'%3e%3cpath%20d='M8%200C12.4183%200%2016%203.58172%2016%208C16%2012.4183%2012.4183%2016%208%2016C3.58172%2016%200%2012.4183%200%208C0%203.58172%203.58172%200%208%200ZM11.6162%204.38379C11.2257%203.99337%2010.5927%203.99338%2010.2021%204.38379L8%206.58594L5.79785%204.38379C5.40732%203.99334%204.77429%203.99329%204.38379%204.38379C3.99331%204.77429%203.99335%205.40733%204.38379%205.79785L6.58594%208L4.38379%2010.2021C3.99348%2010.5927%203.99341%2011.2257%204.38379%2011.6162C4.77426%2012.0066%205.40734%2012.0065%205.79785%2011.6162L8%209.41406L10.2021%2011.6162C10.5927%2012.0066%2011.2257%2012.0067%2011.6162%2011.6162C12.0067%2011.2257%2012.0066%2010.5927%2011.6162%2010.2021L9.41406%208L11.6162%205.79785C12.0066%205.40735%2012.0066%204.77429%2011.6162%204.38379Z'%20fill='%23080E17'%20fill-opacity='0.46'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cdefs%3e%3cclipPath%20id='clip0_3761_713'%3e%3crect%20width='16'%20height='16'%20fill='white'/%3e%3c/clipPath%3e%3c/defs%3e%3c/svg%3e)
Can Microsoft 365 Family Increase Hotmail Email Storage?
Question details
The user wants to know if their Microsoft 365 Family subscription's 1 TB OneDrive allowance can be used to expand a full Hotmail mailbox.
- Product
- Microsoft 365
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A decade-old Hotmail account has reached its maximum storage capacity, and the user wants to increase it using an existing Microsoft 365 Family plan.
- Observed behavior
- The account has stopped receiving new emails due to hitting the storage limit, requiring an expansion of the Outlook.com/Hotmail mailbox capacity.
Before making changes, verify that your Hotmail account is active and does not already have an individual Microsoft 365 Personal subscription tied to it.
Add the Hotmail Account to Your Microsoft 365 Family Plan
Sharing your Microsoft 365 Family subscription with your Hotmail account will automatically upgrade its Outlook.com mailbox storage limit to 50 GB.
While the 1 TB storage allowance is exclusively for OneDrive cloud files and cannot be directly converted into email storage, being part of a Microsoft 365 Family plan upgrades your connected email account from the free 15 GB tier to a premium 50 GB capacity.
Sign in to the Microsoft account that actively holds the Microsoft 365 Family subscription.
Go to your Microsoft account portal and select the 'Sharing' tab or access the Family Safety dashboard.
Click on 'Invite a family member' and enter the email address of your full Hotmail account to send a sharing invitation.
Log into your Hotmail account, open the invitation email, and accept it to successfully link the subscription to your inbox.
Go to Outlook.com settings > General > Storage to confirm your mailbox capacity has successfully increased to 50 GB.
Switch to WPS Office for a Lightweight Productivity Experience
If you are managing Microsoft 365 subscriptions just to keep your files and emails in check, consider WPS Office for your document needs. It's a free, lightweight suite that is fully compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats, saving you money on expensive software plans.
- 1. Download the software: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free installer for your operating system.
- 2. Install WPS Office: Run the setup file and follow the on-screen prompts to easily install the suite.
- 3. Open your files: Launch WPS Office and open your existing Microsoft Office files without losing any formatting or data.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my Hotmail stop receiving emails?
Hotmail accounts stop receiving new messages when the mailbox reaches its storage limit, which is typically 15 GB for free accounts. You must either delete old emails or upgrade your storage to resume receiving messages.
Can I use my 1 TB OneDrive storage for my Hotmail emails?
No, the 1 TB storage included in Microsoft 365 Family is dedicated strictly to OneDrive cloud files. However, premium accounts automatically receive a separate 50 GB allowance specifically for mailbox storage.
How do I check my current Hotmail storage usage?
Log into Outlook.com, click the Settings gear icon in the top right, navigate to the General tab, and select Storage. Here you can view a detailed breakdown of your email and cloud space usage.
Does Microsoft 365 Personal also increase Hotmail storage?
Yes, subscribing to a Microsoft 365 Personal plan will also automatically upgrade your associated Outlook.com or Hotmail mailbox limit to 50 GB.
