Fix Microsoft 365 Family Member Still Shows Only 5GB OneDrive Storage
Question details
A family member accepted a Microsoft 365 Family invitation, but their OneDrive storage hasn't updated to 1 TB, remaining stuck at the free 5 GB tier.
- Product
- Microsoft 365 / OneDrive
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Accepting a Microsoft 365 Family invitation to upgrade personal OneDrive storage.
- Observed behavior
- The invited user's OneDrive account continues to show a 5 GB storage limit instead of upgrading to the expected 1 TB limit.
Ensure that the family member has completely accepted the Microsoft 365 Family invitation through the email link and is actively logged into the correct Microsoft account associated with that invitation.
Verify Subscription Status and Refresh Browser Data
Check both the subscription owner's and member's account pages to ensure the subscription is active, and clear browser data to force the storage quota to refresh.
Often, the backend synchronization between Microsoft 365 and OneDrive experiences delays or caching issues. Forcing a refresh via the web interface can prompt the system to recognize the 1 TB allocation.
Ask the family member to log in at account.microsoft.com/services and verify they are officially listed as a member of the Microsoft 365 Family subscription.
As the subscription owner, navigate to account.microsoft.com/services/office/sharing to confirm the family member's status is active.
Have the family member clear their browser cookies and site data for OneDrive to eliminate any cached storage limits.
Sign back into OneDrive on the web and check the storage indicator in the bottom-left corner to see if the 1 TB is now available.
Remove and Re-invite the Family Member
If the account still hasn't synced, removing and re-adding the member can trigger the Microsoft system to properly allocate the 1 TB storage.
Contact Microsoft Support for Manual Sync
If backend synchronization completely fails, Microsoft Support must manually refresh the storage quota on their end.
Avoid Subscription Hassles with WPS Office
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- 1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the free WPS Office suite for your operating system.
- 2. Install the Software: Run the installer package and follow the on-screen instructions to set up the software.
- 3. Save to WPS Cloud: Sign in to your WPS account to enjoy built-in cloud storage for seamless file syncing across your devices.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it typically take for OneDrive storage to update after accepting a Microsoft 365 Family invite?
In most cases, the storage upgrade to 1 TB is nearly instantaneous. However, server delays can occasionally cause it to take up to 24-48 hours to reflect correctly on the user's account.
Will I lose my existing OneDrive files if I am removed and re-invited to a Microsoft 365 Family plan?
No, your files will remain safe. When your storage drops back to 5 GB, your account becomes read-only if you exceed that limit, but files are not deleted. Once you are re-invited and the 1 TB is restored, full read/write access returns.
Can the Microsoft 365 subscription owner manually allocate more than 1 TB to a specific family member?
No, Microsoft 365 Family strictly allocates exactly 1 TB of OneDrive storage to each of the up to 6 people on the subscription. Cloud storage cannot be pooled or custom-allocated between members.
Why does my OneDrive desktop app still show 5 GB even though the web version shows 1 TB?
The desktop application might be caching outdated account information. Unlink your PC from OneDrive via the app settings, restart your computer, and sign back in to force the application to fetch the newly updated 1 TB storage quota.
