One Drive Storage

Question

One Drive Storage

veve 20

Good afternoon, Microsoft Community. Lately, I've been having a lot of trouble with my OneDrive storage. I have deleted unwanted files and have also emptied my recycle bin. I don't want to have to keep paying $1.99 a month for extra storage space. Is there another app or system I can download where I can store some of my files without having my storage be full?

Moved from Windows for home | Windows 11 | Files, folders, and storage

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Answer accepted by question author

EmilyS726 275.3K Independent Advisor

Hello,

I am sorry but the description is a bit unclear.

After you deleted unwanted files, did you manage to get it under 5GB total, but it kept growing out of 5GB again, or you didn't manage to get it under 5GB?

Can you go to your Microsoft account online via https://account.live.com

Scroll down and click on Microsoft Storage, take a screenshot of that section please and share here if you don't mind.

veve 20 Reputation points

2025-08-31T17:40:49.4+00:00

I deleted unwanted files and tried to keep it under 5GB, but it kept growing as I added new folders with new files in them and all of them are adobe files that I have created recently for my college classes so im wondering if that could be it because if it is then I can move my adobe files to my Creative Cloud instead and not keep them on my OneDrive to keep it under the storage limit in the future if thats the case. So anyway, here's the screenshot of my Microsoft storage.
veve 20 Reputation points

2025-09-03T18:59:49.0933333+00:00

@EmilyS726 Any solutions?
EmilyS726 275.3K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2025-09-03T19:31:37.71+00:00
Sorry for the late reply. Just saw your reply today.

Do you use OneDrive desktop app on your computer?

If so, do this:

Right click on the OneDrive cloud icon on the lower right on your taskbar to go to Settings.

On the "Sync and Backup" tab, click on "Advanced Settings" to expand that section. Then under File On-Demand, click on "Download all files".

Give it plenty of time to allow the files to be downloaded from the online cloud. On your computer's file explorer, you can observe the OneDrive folder and its folders/files inside. You want all of the green checkmark icon to turn solid green with a white checkmark. Depends on how many files you have, this process can take a while, so please be patient.

Once all of the folders and files turn into the solid green icon with white checkmark, you can go back to OneDrive Settings. Very important - click on "Manage Backup" button, then turn off all folders listed there.

Restart the computer. Now you can go to https://www.onedrive.com. Sign in and delete your files there. The deletion will not sync to your local computer so your files on the computer will be safe.
veve 20 Reputation points

2025-09-10T17:27:57.11+00:00

@EmilyS726 Sorry for the late reply, been super busy with life, so I tried it and it was working. I waited until there were white checkmarks with a green circle around them, and then when I went back into my settings to manage backup, I got this error. I honestly don't know what to do anymore. I have tried a CC Cleaner and deleting things in my recycle bin, and doing what you said. This is really annoying and frustrating.
EmilyS726 275.3K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2025-09-10T18:16:13.85+00:00

Did you try to turn those folders back on? In fact, you don't want to, you want to leave them off.
veve 20 Reputation points

2025-09-12T19:43:41.34+00:00

Yes but it didn't work
EmilyS726 275.3K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2025-09-12T19:57:50.6733333+00:00

I am sorry, can you be more specific what's still not working?

1 additional answer

Your answer

veve 20 Reputation points

2025-08-31T17:40:49.4+00:00

I deleted unwanted files and tried to keep it under 5GB, but it kept growing as I added new folders with new files in them and all of them are adobe files that I have created recently for my college classes so im wondering if that could be it because if it is then I can move my adobe files to my Creative Cloud instead and not keep them on my OneDrive to keep it under the storage limit in the future if thats the case. So anyway, here's the screenshot of my Microsoft storage.
veve 20 Reputation points

2025-09-03T18:59:49.0933333+00:00

@EmilyS726 Any solutions?
EmilyS726 275.3K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2025-09-03T19:31:37.71+00:00

Sorry for the late reply. Just saw your reply today.

Do you use OneDrive desktop app on your computer?

If so, do this:

Right click on the OneDrive cloud icon on the lower right on your taskbar to go to Settings.

On the "Sync and Backup" tab, click on "Advanced Settings" to expand that section. Then under File On-Demand, click on "Download all files".

Give it plenty of time to allow the files to be downloaded from the online cloud. On your computer's file explorer, you can observe the OneDrive folder and its folders/files inside. You want all of the green checkmark icon to turn solid green with a white checkmark. Depends on how many files you have, this process can take a while, so please be patient.

Once all of the folders and files turn into the solid green icon with white checkmark, you can go back to OneDrive Settings. Very important - click on "Manage Backup" button, then turn off all folders listed there.

Restart the computer. Now you can go to https://www.onedrive.com. Sign in and delete your files there. The deletion will not sync to your local computer so your files on the computer will be safe.
veve 20 Reputation points

2025-09-10T17:27:57.11+00:00

@EmilyS726 Sorry for the late reply, been super busy with life, so I tried it and it was working. I waited until there were white checkmarks with a green circle around them, and then when I went back into my settings to manage backup, I got this error. I honestly don't know what to do anymore. I have tried a CC Cleaner and deleting things in my recycle bin, and doing what you said. This is really annoying and frustrating.
EmilyS726 275.3K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2025-09-10T18:16:13.85+00:00

Did you try to turn those folders back on? In fact, you don't want to, you want to leave them off.
veve 20 Reputation points

2025-09-12T19:43:41.34+00:00

Yes but it didn't work
EmilyS726 275.3K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2025-09-12T19:57:50.6733333+00:00

I am sorry, can you be more specific what's still not working?

Answer 1

veve 20

It worked! all I had to do was move my files from my one drive into my dekstop and disks after I backed them up!

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