OneDrive storage full and sync stopped: check cloud and local space
What to do first
First establish whether the shortage is on the PC or in the cloud. Removing local copies alone does not resolve an exceeded cloud quota; preserve needed content before deciding what to remove.
This is a general troubleshooting guide, not an announcement of a current outage.
Affected products and symptoms
- Product
- Microsoft OneDrive
- Versions and conditions
- Personal and work or school OneDrive; Windows sync app and web
Symptoms
- OneDrive reports that its storage is full
- New files stop syncing or cloud files cannot be edited
Causes and conditions
Cloud quota and local disk capacity are separate limits. A subscription change or organizational storage limit can also change the available cloud allowance.
Before you start
- Record the OneDrive account and exact capacity message
- Identify unsynced recent work and cloud files that must be retained
Precautions
- Verify preserved copies before permanently deleting recycle-bin items
- Reconfiguring the sync app does not reduce cloud usage
Tools and official pages used in this guide
Step-by-step instructions
Open the OneDrive notification-area icon and identify the personal or work/school account showing the warning. Record which account is affected when several are connected.
Distinguish a cloud-storage warning from a message about the computer's disk being full.
Sign into OneDrive on the web with the same account. Use its storage management or storage-used view to compare the allowance with current usage.
For personal accounts, Microsoft cloud storage includes content beyond the OneDrive folder, such as Outlook.com attachments. Ask the administrator about organization-controlled limits.
Official links for this step
In File Explorer, inspect the properties of the drive containing the OneDrive folder. If web quota is available but that drive is full, address local working space.
Making synced files online-only addresses local capacity. Do not remove unsynced files on the assumption that the website already holds them.
Download or copy files you want to retain to storage outside OneDrive before removing their cloud copies. Open the preserved files to verify them.
Desktop and Documents may themselves be inside OneDrive. Verify the destination path and coordinate any changes to shared files.
Official links for this step
Remove only confirmed unwanted content through the website and review the OneDrive recycle bin. For personal storage, its contents count toward usage; permanently remove only items you no longer need.
This is separate from the PC recycle bin. If the remaining content is needed, consider additional capacity or administrator assistance instead of further deletion, then recheck the updated usage.
After usage is below the allowance, save a small test document in the OneDrive folder. Check that the same name and content appear on the website.
A disappearing warning without the new file arriving is incomplete recovery. Record any remaining sync error and investigate it separately.
Check the result
- Web usage is within quota and a new upload succeeds
- The Windows test file appears with the expected content on the web
If the problem continues
- If the allowance does not update, verify the subscription or administrator setting and displayed usage
- If sufficient quota remains but sync is stuck, investigate the remaining error message
Scope of this guide
Troubleshooting guide — A symptom-specific procedure based on official documentation. Follow the branch that matches the observed state and verify the result.
Frequently asked questions
Does Free up space reduce my cloud usage?
Making files online-only reduces local copies. Check and address cloud usage separately on the website.
Why did emptying the PC recycle bin not help?
OneDrive has a separate web recycle bin. Check which storage limit is exceeded and review the relevant cloud items.
Official sources and dates
- My OneDrive says it's full ↗
- I'm getting a "Disk full" message in OneDrive ↗
- What is Microsoft cloud storage? ↗
Source publication or resolution date: Not specified. Sources checked: 2026-09-12. The check date is not the date the problem first occurred. Interface labels can vary between versions and display languages.