Yes, OneDrive is free. Microsoft gives every Microsoft account 5 GB of free cloud storage, but that 5 GB is shared across your OneDrive files and photos, your Outlook.com attachments and Microsoft 365 apps. Your Outlook.com email gets a separate 15 GB on top.
The free plan is useful, but the shared limit has a sting most people don't know about. Microsoft says that if you go over your cloud storage, you can't send or receive Outlook.com email, even if your mailbox itself isn't full. Here's what you get for free and what happens if you fill it.
What free OneDrive includes
- 5 GB of cloud storage with a Microsoft account, listed by Microsoft as the free (no plan) quota for one person.
- 15 GB of Outlook.com email storage, which Microsoft says is separate from your cloud storage.
- Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote on the web and mobile, which Microsoft offers free with a Microsoft account.
- File sharing and syncing across your devices through the OneDrive app.
Where your free 5 GB goes
This is where people get caught. Microsoft's storage FAQ says your 5 GB covers three things at once:
| What uses your 5 GB | What doesn't |
|---|---|
| Files and photos in OneDrive | Outlook.com email messages, which have their own 15 GB |
| Attachments in Outlook.com | |
| Files from Microsoft 365 apps |
So a few big email attachments and an automatic phone photo backup can fill the free allowance faster than you'd expect. If you've turned on camera roll backup, that's usually the first thing to check.
What happens if you go over 5 GB
Microsoft's storage quota page sets out what happens in stages if you stay over your limit:
- Straight away: you can't upload, edit or sync new files, such as your camera roll, to OneDrive. Your existing files stay, but they become read-only. You also can't send or receive Outlook.com email.
- After three months: if you're still over, your OneDrive account is frozen.
- After six months: Microsoft says it might delete your OneDrive and all the files in it, and deleted files can't be recovered.
That six month rule is the one to take seriously. If an old account is sitting over quota, sign in and either clear space or download what you want to keep.
How to get back under the free limit
- Sign in to OneDrive on the web and open your storage settings to see what's using space.
- Delete large files and old videos you don't need, then empty the OneDrive recycle bin so the space is released.
- Check Outlook.com for big attachments, because they count towards the same 5 GB.
- Turn off camera roll backup on your phone if you'd rather keep photos elsewhere.
- Wait for the change to show. Microsoft says it can take up to 24 hours for storage changes to appear.
If you'd rather not do this every few months, Microsoft's plans page lists Microsoft 365 Basic with 100 GB, and its higher plans start at 1 TB. Microsoft's FAQ also says new Microsoft 365 Family and Premium members from 8 October 2026 get 2 TB of shared storage.
Free OneDrive vs Microsoft 365 Basic
The smallest step up from the free plan is Microsoft 365 Basic, and Microsoft's comparison page shows what changes:
| Feature | Free Microsoft account | Microsoft 365 Basic |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud storage | 5 GB | 100 GB |
| Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote | Web and mobile | Web and mobile |
| Ad-free Outlook email and calendar | No | Web and mobile only |
| Desktop Office apps | No | No |
So Basic is a storage upgrade first. If you want the desktop apps as well, Microsoft's higher plans start at 1 TB of storage and include them.
Sharing storage with family
Microsoft's FAQ explains that shared storage on Family plans means the allowance is shared across all members, rather than each person getting their own. It also says existing Microsoft 365 Family and Premium members move to 2 TB of shared storage when their plan renews from 2 May 2027.
Free OneDrive on your phone
The OneDrive app works on the free plan, and camera roll backup is where most people burn through the 5 GB. Microsoft's quota page names camera roll syncing as one of the things that stops when you're over the limit, so if your phone warns that backups have paused, storage is almost always the reason.
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Is free OneDrive enough?
For documents and the odd photo folder, yes. For a phone's full camera roll or years of email attachments, the 5 GB fills quickly. If you're new to the app, my guide to what OneDrive is covers the basics, and my walkthrough on deleting files from OneDrive shows how to clear space without losing anything you want.
My verdict: OneDrive is free and the 5 GB is fine for everyday files. Keep an eye on the shared limit, because going over it doesn't just stop uploads, it stops your Outlook.com email too, and leaving an account over quota for six months risks losing the lot.
Frequently asked questions
How much OneDrive storage is free?
Microsoft gives 5 GB of free cloud storage with a Microsoft account. It's shared across OneDrive files and photos, Outlook.com attachments and Microsoft 365 apps.
Does Outlook email count towards my OneDrive storage?
Email messages don't. Microsoft gives Outlook.com a separate 15 GB of email storage. Attachments in Outlook.com do count towards the shared 5 GB.
What happens if my OneDrive is full?
You can't upload, edit or sync new files, existing files become read-only, and you can't send or receive Outlook.com email until you're back under the limit.
Will Microsoft delete my OneDrive if I'm over the limit?
It might. Microsoft says your account is frozen after three months over the limit, and after six months it might delete your OneDrive and all its files.
How long does it take for freed-up space to show?
Microsoft says it can take up to 24 hours for changes to your storage to appear.
What does Microsoft 365 Basic add over free OneDrive?
Microsoft lists 100 GB of cloud storage and ad-free Outlook on the web and mobile. It doesn't include the desktop Office apps.
Is OneDrive free with Windows?
OneDrive comes with a Microsoft account, and Microsoft gives every account 5 GB of free cloud storage, shared with Outlook.com attachments and Microsoft 365 apps.
