Help!!! Paid service and storage

Question

I have a paid service and a free service. Free service says I am over storage and going to delete my stuff. How do I transfer it to the paid service?

Answer 1

Hi! You can do this in two ways:

Downloading files locally

1. You can open your free OneDrive at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/onedrive/online-cloud-storage > Sign in > Click on My files > Right-click on the folder or file > Download.

• If you download a folder, it will be compressed. To decompress it, go to the Downloads folder > Right-click on the compressed folder > Extract.

2. You must do this with all folders and files in your free OneDrive.
3. In the paid OneDrive, access the link https://www.microsoft.com/pt-br/microsoft-365/onedrive/online-cloud-storage in another browser and sign in with your paid service account.
4. Click on New > Upload File or Folder > Select the file or folder you want to upload.

Copying via OneDrive Desktop

1. You can download OneDrive Desktop at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/onedrive/download.
2. Sign in with your free OneDrive account > Under Sync and Backup, temporarily disable backups for the Desktop, Documents, Pictures, and Videos folders.
3. In the taskbar, next to the sound icon, click ^ > Cloud icon > Gear icon > Settings > Accounts > Add account.
4. Add your paid OneDrive account. Also disable sync and backup.
5. You must wait for the file sync to finish. This may take a while if you have many files. Check the progress by clicking the cloud icon in the taskbar.

Since your free OneDrive has exceeded the limit, it probably won't sync all the files. When it stops syncing, copy the folders and files with the largest amount of storage into the OneDrive Paid folder in File Explorer (Windows + E).

Answer 2

Microsoft storage (including OneDrive and Outlook.com) is tied to a single personal Microsoft account. Storage from a paid Microsoft 365 subscription cannot be “transferred” to a different free account; instead, files and usage must be moved or reduced so each account is under its own quota.

To protect data on the free account that is over quota:

1. Sign in to the free account’s OneDrive and reduce its storage usage:
   • Go to Manage your OneDrive storage for that account to see what’s taking up space and to empty the Recycle Bin.
   • Delete or move files off that OneDrive (for example, download them to a local drive or upload them into the OneDrive that belongs to the paid account).
   • Also clean up any items in that account’s OneDrive Recycle Bin, because they still count toward the quota.
2. Move files to the paid account’s OneDrive:
   • Download files from the free account’s OneDrive to the computer.
   • Sign out, then sign in with the paid Microsoft 365 account.
   • Upload those files into the paid account’s OneDrive, which has the larger storage quota.
3. If the free account is still over quota after cleanup:
   • Either delete more content from that free account, or
   • Purchase additional storage specifically for that free account if it must keep its own data and remain active.

Important behaviors to be aware of when over quota:

• When OneDrive or Microsoft unified storage is exceeded, new files cannot be uploaded, edited, or synced; existing files become read-only until the account is back under quota.
• If Microsoft unified storage is exceeded, Outlook.com on that account cannot send or receive email, and after 6 months OneDrive content for that account may be deleted and is non‑recoverable.

To avoid data loss, ensure the free account’s OneDrive is brought back under its storage limit (by deleting or moving files) well before the 6‑month window.

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References:

• My OneDrive says it's full
• Microsoft storage FAQs