As organizations rely more on SharePoint Online to store documents, manage collaboration, and power internal workflows, keeping an eye on your available storage becomes essential. Whether you’re planning for growth, troubleshooting performance, or just practicing good digital hygiene, monitoring storage usage can help you avoid issues before they start.
This guide walks you through how to check storage space in SharePoint Online, understand the different levels of storage reporting, and what to do if you’re running low.
Why Storage Monitoring Matters in SharePoint Online?
SharePoint Online storage is pooled at the tenant level and shared across all sites (formerly site collections). Running out of space can halt uploads, interfere with workflows, and even prevent new site creation. Proactive monitoring ensures your teams can continue working without interruption.
Additionally, understanding storage distribution helps you:
- Identify which sites are consuming the most space
- Forecast future storage needs
- Clean up unnecessary files or sites
- Optimize storage with archiving or lifecycle policies
Also read: How to Change SharePoint Site from Private to Public
How to Check Storage Usage in SharePoint Online?
There are three primary ways to check SharePoint Online storage usage, depending on whether you want a global view, a per-site view, or automated monitoring.
Method 1: Check Total Storage via Microsoft 365 Admin Center
This method gives you a high-level overview of your entire organization’s SharePoint storage.
Steps:
- Sign in to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center at admin.microsoft.com
- In the left-hand menu, go to Reports
- Click on Usage
- Scroll down to the SharePoint site usage
- In this section, you’ll see:
- Total allocated storage
- Storage used
- Number of active sites
- Trends over time
Note: This gives tenant-level metrics, not per-site breakdowns.
Method 2: View Per-Site Storage in the SharePoint Admin Center
To see how much storage each site is using:
Steps:
- Go to the SharePoint Admin Center via https://admin.microsoft.com
- Expand Admin centers > Click SharePoint
- In the left menu, click Sites → Active sites
- You’ll see a list of all SharePoint sites
- Look for the Storage used (GB) column
- You can sort or filter sites by storage usage to find the largest consumers
Tip: Click on any site name to view additional details, such as file activity and sharing settings.
Read Also: Set Retention Policy in SharePoint Online
Method 3: Use PowerShell for Detailed Storage Reports
For admins managing large environments or automating reports, PowerShell is a powerful option.
Basic Script:
# Connect to SharePoint Online
Connect-SPOService -Url https://<your-tenant>-admin.sharepoint.com
# List all sites with storage info
Get-SPOSite -Limit All | Select-Object URL, StorageUsageCurrent, StorageQuota
This script displays each site’s URL, current storage usage (in MB), and total storage quota.
Note: You must have the SharePoint Online Management Shell installed and the right permissions to run this.
How SharePoint Online Storage is Calculated?
Your SharePoint storage pool is calculated based on:
- Base Storage: Microsoft gives each tenant 1 TB by default.
- User-Based Storage: You also get an additional 10 GB per licensed user.
- Purchased Storage: You can buy additional storage at any time via the Microsoft 365 admin portal.
For example, if you have 100 licensed users, your total storage would be:
- 1 TB base + (100 x 10 GB) = 2 TB total
What to Do If You’re Running Low on Storage?
If your SharePoint Online environment is running low on storage, you don’t have to panic — there are several practical steps you can take to reclaim space, optimize content, or expand capacity. Here’s how to manage it effectively:
1. Migrate Data to Another Account
If you’ve maxed out your current tenant’s storage or want to offload archival data, consider migrating some of your content to a different SharePoint Online tenant or site. The Microsoft SharePoint Migration Tool makes it easy to:
- Move data between SharePoint tenants
- Offload infrequently accessed libraries or sites
- Transfer content securely without downtime
This approach not only helps free up storage but also supports restructuring or compliance initiatives by redistributing content across accounts or departments.
2. Clean Up Large Sites
Identify the top storage-consuming sites using the SharePoint Admin Center or PowerShell. Work with site owners to archive or delete obsolete documents, videos, or outdated pages.
3. Apply Retention or Expiry Policies
Set up automated retention policies to archive or delete content that hasn’t been modified in a set timeframe. This keeps your environment lean without requiring constant manual intervention.
4. Purchase Additional Storage
You can always expand your tenant’s storage by purchasing additional capacity through the Microsoft 365 Admin Center. Go to Billing > Your Products, and you’ll find the option to add more SharePoint storage.
Final Thoughts
Keeping tabs on SharePoint Online storage isn’t just a technical necessity—it’s a smart way to maintain performance, keep costs predictable, and ensure your collaboration environment scales with your organization.