Running into SharePoint storage limits can be frustrating, especially when your organization is growing fast. Fortunately, there are ways to increase both tenant-wide and site-specific limits - and several smart strategies to avoid hitting those caps in the first place.
Understanding the default limits
Microsoft 365 tenants receive:
- 1 TB of base SharePoint storage
- +10 GB per licensed user
This pooled storage is shared across all SharePoint sites. Additionally, each site collection (including Teams-connected sites) can grow up to 25 TB, provided your tenant has enough available storage.
📦 Example: A tenant with 300 users gets 4 TB of total storage. If you need more than that, you’ll need to purchase additional space or redistribute content to other locations.
How to increase the tenant storage limit
If your tenant is running out of pooled storage:
- In the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, go to Billing > Purchase services
- Select Additional SharePoint Storage
- Choose the amount you need and complete the purchase
The cost is approximately $0.20 per GB per month, and you can scale up as needed.
💡 Tip: Storage purchases are flexible and can be adjusted monthly based on usage, you don't need to purchase based on your projected storage for the entire year.
How to check current usage
To monitor your storage:
- Go to Reports > Usage > SharePoint > Storage in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center
- Review total usage and available space
- Use the Storage used column in the Active sites view to identify which sites are consuming the most storage
SProbot can also help by:
- Flagging sites nearing quota
- Identifying large unused files
- Highlighting version-heavy libraries
- Recommending cleanup actions
Smart alternatives to increasing limits
Before purchasing more storage or raising quotas, consider these strategies:
Archive inactive sites
- Use SProbot to identify and archive unused content.
- Reclaim space without impacting active users.
Trim version history
- Use SProbot to trim unnecessary document versions retained.
- Apply versioning policies across libraries.
Delete large unused files
- Run reports to find oversized files that haven’t been accessed.
- Remove or relocate them to OneDrive or external storage.
Empty the recycle bin
Deleted items still count toward your quota until permanently removed.
🔗 Related reading: How to reclaim SharePoint storage
Summary
Yes, you can increase your SharePoint storage limits - but often, you don’t need to. With smart cleanup, version control, and site management, you can reclaim space and delay the need for paid upgrades. When expansion is necessary, Microsoft’s add-on storage is flexible and scalable.
