Update as of Jan. 14 — This change has been rescheduled to April 15, 2026, from Feb. 4, 2026.
Effective April 15, 2026, Washington State University (WSU) is reducing storage allocations across Microsoft 365 services, including Outlook, OneDrive, Teams, and SharePoint, for all affiliates, students, faculty, and staff to comply with new contracted storage requirements.
Most WSU users are already below the planned allocation reductions and will not be impacted by this change. However, ITS encourages you to review your current storage usage and follow the provided suggestions for taking steps to stay within the new allocations.
New Storage Allocations
Beginning April 15, 2026, the following WSU Microsoft storage allocations will apply:
Individual Services
| Service | Students | Faculty & Staff | Affiliates & Hourly Employees |
| Outlook | 1 GB | 10 GB | 500 MB |
| OneDrive | 1 GB | 10 GB | 1 GB |
Shared Services
| Service | Storage Allocation (Per Item) |
| Teams | 5 GB |
| SharePoint Sites | 5 GB |
| Microsoft 365 Groups | 5 GB |
| Shared Room Mailbox | 500 MB per Mailbox |
| Shared Equipment Mailbox | 500 MB per Mailbox |
Allocations May Vary
Allocations may vary by individual department or college. Please visit with your local IT support team to confirm your exact storage allocation.
WSU Email Online Archive
Please note that content stored in your WSU email online archive does not count toward your overall Outlook storage allocation.
Additional Storage for Shared Services
Additional storage for Microsoft Teams, SharePoint sites, and Microsoft 365 groups may be available upon request. Please contact your local IT support team to identify available options within your department.
Over-Allocation Impact
Starting Feb. 25, 2026, you will receive warning messages if your storage reaches or exceeds 90% of the upcoming allocations. These warnings are designed to help you act before restrictions begin on April 15, 2026.
An example of the automated Microsoft warning message for Outlook is below.
An example of the automated Microsoft warning message for OneDrive is below. This warning will also appear for Teams and SharePoint sites.
If your WSU Microsoft 365 storage exceeds the new allocations, the following services will be restricted until your usage is reduced:
- Outlook: Sending and receiving email disabled
- OneDrive, Teams, SharePoint, & Microsoft 365 Groups: Creating, uploading, editing, and synchronizing files disabled
Required Action
Please work with your local IT support team to determine the best course of action for managing and possibly reducing your Microsoft data, including available alternative storage resources for your area.
WSU Records Retention Policy
When managing data storage, ensure that all actions align with WSU’s records retention and disposition policy, along with applicable state and federal regulations. Please contact your department or local IT support team for guidance on proper data handling.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Microsoft 365 storage FAQ provides additional guidance on topics such as:
- How can I check my current Microsoft 365 storage usage?
- How will storage allocations be applied for users who have multiple roles?
- Are there any restrictions on what files or items I can or cannot delete?
- Why is WSU reducing storage allocations for Microsoft 365 services?
Contact Us
For technical support, please contact Crimson Service Desk at crimsonservicedesk@wsu.edu or 509-335-4357.