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Fix OneDrive Showing 5 GB for Microsoft 365 Family Member
Question details
A user added to a Microsoft 365 Family subscription is not receiving their 1 TB storage upgrade, with their capacity remaining at the free 5 GB limit.
- Product
- Microsoft OneDrive
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A new family member joins a Microsoft 365 Family plan and checks their available OneDrive storage.
- Observed behavior
- The family member's OneDrive storage displays only 5 GB of available space instead of the 1 TB capacity included in the subscription.
Verify that the family member has successfully accepted the Microsoft 365 Family invitation and is signed into OneDrive using the exact Microsoft account associated with the invitation.
Turn Off Recurring Billing for the Subscription Owner
Temporarily disabling recurring billing by the primary subscription owner is a known workaround to force Microsoft's system to update the storage allocation.
This is a known backend syncing issue within Microsoft's subscription management. Toggling the billing settings can often trigger a refresh that properly allocates the 1 TB of storage to the newly added Family member.
Have the primary subscription owner sign in to the Microsoft account Services page using their credentials.
Locate the 'Microsoft 365 Family' subscription in the list of services and click on 'Manage'.
Find the billing settings and select the option to turn off recurring billing. Confirm the action when prompted.
Wait a few moments (or up to a few hours) for the system to process the change. Ask the family member to refresh their OneDrive account to see if the storage has increased to 1 TB.
Contact Microsoft Support for Account Investigation
If the storage allocation does not update after toggling recurring billing, the issue requires intervention from Microsoft's backend support team.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my OneDrive storage not updating after joining a Microsoft 365 Family plan?
This is a known synchronization glitch on Microsoft's end where the 1 TB storage allocation fails to apply automatically. Toggling the primary owner's recurring billing setting often forces the system to refresh and grant the storage.
Will turning off recurring billing cancel my Microsoft 365 subscription?
No. Turning off recurring billing simply prevents the subscription from automatically renewing. You will retain all your Microsoft 365 benefits, including OneDrive storage, until the current billing cycle expires.
How long does it take for OneDrive to show 1 TB after applying the fix?
For most users, the storage upgrades to 1 TB shortly after the primary owner turns off recurring billing. However, in some cases, it may take up to 24 hours for Microsoft's servers to sync the new capacity.
What should I do if my OneDrive still shows 5 GB after 24 hours?
If the storage capacity remains at 5 GB despite trying the recurring billing workaround, you will need to contact Microsoft Support directly so they can investigate and manually fix the allocation issue on your specific account.
