Sharepoint Storage

Question

Hello! I hope you're doing well. I only have 2 GB of storage on OneDrive, and I had created a SharePoint site that took up all of my storage. I deleted this SharePoint file, but my storage is still full. Can anyone help me?

Answer 1

Dear @Lima, Lucas,

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.

Based on your description, your OneDrive storage is still full after deleting the SharePoint site.

Here are some suggestions you can try:

Check deleted data is still in the Recycle Bin or not

Go to your SharePoint site > Recycle bin > Empty it

Scroll down >open Second-stage Recycle Bin

Delete everything there as well

Even after deletion storage updates are delayed (not real-time) and it can take 24–72 hours (sometimes longer) for the system to reflect changes

However, deleted files may be kept in a hidden library due to compliance rules, these files still count toward storage even if you don’t see them. If you are user, try to contact your IT admin, only admins can check or remove this.

For reference: Restore deleted items from the site collection recycle bin

I hope information above can help you resolve the issue. Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions.

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Answer 2

Deleting the SharePoint site content was the right first step, but that alone may not immediately free up your OneDrive storage because:

• Deleted items still count toward storage until they are removed from the Recycle Bin.
• SharePoint/OneDrive storage updates can take some time to reflect.

Use these steps to actually free the space and verify it:

1. Empty OneDrive/SharePoint Recycle Bin
   Deleted SharePoint files and OneDrive files still consume quota while in the Recycle Bin.
   • In OneDrive for work or school, open the Recycle Bin and permanently delete items.
   • Note that “Any items in your Recycle Bin” are included in your OneDrive storage quota.
2. Check storage from the OneDrive side
   For OneDrive (work or school):
   • Open the OneDrive sync app on Windows.
   • Click the blue OneDrive icon in the notification area → Settings.
   • Select Manage storage to see how much space is used and which files are largest.
   • Delete unneeded files and then permanently delete them from the Recycle Bin so the quota is actually freed.
3. Confirm your organization’s pooled storage isn’t the issue
   If using a work/school account, storage can also be limited by the organization’s SharePoint/OneDrive pooled storage. If the organization’s SharePoint storage is exceeded, sites can go read-only and storage may appear full even if personal usage seems low. In that case, a Microsoft 365/SharePoint admin must:
   • Review tenant storage in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
   • Either purchase add-on storage or delete/archive content at the tenant level.
4. Allow time for quota to refresh
   After deleting content and emptying Recycle Bins, it can take some time for the storage quota display to update. If the quota still shows full after 24–48 hours, contact the organization’s admin or support.

If unable to delete some items (for example, due to retention policies or permissions), an admin may need to adjust permissions, retention, or site storage limits before those items can be removed.

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References:

• My OneDrive says it's full
• Manage your OneDrive for work or school storage
• SharePoint Online out of storage space
• Unable to delete items in SharePoint and OneDrive