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1.0 Purpose
To ensure sustainable and efficient data storage for the campus community, all Mines users' OneDrive accounts are limited to a 1TB storage quota. It is highly recommended that you proactively manage your files to avoid reaching this limit, as exceeding your quota will prevent you from syncing, uploading, or creating new files. This guide has been created to assist with best practices for managing your storage quota.
2.0 Instructions
How to Check Your Current Storage Usage
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Log in to your Mines Office 365 account via a web browser and open OneDrive.
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Click the gear icon (Settings) in the top-right corner.
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Select OneDrive settings from the dropdown menu.
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Click More Settings on the left navigation pane.
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Select Storage Metrics to view a detailed breakdown of your file sizes and a progress bar showing your usage against the 1TB limit.
Determine Where to Store Content
One of the most common reasons users hit their OneDrive quota is by storing departmental or collaborative data in their personal account. To free up space, relocate shared files to the appropriate platform:
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OneDrive: Use only for personal work files, individual drafts, and temporary documents.
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Microsoft Teams: Move files here for ongoing collaborative projects, active team efforts, and day-to-day group work.
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SharePoint: Move files here for permanent department-wide resources, official policies, long-term archives, and historical records.
Best Practices for Reducing Your Storage
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Reduce Clutter and Eliminate Duplicates: Regularly review your folders to remove outdated materials. Avoid creating multiple copies of the same document across different folders; use links or shared storage instead.
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Utilize Built-in Version Control: Instead of saving multiple copies of a document (e.g., Document_Draft, Document_v2, Document_Final), use the built-in version history features in Office 365. This significantly reduces storage bloat.
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Target Large Files: Sort your directories by file size to quickly identify large items, such as video recordings, software installers, or large datasets, that can be deleted or archived elsewhere.
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Empty the Recycle Bin: Files moved to the recycle bin still count against your overall storage quota. Empty your OneDrive recycle bin regularly to reclaim that space.
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Manage Local Syncing: If you use the OneDrive desktop client, right-click rarely used locally synced files and select Free up space. This keeps the file safely in the cloud without consuming space on your physical computer's hard drive.
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Keep It Academic and Professional: Ensure your Mines OneDrive is used exclusively for university-related work. Move personal photos, videos, and documents to a personal, non-university storage solution.
3.0 Additional Resources
4.0 Notes
If you have reached your quota and need assistance relocating large datasets, or if you have questions about alternative storage solutions at Mines, please submit a ticket to the IT Service Desk.