Unlicensed OneDrive user accounts: What you need to know
We are approaching the start date of when the new policy for unlicensed OneDrive user accounts is taking place. We want to give some updates on what to expect, when to expect them, and what actions you can take to ensure a smooth transition. To enhance security, compliance, and storage management this change will help organizations optimize storage, streamline account management, and ensure data security. What is happening? Beginning on Jan 27th, 2025, any OneDrive user accounts that have been unlicensed for longer than 93 days will be inaccessible to admins and end users. Accounts become unlicensed when the admin removes the license, or the user is deleted from Entra ID. How does an account get unlicensed? When an account becomes unlicensed, it means that the user no longer has a valid license associated with their account. This can happen for various reasons, such as the expiration of a subscription, the removal of a license by an admin, or changes in the organization's licensing agreements. These accounts will be automatically archived and will still be viewable via admin tools but will not be accessible until admins take action on them. One example of this is if a OneDrive account became unlicensed on August 1st, 2025, this account will be inaccessible as of Oct 1st, 2025. In some scenarios, users with the necessary permissions can access SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business resources without a license. Do admins get notified ahead of time when an account is going to be unlicensed? Yes, admins are notified ahead of time when user accounts are about to become unlicensed in OneDrive. Here are the key points: Notification Timeline: Admins receive notifications about unlicensed OneDrive accounts through the Microsoft 365 Message Center. Message Center Updates: For example, a Message Center post (MC836942) informs admins about the changes to storage policies for unlicensed OneDrive accounts. Preparation Steps: Admins are advised to review existing retention policies, move actively used data to licensed accounts or SharePoint sites, and enable billing for archived unlicensed OneDrive accounts. These steps help ensure a smooth transition and minimize disruptions Reports and Monitoring: Admins can generate reports on unlicensed OneDrive accounts using the SharePoint admin center. These reports provide details such as the number of unlicensed accounts, storage used, and reasons for unlicensing) By following these notifications and preparation steps, admins can effectively manage unlicensed OneDrive accounts and ensure compliance with organizational policies. What is the impact for administrators? Beginning on January 27th, 2025, admins will have three options for managing unlicensed OneDrive accounts: Setting up the Archive billing for unlicensed accounts to be able to access and edit the archived files. Delete the unlicensed OneDrive account, if it does not have a retention policy applied to it. Re-license the unlicensed account to maintain access. All purview features work with archived unlicensed OneDrive accounts, including retention policies, legal holds, and eDiscovery search & export. When accounts become unlicensed, they are automatically archived. Admins must enable unlicensed account billing in the Microsoft 365 admin center to access the files. There is a fee of $0.05/GB/Month to store unlicensed accounts in Microsoft 365 Archive, and A fee of $0.60/GB to reactivate accounts stored in Microsoft 365 Archive. When OneDrive accounts become unlicensed, there are some costs to be aware of that were not present previously. Here's what you need to know: Storage Fees: Archived unlicensed accounts now incur a storage fee of $0.05 per GB per month. Reactivation Costs: Reactivating an archived account costs $0.60 per GB, providing 30-day access. Operational Expenses: Managing unlicensed accounts involves additional administrative tasks and costs. Compliance and Security: Properly archiving and billing unlicensed accounts helps mitigate security and compliance risk. Reactivating an account takes up to 24 hours and grants 30-day access, after which the account is archived again. If a OneDrive account is unlicensed for over 93 days with no action, it stays inaccessible unless an Azure subscription is set up and unlicensed billing is enabled in the SharePoint admin center. Note: This will not affect tenants who have not changed the default tenant retention settings. How to get a list of unlicensed accounts Admins can find a list of unlicensed accounts by going to the SharePoint admin center>Reports>OneDrive accounts. This will display how many accounts are unlicensed and the reason why out of the possibilities: Retention period – Account is no longer licensed but is still active because a retention period setting is keeping the account from being deleted. Retention policy – Account is no longer licensed but is still active because a retention policy in Purview is keeping the account from being deleted. Active user with no license – Account is active but is not licensed. This can arise if the license is removed but the user is not removed from Entra IDAAD. Duplicate accounts – Account is a duplicate because a licensed user has multiple OneDrive accounts associated with them. Duplicate accounts (also known as non-primary accounts) may arise if a user has geographic move, or if a user leaves and then rejoins an organization, or it may arise from other factors. How to access inaccessible accounts If admins want to access the data of the now inaccessible unlicensed OneDrive account, they must do the following prerequisites to set up Microsoft 365 Archive : Set up and link Azure subscription in Syntex pay-as-you-go . Must have Global admin or SharePoint admin permissions. Enable Microsoft 365 Archive Unlicensed Account billing (billing is available starting December 2024). If a OneDrive account stays unlicensed for longer than 93 days, the account becomes inaccessible until you fulfill the prerequisites. How does this affect EDU Tenants? These changes don't apply to Education tenants, which have over 50% education licenses. Tenants with fewer than 50% education licenses are considered commercial. Unlicensed OneDrive accounts use pooled storage and can cause security and compliance issues. OneDrive accounts can become unlicensed if the user is deleted from Entra ID but the account is kept due to retention policies, or if the user stays in Entra ID without a valid license. Examples include alumni accounts moving to a free Exchange Online for Alumni license or duplicate accounts. EDU Admin tenants can find unlicensed OneDrive accounts in the SharePoint admin center under Reports > OneDrive accounts. The report shows why accounts are unlicensed, the number of accounts, and storage used. We understand that changes like these can be challenging, and we want to assure you have as many resources as possible. Our goal is to make this transition as smooth as possible, and implementing these updates, we aim to enhance security, compliance, and storage management, ultimately providing a better experience for everyone. Additional resources: Manage unlicensed OneDrive user accounts - SharePoint in Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Learn Quick Start Guide OneDrive Office Hours-Unlicensed OneDrive User Accounts Sync Up Podcast- Unlicensed accounts at 19:56OneDrive Office Hours | March 2025
Join the OneDrive product team live each month on our monthly OneDrive Customer Office Hours to hear what's top of mind, get insights into roadmap updates, and dig into a special topic. Each call includes live Q&A where you'll have a chance to ask the OneDrive product team any question about OneDrive - The home of your files. 😎 Use these links to: Register and join live: aka.ms/OneDriveOfficeHours. Save the calendar invite so you never miss a call-https://aka.ms/OfficeHoursCalendar Each call is recorded and made available on demand shortly after. Our next call is Wednesday, March 12th, 2025, 8:00am - 9:00am PDT. This month's special topic: "Unlicensed User Accounts" with the Trent Green. We have heard your feedback and are doing a follow up session tied to this topic. We will have our product teams on call ready to answer your questions. Our goal is to simplify the way you create and access the files you need, get the information you are looking for, and manage your tasks efficiently. We can't wait to share, listen, and engage - monthly! Anyone can join this one-hour webinar to ask us questions, share feedback, and learn more about the features we’re releasing soon and our roadmap. Note: Our monthly public calls are not an official support tool. To open support tickets, go to see Get support for Microsoft 365; distinct support for educators and education customers is available, too. Stay up to date on Microsoft OneDrive adoption on adoption.microsoft.com. Join our community to catch all news and insights from the OneDrive community blog. And follow us on Twitter: @OneDrive. Thank you for your interest in making your voice heard and taking your knowledge and depth of OneDrive to the next level. You can ask questions and provide feedback in the event Comments below and we will do our best to address what we can during the call. 😎 Register and join live: aka.ms/OneDriveOfficeHours.NOW ON DEMAND | OneDrive Office Hours | November 2024 |
Are you ready to connect with OneDrive product makers this month? We’re gearing up for the next call. Join the OneDrive product team live each month on our monthly OneDrive Customer Office Hours to hear what's top of mind, get insights into roadmap updates, and dig into a special topic. Each call includes live Q&A where you'll have a chance to ask the OneDrive product team any question about OneDrive - The home of your files. 😎 Use this Teams link to register and join live: aka.ms/OneDriveOfficeHours. Each call is recorded and made available on demand shortly after. Our next call is Wednesday, November 20th, 2024, 8:00am - 9:00am PDT. This month's special topic: “New OneDrive Sync Updates" with Carter Green, Principal Product Manager on the Microsoft team. Our goal is to simplify the way you create and access the files you need, get the information you are looking for, and manage your tasks efficiently. We can't wait to share, listen, and engage - monthly! Anyone can join this one-hour webinar to ask us questions, share feedback, and learn more about the features we’re releasing soon and our roadmap. Note: Our monthly public calls are not an official support tool. To open support tickets, go to see Get support for Microsoft 365; distinct support for educators and education customers is available, too. Stay up to date on Microsoft OneDrive adoption on adoption.microsoft.com. Join our community to catch all news and insights from the OneDrive community blog. And follow us on Twitter: @OneDrive. Thank you for your interest in making your voice heard and taking your knowledge and depth of OneDrive to the next level. You can ask questions and provide feedback in the event Comments below and we will do our best to address what we can during the call. 😎 Register and join live: aka.ms/OneDriveOfficeHours. See you there, Rob Nunez (Product Marketing Manager – Microsoft)The Enhanced "Edit in Grid" Experience for Document Libraries
When managing files in SharePoint Document Libraries, every click counts. Whether you're overseeing a massive project or simply organizing files for your team, efficiency is key. That’s why we’re thrilled to introduce enhancements to Edit in Grid View, bringing speed, simplicity, and the magic of Microsoft Lists to Document Libraries. Let’s explore how these updates make file management more intuitive and effective A Faster, Smoother Experience from the Start Imagine diving into your Document Library faster than ever, making quick edits directly in the grid, and navigating seamlessly through folders—all designed to help you stay organized and keep your team moving forward. One of the first things you’ll notice is the improved loading speed of Document Libraries. No more waiting for your library to catch up with you—now, it’s ready when you are. This enhancement is perfect for teams handling extensive libraries, where every second saved means more time focused on what matters. Enhanced “Edit in Grid” Features for Effortless Management We’ve brought the full power of Microsoft Lists’ editing capabilities to Document Libraries, making bulk edits and updates simpler than ever before. Picture this: you’re prepping documents for an upcoming meeting, and you need to change multiple status fields from “Draft” to “Approved.” Now, you can do this right from the grid, without navigating away or opening additional menus. This means less hassle and more focus on your work. Assign Files in Seconds with Person/Group Editing Collaboration is about making sure the right people have the right information. With the updated grid view, assigning users or groups to a file is as easy as a single click. Keep everyone in the loop without slowing down your workflow. Simplify Image Management Right Inside the Grid Managing visuals has never been easier. Add or update images directly within the grid, just like you would in Microsoft Lists. This feature is a game-changer for teams working with design assets, product documentation, or marketing materials. Navigating through a large Document Library used to mean clicking “Next Page” over and over. Now, you can scroll through your files continuously, just like you would on your favorite social media feed. This infinite scrolling makes finding the right document faster and more intuitive, allowing you to focus on your content, not on navigating menus. Enhanced Grid View Commands—Streamline Your Workflow We've introduced new commands, and navigation features to reduce clicks and keep you in the flow: Create New Files and Folders Without Leaving the Grid-Need a new document or folder? Now, you can create it right in the grid view, so you can keep working without disruption. Open Documents Directly from the Grid-Clickable document titles mean you can open files instantly—no need to switch views or hunt through menus. Navigate Folders Seamlessly-Move in and out of folders directly within the grid, keeping your organizational workflow smooth and uninterrupted. Simplified Editing with Redesigned Tools-Keeping your focus while managing metadata is easier than ever with our redesigned tools: Contextual Properties Pane-The Properties Pane now opens as a dialog box, allowing you to edit details without losing your place in the grid. Convenient Right-Click Options -Right-click any file to access quick actions like Open, Edit, Share, or Delete, making your workflow faster and more intuitive. On-the-Fly Metadata Updates with the Details Pane Access and update metadata without leaving the grid, ensuring all your data is up-to-date and easily accessible. And with grouped views you can organize content by department, project, or content type. Now, you can make inline edits within grouped views, eliminating the need to switch modes and keeping your focus on your data. Easier Rating Management for Enhanced Feedback If you use ratings or likes in your Document Library, you’ll appreciate the updated, user-friendly interface. Quickly rate documents and gather feedback to enhance team collaboration and engagement. Experience the Difference Today—Rolling Out Now! These exciting updates are rolling out across SharePoint Document Libraries, bringing a more consistent and efficient experience to your everyday tasks. If you haven’t seen the changes yet, they’ll be in your hands within the next 90 days. We can’t wait to hear how these features make managing your Document Libraries easier and more efficient. Share your feedback directly in SharePoint and let us know what you think—we’re listening and always looking to improve!
