Outlook says Microsoft storage is full although storage shows only 62% used

JónGrétar KJARTANSSON 0 Reputation points
2026-10-13T08:28:29.8766667+00:00
  1. Hotmail/Outlook storage says it's full but is not
  2. Outlook storage incorrect
  3. Microsoft says my storage is full
  4. Cloud storage full
Outlook | Web | Outlook.com | Account management, security, and privacy
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  1. GsN5034 - IA 78,605 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-10-13T09:24:47.3133333+00:00

    Hello,

    Sign in to your Microsoft account on the Services & Subscriptions page to check whether your Microsoft 365 Family subscription is active and whether there are any billing or payment issues.

    https://account.microsoft.com/services

    If you are not the Microsoft 365 Family organizer, ask the organizer to check the subscription for billing or payment issues and renew it if necessary.

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  2. JónGrétar KJARTANSSON 0 Reputation points
    2026-10-13T08:30:05.9633333+00:00

    have a Microsoft 365 Family subscription.

    My Microsoft storage page shows:

    • 732.4 GB used out of 1.2 TB (62%)
    • Email storage 28.8 GB used out of 100 GB (28%)

    However Outlook still displays:

    "Your Microsoft storage is full. To send messages, you'll need to free up space or get more storage."

    I am unable to send emails.

    I also tried to contact Microsoft Support, but Support Assistant fails with:

    "Chat stream request failed: 500 - Request headers must contain only ASCII characters."

    Has anyone seen this problem before and how can I get Microsoft to refresh or repair the storage quota on my account?

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  3. AI answer

    2026-10-13T08:28:47.1966667+00:00

    If Outlook.com says storage is full while the account shows only about 62% used, the most common causes are:

    1. Cloud storage quota is full, not mailbox storage The Microsoft Unified Storage is full message means the cloud storage quota was exceeded. That can block Outlook.com email even when the mailbox itself is not full. Microsoft storage includes OneDrive files and photos, Outlook.com attachments and inline images, and other app content.
    2. Mailbox storage and Microsoft cloud storage are different views Outlook.com keeps a separate email storage view, while the Microsoft account storage view can reflect broader cloud storage usage. Outlook.com attachments count toward both cloud storage and mailbox storage.
    3. Deleted mail may still be counting Messages moved out of Inbox are usually sent to Deleted Items, and that folder still counts against mailbox quota until it is emptied. In Outlook.com, Junk is deleted automatically, but Deleted Items still needs attention if space has not dropped enough.
    4. The storage display can lag after cleanup or upgrade After freeing space or increasing storage, account status may take time to update. Reported guidance indicates new storage can appear within about 2 hours, and quota locks can take up to 24 hours to clear, with some cases taking up to 48 hours.

    Try this end-to-end check:

    1. In Outlook.com, open Settings > Account > Storage.
    2. Review which folders are largest.
    3. Permanently delete items from large folders using the built-in cleanup options for items older than 3, 6, or 12 months.
    4. Empty Deleted Items.
    5. Review large messages and attachments, especially in Sent Items. Deleting the attachment requires deleting the email that contains it.
    6. If the account also shows Microsoft Unified Storage is full, check Microsoft storage usage and reduce OneDrive or other cloud content if needed.
    7. Sign out, close the browser, sign in again, and allow up to 24–48 hours for the quota status to refresh.

    Important effects while over quota:

    • Outlook.com cannot send or receive email.
    • Mail sent to the account is returned to the sender.
    • After the account is back under quota, the sender must resend those messages.

    If the account is a free Outlook.com account, the mailbox limit is 15 GB. Microsoft 365 subscribers get 100 GB of Outlook.com mailbox space. Consumer mailboxes are capped at 100 GB.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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