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'Only' a year of unlimited OneDrive to go ...

Microsoft has sent an email to Office 365 customers setting out their downsizing plan for OneDrive.

Back in November ’15, Microsoft announced that the unlimited OneDrive allowance was being reduced to 1 Terabyte because, shock horror, a small group of people were storing a lot of files on OneDrive.  The real reason behind the flimsy excuse was sharp cost cutting by Microsoft.

As we said at the time: “The OneDrive limit changes are an example and warning to Office 365 customers. Microsoft can, and will, change what you get for your annual tribute.“.

For Office 365 subscribers the important date is 1 March 2017. A year from now.

That’s when the 1TB limit will be enforced and people over that limit might lose data.

If you’re using LESS than 1TB of OneDrive storage (according to Microsoft’s own stats, that’s the vast majority of people) then stand easy.  There’s nothing you need to do except make sure you don’t go over the limit.

If you’re using MORE than 1TB on OneDrive you’ll need to reduce that use down below 1TB in the next year.  If you’re still over limit in March 2017, OneDrive will become ‘read only’ – you can view, download and, presumably, delete files – but not add more.  In Sept 2017, if still over 1TB, the account will be locked.   Only after than may files be deleted from OneDrive.

Recent Office 365 customers won’t have the higher OneDrive limits and would have been placed on 1TB from the start of their ‘subscription’.

To check your OneDrive use go to http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=698476

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