full scenarios.

4 Ways to organize documents in SharePoint | SharePoint Maven

How to create a Document Set in SharePoint Online | SharePoint Maven

SharePoint Online uses site collections to partition your data. Each site collection comes with its own allocation of storage. Understanding your usage at the site collection level is vital in managing your storage effectively.

Check Your Storage Usage

Monitoring your usage is the first step in avoiding storage limit issues. Here's how you can check your storage usage:

SharePoint for Beginners: A complete guide to getting started

Using SharePoint Online Document Libraries as a Document Management System

Cleaning SharePoint: Find Duplicates, Trim Versions, Retention

Navigate to the SharePoint admin center.
Under 'Show all', click on 'site collections'.
For each site collection, check the 'used' and 'total' storage.

Review Site Collections for High Storage Usage

Once you know your usage, identify which site collections are pushing up against your limit.

Click on the site collection name to open its settings.
Under 'Usage Information', you'll find details about the usage of this site collection.

Managing Your SharePoint Online Storage

If you're nearing your storage limit, it's time to take action. Here are some strategies to manage your storage effectively.

Clean Up Your SharePoint Environment

Removing unnecessary files is the first line of defense against running out of storage.

Why You Should Never Embed Document Libraries and Lists into SharePoint Pages

Site Collections, Sites, Pages, Document Libraries, and Folders - putting it all together | SharePoint Maven

Store and Reuse Document Templates in SharePoint

blue and green squares with the words sharepoint best practices for power and end users

Delete Unnecessary Files: Remove any files or data you no longer need.
Empty Recycle Bin: Don't forget to empty the recycle bin to reclaim space.

Optimize Your SharePoint Environment

Enhancing your site's efficiency can help free up storage space.

Minimize Large File Attachments: Break down large files into smaller parts or use links instead.
Use Versioning Wisely: Enabling versioning can consume storage quickly. Use it judiciously.

Regularly reviewing and managing your SharePoint Online storage is key to preventing a 'storage limit exceeded' scenario. Remember, understanding the tool is half the battle won. By keeping a close eye on your usage and applying some simple best practices, you can ensure SharePoint remains a productive tool.

Don't miss out on SharePoint's power features. Keep learning and exploring to make the most of your storage.