Does Exchange Online Plan 1 Include OneDrive? Licensing Explained
Question details
The user wants to know if Microsoft Exchange Online Plan 1 includes access to OneDrive cloud storage.
- Product
- Microsoft 365 / Exchange Online
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Evaluating Microsoft 365 subscription features or attempting to access OneDrive with an Exchange-only license.
- Observed behavior
- Users with Exchange Online Plan 1 or Plan 2 cannot access OneDrive because these standalone plans provide email hosting but do not include cloud storage.
Log in to your Microsoft 365 account portal to verify which active subscriptions and licenses are currently assigned to your user profile.
Upgrade to a Microsoft 365 Plan that Includes OneDrive
To get OneDrive access alongside your company email, upgrade from a standalone Exchange plan to a comprehensive Microsoft 365 business plan.
Exchange Online Plan 1 and Plan 2 are standalone enterprise email services. They do not include OneDrive for Business, SharePoint, or desktop Office applications.
If you require cloud storage, your organization's IT administrator must assign you a license that explicitly includes OneDrive, such as Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Business Standard, or an Enterprise (E3/E5) plan.
Log in to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center using administrator credentials.
In the left-hand menu, go to 'Billing' and select 'Purchase services' to view available subscription upgrades.
Find and select a plan that includes OneDrive, such as 'Microsoft 365 Business Basic' (which includes Exchange email and 1TB of OneDrive storage).
After purchasing, go to 'Users' > 'Active users', select the user account, and update their 'Licenses and apps' to assign the new Microsoft 365 plan.
Purchase a Standalone OneDrive for Business License
If you wish to keep Exchange Online Plan 1 but still need cloud storage, you can add a standalone OneDrive subscription.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does Exchange Online Plan 2 include OneDrive?
No. Similar to Plan 1, Exchange Online Plan 2 is a standalone email service and does not include OneDrive for Business cloud storage.
How do I check if my current license includes OneDrive?
Log into your Microsoft 365 portal, click on your profile picture, select 'View account', and navigate to the 'Subscriptions' tab. Here you can see all the specific apps and services included in your current license.
Will I lose my Exchange emails if I upgrade to Microsoft 365 Business Basic?
No, upgrading your license to Business Basic will retain your existing Exchange Online mailbox and data while adding OneDrive, SharePoint, and web versions of Office apps.
Can I use the desktop Office apps with Exchange Online Plan 1?
No, Exchange Online Plan 1 does not include the desktop versions of Word, Excel, or PowerPoint. You would need a plan like Microsoft 365 Apps for business or Microsoft 365 Business Standard to use desktop applications.
