License & Subscription Issues

How to Fix OneDrive Showing 5GB Instead of Microsoft 365 Storage

Maira Mehtab Sep 27, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user is experiencing an issue where OneDrive only displays 5 GB of personal storage despite having an active Microsoft 365 subscription.

Product: Microsoft OneDrive / Microsoft 365
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Checking available cloud storage space after purchasing or linking a Microsoft 365 subscription.
Observed behavior: OneDrive incorrectly reflects 5 GB of free storage instead of the expanded storage included with the Microsoft 365 subscription, usually due to a mismatched account.

Before you start

Ensure you have the exact login credentials (email and password) for the Microsoft account that was used to purchase your Microsoft 365 subscription.

Solution 1Recommended

Verify and Switch to the Correct Microsoft Account

Check your subscription details and re-link your OneDrive desktop client to the account holding the active Microsoft 365 license.

OneDrive storage is tied directly to specific Microsoft accounts. If you are signed into the desktop application with a free personal account, it will only show 5 GB of storage, even if you own a Microsoft 365 subscription on a different email address.

Verify your subscription

Go to the Microsoft 'Services & subscriptions' web page and sign in to verify which email account owns the Microsoft 365 subscription.

Open OneDrive settings

Click the OneDrive cloud icon in your taskbar (Windows) or menu bar (Mac), go to 'Help & Settings', and select 'Settings'.

Unlink the current account

Navigate to the 'Account' tab and click 'Unlink this PC' to sign out of the current 5 GB personal account.

Sign in with the correct account

Restart the OneDrive application and sign in using the email address confirmed in the first step.

Storage Update Delay: If you recently purchased the subscription, it can take up to 48 hours for the new storage quota to reflect in your OneDrive account.

Solution 2

Contact Support via OneDrive Feedback

If both accounts match and 48 hours have passed without a storage increase, you may need to report the quota issue directly to Microsoft.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my OneDrive storage full when I have Microsoft 365?

This typically happens if you are signed into the OneDrive app with a standard free Microsoft account (which only has 5 GB) instead of the specific account that holds your active Microsoft 365 subscription.

How long does it take for OneDrive storage to update after purchasing Microsoft 365?

After purchasing or upgrading a Microsoft 365 subscription, it can take up to 48 hours for the additional 1 TB of cloud storage to fully apply and display in your OneDrive account.

Can I link multiple OneDrive accounts to my computer?

Yes, you can link one personal OneDrive account and one work or school OneDrive account to your computer simultaneously, but Microsoft does not allow you to link two personal accounts at the same time.

How do I check which account owns my Microsoft 365 subscription?

You can check this by logging into the Microsoft account website and navigating to the 'Services & subscriptions' tab. This page will list all active licenses and subscriptions attached to that specific email address.

Login & Account Issues