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Find out what changes when your University of Maine System (UMS) Google Workspace or Microsoft OneDrive account goes over its storage limit, what keeps working and how to get back to normal.
โน๏ธ INFO: Your email keeps working in both cases. You can still send and receive messages, with or without attachments.
Google Workspace and Microsoft OneDrive have separate storage limits. Going over one does not affect the other. When an account is over its limit, you can still get to your files, but you can't add anything new until you free up space. UMS does not delete your files if you stay over your limit.
What would you like to know?
What counts toward your Google storage
- Files you own in your Google Drive, including Google Docs, Sheets, Slides and Forms
- Your Gmail messages and attachments. UMS email runs on Google, so your email shares the same storage as your Google Drive.
- Files in your Google Drive trash, until the trash is emptied
What does not count toward your Google storage
- Files other people share with you. Those count toward the owner's storage, not yours.
- Files in shared drives
What still works when you are over your limit
- Signing in to your UMS Google account
- Viewing and downloading your files
- Sending and receiving email, including attachments
What stops working until you are back under your limit
- Uploading new files or images to Google Drive
- Creating new Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drawings or Forms
- Editing or copying your files, for you and for anyone you have shared them with
- Submitting your Google Forms. People filling out a form you own will not be able to submit it.
- Recording Google Meet meetings
- Syncing with Google Drive for desktop. See Syncing apps on your computer.
The limit takes effect on Google Drive the next time you upload, create or edit a file. For Gmail, it can take up to 24 hours.
Each shared drive has its own storage limit, separate from your personal limit. Files in a shared drive do not count toward your personal storage.
- If your personal storage is full, you can still add and edit files in a shared drive that has space.
- If a shared drive is full, no one can add or edit files in it, even if their personal storage has room.
- To free up space in a full shared drive, a Manager or Content manager of the shared drive can move or delete files.
Move or delete content in a shared drive (External Link)
What counts toward your OneDrive storage
- Files in your OneDrive
- Files in your OneDrive recycle bin, until they are removed from the recycle bin
When OneDrive is over its limit, it becomes read-only.
What still works when you are over your limit
- Viewing your OneDrive files
- Deleting files to free up space
- Your email. UMS email runs on Google, not Microsoft, so OneDrive's limit does not affect it.
What stops working until you are back under your limit
- Uploading new files to OneDrive
- Editing or saving changes to existing OneDrive files
- Syncing with the OneDrive app on your computer. See Syncing apps on your computer.
After you free up space, it can take some time for OneDrive to allow uploads and edits again.
Each SharePoint site has its own storage limit, separate from your OneDrive. Files in a SharePoint site do not count toward your personal storage.
- If your OneDrive is full, you can still add and edit files in a SharePoint site that has space.
- If a SharePoint site is full, you likely will not be able to add files to it, even if your own OneDrive has room.
- Site owners may receive an email when the site gets close to its limit.
If you use Google Drive for desktop or the OneDrive app to keep files on your computer in sync, being over your limit affects them too. Files you add or change in your Google Drive or OneDrive folder on your computer will not upload until you are back under your limit. The file is still on your computer, but it is not backed up to the cloud.
โ ๏ธ WARNING: While you are over your limit, do not delete files from your computer thinking they are saved in the cloud, and do not disconnect your account in Google Drive for desktop. Google warns that disconnecting your account permanently removes any files waiting in Drive for desktop's Lost and Found folder.
While you are over your limit
- Check the Google Drive or OneDrive icon on your computer for sync errors before you rely on a file being backed up.
- Keep copies of new or changed files on your computer until they have uploaded.
- If your Desktop, Documents or Pictures folders are backed up to Google Drive or OneDrive, new files you save there will not back up either.
- Once you are back under your limit, check that syncing has resumed and your recent files have uploaded.
Google
- Delete Google Drive files you no longer need, then empty your Google Drive trash.
- Delete large or old emails you no longer need, especially ones with big attachments.
- Anyone you shared a file with can still open it until you permanently delete it. If someone else still needs a file, make them the owner before you delete it.
- Delete files in Google Drive (External Link)
OneDrive
- Delete files you no longer need, then empty your OneDrive recycle bin.
How do I check how much storage I am using?
Google: Open Google Drive and click Storage on the left. You will see how much of your Google storage you are using and which files take up the most space. This total includes Gmail.
OneDrive: Open OneDrive on the web, click the Settings gear, then OneDrive settings > More settings > Storage Metrics. Your used space and total storage appear in the upper right corner.
Will my files be deleted if I stay over my limit?
No. UMS does not delete your files if you stay over your limit. You will not be able to add or edit files until you are back under your limit.
I deleted files. Why am I still over my limit?
Deleted files go to your Google Drive trash or OneDrive recycle bin first, and they keep counting against your storage until you empty it.
Does my email count toward my storage?
Yes, for Google. Your Gmail messages and attachments share your Google storage with your Google Drive files. Your email does not count toward your OneDrive storage.
Do files other people shared with me count toward my storage?
In Google Drive, no. Shared files count only toward the owner's storage.
Can people I shared files with still edit them?
No. In Google Drive, no one can edit or make a copy of your files until you are back under your limit. In OneDrive, your files become read-only, so no one can edit them until you free up space.
Why did my Google Form stop accepting responses?
When you are over your Google storage limit, no one can submit forms you own. Your form starts accepting responses again once you are back under your limit.
Can I still use shared drives and SharePoint sites?
Yes. Shared drives and SharePoint sites have their own storage limits, separate from your personal storage. A full personal account does not block you from working in a shared drive or SharePoint site that has space.
My files are not syncing to my computer. Is that related?
It may be. When you are over your limit, Google Drive for desktop and the OneDrive app cannot upload new or changed files. See Syncing apps on your computer.
The IT Service Desk is available by phone, email, chat, and walk-up if additional support is needed.
Environment
- Google Workspace for Education (Google Drive, Gmail, Google Meet and Google Forms)
- Google shared drives
- Google Drive for desktop
- Microsoft OneDrive and the OneDrive sync app
- Microsoft SharePoint