Microsoft is changing how OneDrive storage works for Microsoft 365 Family, Premium, and Pro subscribers, replacing individual allowances with shared pools that can substantially reduce the total space available to large households. The change applies to new subscriptions now and will reach existing customers when their plans renew in 2027.
Previously, each member of a shared subscription could receive 1 TB of OneDrive storage, allowing a six-person account to use as much as 6 TB in total. Microsoft now lists 2 TB of shared storage for Family and Premium plans and 5 TB of shared storage for Pro plans, with the quota divided among as many as six people.
That means a fully used Family or Premium account could lose up to 4 TB of combined capacity, while a Pro account could lose up to 1 TB. The files and mailboxes of individual members remain private, but everyone draws from the same storage limit. A member can use more than 1 TB only if enough space remains in the shared pool.
When the change takes effect
Microsoft says new Family and Premium subscriptions started on or after October 8, 2026 receive 2 TB of pooled storage. New Pro subscriptions receive 5 TB of pooled storage. Microsoft’s U.S. support page says existing Family and Premium subscribers will move to the 2 TB pool when their subscription renews on or after May 2, 2027. Existing Pro subscribers move to the 5 TB pool beginning November 1, 2027.
Microsoft describes the change as a flexibility improvement because unused capacity from one member can be used by another. In practice, the new model reduces capacity for households with three or more active users, particularly those storing large photo or video collections. Microsoft says eligible subscribers can purchase additional OneDrive storage for the shared pool.
What subscribers should do
- Open the Microsoft storage dashboard and check current usage and quotas.
- Use Microsoft’s storage-management guidance to find the largest files and folders.
- Delete or move files that no longer need to remain in OneDrive, and review large email attachments and other cloud data.
- Compare the household’s current usage with the new shared limit before the next renewal. If necessary, free up space or have the subscription account holder purchase additional storage.
Subscribers who exceed the new quota may be unable to upload, edit, or synchronize new OneDrive files. Microsoft also warns that Outlook.com mail can be affected when storage limits are exceeded. OneDrive accounts that remain over their limit can eventually be frozen, and Microsoft says files may be deleted after six months if the account remains over quota.
References
Vigliarolo, B. (2026, October 9). Microsoft 365 subscribers set to lose up to 4 TB of OneDrive storage. The Register. https://www.theregister.com/personal-tech/2026/10/09/microsoft-365-subscribers-set-to-lose-up-to-4-tb-of-onedrive-storage/5302380
Microsoft. (n.d.). Introducing Microsoft 365. Microsoft Support. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/introducing-microsoft-365
Microsoft. (n.d.). Microsoft storage quotas. Microsoft Support. https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/onedrive/microsoft-storage-quotas