Outlook.com Storage Full? Only 5 GB Free Cloud Storage — Here's How to Fix It
Microsoft gives Outlook.com accounts 15 GB of email storage and just 5 GB of cloud storage via OneDrive. Email attachments count against that 5 GB cloud limit. When your storage is full, you can no longer send or receive emails. Instead of paying for a Microsoft 365 subscription, you can archive old emails locally and free up space permanently.
Outlook.com, Hotmail, Live.com — Same Limits, Same Problems
Whether you use an @outlook.com, @hotmail.com, or @live.com address, they all run on the same Microsoft infrastructure with identical storage limits. Many users who have had a Hotmail account for years eventually hit the limit and wonder why they can no longer receive emails.
For comparison: Gmail offers 15 GB shared with Drive and Photos. Outlook.com separates email storage (15 GB) from cloud storage (5 GB), but large attachments eat into the cloud storage. If you receive many attachments, you will feel the 5 GB cloud limit sooner than expected.
Why Your Storage Fills Up So Fast
- Email attachments count against the 5 GB OneDrive storage
- Years of email history from Hotmail days
- Newsletters and notifications piling up over time
- Deleted emails sitting in Trash still consume storage
- Forgotten drafts with large file attachments
- OneDrive, Outlook attachments, and Microsoft 365 apps share the 5 GB
Microsoft 365 — Is the Subscription Worth It?
Microsoft offers Microsoft 365 Personal (starting at $69.99/year) which upgrades you to 50 GB email storage and 1 TB cloud storage. For users who actively use Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, this can make sense. But if you only need to manage your emails, you are paying a lot for features you do not need.
The alternative: Archive old emails locally, delete them from your Outlook.com mailbox, and free up storage permanently. With mailriva, this takes just a few steps.
How to Free Up Space in Your Outlook.com Account
Download mailriva
Download mailriva for free and install the app on your Windows PC or Mac.
Connect Outlook.com as source
Select Outlook.com as the source provider and sign in with your Microsoft account. This also works with old Hotmail and Live addresses.
Archive old emails locally
Export older emails to a local archive. Folder structure and all attachments are preserved.
Delete archived emails
Delete the backed-up emails in Outlook.com and empty the Trash. Storage space is freed immediately.
Benefits of Local Archiving
- No data loss — all emails are preserved as local copies
- No Microsoft 365 subscription needed
- Folder structure is preserved during export
- Attachments are included in the backup
- Locally stored emails are searchable anytime
- Works with outlook.com, hotmail.com, and live.com equally
Frequently Asked Questions
How much free storage does Outlook.com provide?
Microsoft provides 15 GB of email storage and 5 GB of cloud storage (OneDrive) for free. Email attachments count against the 5 GB cloud storage. This applies to all addresses: outlook.com, hotmail.com, and live.com.
Does the same limit apply to Hotmail and Live.com?
Yes. Hotmail.com, Live.com, and Outlook.com all use the same Microsoft infrastructure. The storage limits are identical.
Can I archive specific folders only?
Yes. In mailriva, you select which folders to export before starting the backup. This lets you archive old emails selectively while keeping recent ones online.
Does Outlook.com support IMAP?
Yes. Outlook.com fully supports IMAP. mailriva uses IMAP to securely export your emails — no third-party cloud service involved, everything runs directly from your computer.