- You're getting "storage full" or "almost full" messages
- Emails have stopped arriving or won't send
- Your phone says it can't back up
- Never delete photos until you've copied them somewhere else and checked the copies open. Backup guide
Which storage is full?
| If you use | Free space | What stops when full | Check it at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gmail, Google Photos, Google Drive | 15GB shared between all three | Gmail can't send or receive. Photos stop backing up | one.google.com/storage |
| Outlook.com / Hotmail and OneDrive | 5GB for OneDrive and email attachments (plus a separate mailbox allowance) | OneDrive stops syncing. Email can stop sending and receiving | account.microsoft.com, then Storage |
| iPhone / iCloud | 5GB | iPhone backups and photo syncing stop | iPhone Settings → your name → iCloud |
Free up Google storage (Gmail)
-
Open the clean-up tool
In a web browser, go to one.google.com/storage and sign in. Click Clean up space (or Free up account storage).
Groups like "Emails with large attachments", "Spam", "Deleted items" and "Large files". -
Empty spam and bin
Start with Spam and Deleted/Bin. These are safe to clear.
-
Delete large old emails
In Gmail, type has:attachment larger:10M in the search box and press Enter. Delete old emails with big attachments you no longer need. Then empty the Bin.
Free up Microsoft storage (Outlook.com / OneDrive)
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Empty deleted items and junk
In Outlook.com, right-click Deleted Items → Empty folder. Do the same for Junk Email.
-
Empty the OneDrive recycle bin
Go to onedrive.com, sign in, click Recycle bin → Empty recycle bin. Deleted files still count until you do this.
-
Check what's using OneDrive
Often it's photos from a phone, or the computer's Desktop and Documents being backed up. Copy large things to a USB drive and check them before removing them from OneDrive.
Files in the OneDrive folder on your computer are the same files as online. Deleting them in one place deletes them everywhere. Copy them to a USB drive first.
Free up iCloud storage (iPhone)
-
See what's using it
Settings → tap your name → iCloud → Manage Account Storage (or Manage Storage).
-
Remove old device backups
Tap Backups. If you see backups from old phones or iPads you no longer have, tap them and delete. This is often the biggest win.
-
Photos
Copy photos to a computer first (how), then delete ones you don't want. Deleted photos stay in "Recently Deleted" for 30 days: empty that album to free the space straight away.
Or pay for more space
If you'd rather keep everything online, a small monthly plan from Google, Microsoft or Apple is the simplest fix. Check the current price in your account settings before agreeing, and only buy from the company's own settings page, never from a link in an email.
- You're not sure whether deleting something will remove it from other devices
- Photos have gone missing
- You get emails saying your storage is full with a link to "upgrade": check in your real account instead, as these are often scams
Still stuck? I'm happy to help.
If this didn't sort it, or you'd rather not do it yourself, get in touch. I cover Sheffield S20 and the surrounding areas.
Did this guide help? These guides are free for everyone. If it saved you a call-out, you can say thanks with a coffee.
Buy me a coffeeThese guides are general advice for home users, checked in September 2026. Menus can differ slightly between versions of Windows and between phone makers. If something looks different or you're unsure, stop and ask rather than guessing. Parmar Tech Solutions can't accept responsibility for problems caused by following these steps, so please back up anything important first.