How to Fix OneDrive SharePoint Sync Not Enough Free Space for Files? Fixed!
Running out of space when trying to sync OneDrive and SharePoint can be frustrating. If you’re dealing with the error "OneDrive SharePoint Sync Not Enough Free Space for Files", you’re not alone. This issue often occurs due to storage limits, sync settings, or duplicate files taking up unnecessary space. But don’t worry—there are several ways to fix this and keep your files syncing without issues.
This guide will walk you through everything: the differences between OneDrive and SharePoint, why syncing may take up space, step-by-step solutions to fix the issue, and the fastest way to remove duplicate files using 4DDiG Duplicate File Deleter to free up valuable storage.

Part 1: What Is the Difference Between OneDrive and SharePoint?
OneDrive vs SharePoint
At first glance, OneDrive and SharePoint may seem similar since both are cloud storage solutions by Microsoft. However, they serve different purposes:
- OneDrive is personal cloud storage designed for individual users. It allows you to store, access, and share files across multiple devices.
- SharePoint, on the other hand, is a team collaboration tool meant for organizations. It enables multiple users to store, manage, and share files in a shared workspace.
How Does Syncing Work Between OneDrive and SharePoint?
The OneDrive sync feature lets you connect SharePoint libraries to your OneDrive account, allowing you to access SharePoint files offline. When you make changes, they are automatically updated in the cloud when you reconnect to the internet.
However, syncing large SharePoint folders to OneDrive takes up storage space, and that’s where the "OneDrive SharePoint Sync Not Enough Free Space for Files" error can happen.
Part 2: Does Syncing SharePoint Take Up Space? Why Does This Error Occur?
Yes, syncing SharePoint to OneDrive takes up space because files are copied to your OneDrive storage when synced. If your OneDrive account has limited space, you may receive the error "OneDrive SharePoint Sync Not Enough Free Space for Files."
How to Check Your SharePoint Storage Space Online
Sign in to your Microsoft 365 admin center.
-
Go to SharePoint Admin Center. Then click “Sites” > “Active Sites”.
-
Select the site you are syncing and check the storage usage.
-
On the new page, click on the “Site contents” from the side panel to check the storage space.
Common Reasons for the OneDrive SharePoint Sync Not Enough Free Space for Files Error
- Insufficient OneDrive storage—If your OneDrive account is full, there will not be enough space to sync new SharePoint files.
- Large files or duplicate files – Having duplicate files or large media files can take up unnecessary space.
- Syncing too many files at once – If your SharePoint library contains thousands of files, OneDrive might struggle to sync them all.
- SharePoint storage limits – Even if you have free space in OneDrive, SharePoint has a storage limit per site that can cause issues.
- Incorrect sync settings – Your sync preferences might be set to download all files, consuming more space.
How Do I Remove OneDrive Dupliucate Location and Files [Full Guide]
Part 3: How to Fix OneDrive SharePoint Sync Not Enough Free Space for Files Error
Fix 1: Make OneDrive Sync Only Specific Folders
OneDrive allows you to sync only selected folders instead of downloading everything.
Steps:
-
Open OneDrive on your computer. Click on the OneDrive icon in the taskbar and go to “Settings”.
Navigate to the “Account” tab and select “Choose folders”.
-
From the Choose Folders window, uncheck unnecessary folders that don’t need to be synced.
-
Click “OK” to save changes.
Not enough space in onedrive? By reducing the number of synced files, you free up space in OneDrive while keeping essential files accessible.
Fix 2: Change Sync Settings of OneDrive and SharePoint
If you’re facing this issue due to SharePoint storage limit, adjusting sync settings can help.
For OneDrive:
Open OneDrive, click the cog icon, and choose “Settings”.
Head to the “Account” tab and select “Choose Folder”.
Check which folders are taking up the most space.
For SharePoint:
Navigate to the SharePoint library in your browser.
-
Click “Sync” from the top menu and confirm in the OneDrive client.
Manage synced folders via OneDrive settings.
If files clash, OneDrive creates duplicate copies, e.g., "Document (Conflict).docx".
Fix 3: Upgrade Your OneDrive Storage Plan
If you’re running out of space frequently, upgrading your OneDrive plan might be the best solution.
Go to Microsoft 365 Subscription Page.
-
Choose a plan with more storage (e.g., Microsoft 365 Personal includes 1TB of storage).
-
Purchase the plan and your storage limit will increase instantly.
Wondering how much space do you get with SharePoint? A standard Microsoft 365 Business plan provides 1TB of storage per user, but it can be expanded to 25TB depending on the plan.
Fix 4: Stop Syncing SharePoint on OneDrive & Delete the SharePoint Folder Manually
Sometimes, the best way to fix sync issues is to stop syncing onedrive with sharepoint.
Steps to Stop Sync and Delete Files:
On OneDrive, hit the gear icon to open Settings.
-
In the OneDrive Settings dialog, select the “Account” tab from the left sidebar.
-
Then find the SharePoint folder and hit the “Stop Sync” button.
-
Go to File Explorer, find and manually delete your duplicated OneDrive folder.
If you deleted the important SharePoint files by accident, don't fret. Here is also a solution to recover them. Just check this post: [Step-by-step Guide on SharePoint Recover Deleted File 2025].
Part 4: Fastest Way to Remove Duplicates to Free Up Space on OneDrive and SharePoint
One of the biggest reasons for running out of storage is duplicate files. As we mentioned above, If files clash, OneDrive creates duplicate copies, especially that of SharePoint folders, which will consume space. Manually check and remove those folder is not an easy task. The best way to instantly free up space is by using 4DDiG Duplicate File Deleter.
It is professionally designed to quickly and thoroughly scan and eliminate all kinds of duplicate files in both local drive and cloud services (including OneDrive, Dropbox, and Google Drive) with safeguarding your privacy info.
Why Use 4DDiG Duplicate File Deleter?
- Quickly and thoroughly Scans & removes duplicate files automatically.
- Remove duplicates from Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, and local storage on Windows.
- Smart algorithms detection ensures no important files are deleted.
- All types of duplicate files, like videos, documents, audio, photos, DLL files, and others can be detected.
- Offer a special offer to remove 15 duplicate files for free.
- Help free up space on computer, optimizing both system and program performance.
Steps to Eliminate OneDrive Duplicates:
-
Download & run the 4DDiG Duplicate File Deleter. Navigate to “Duplicates” from the left sidebar and click “Get Started” to proceed.
FREE DOWNLOADSecure Download
FREE DOWNLOADSecure Download
-
On the new screen, choose “Cloud Drive” and select “Next”. Then select OneDrive from the cloud drive list.
-
Then proceed to select the specific folder where the SharePoint duplicates are stored. By clicking the cog icon, you can customize scanning options, like detailed file type you want to scan as well as some important folder you want to skip.
-
Click Scan to find duplicate files. When it is finished, choose “Smart Remove” to delete all detected duplicates at one. Or, pick “Review Duplicates” to view details and remove them manually.
Part 5: People Also Ask About OneDrive SharePoint Sync
Q1: Does OneDrive storage count against SharePoint storage?
Yes, files synced from SharePoint take up space in OneDrive. But is SharePoint the same as OneDrive? No, it is not.
Q2: Why is OneDrive not syncing large files?
SharePoint has a file size limit of 250GB per file, which may cause sync failures.
Q3: Why does OneDrive say I don’t have enough space but I do?
Hidden files, cache, or incorrect sync settings may be the reason.
Q4: How do I free up space in SharePoint Sync?
Delete unnecessary files, use Selective Sync, or try 4DDiG Duplicate File Deleter.
Conclusion
If you’re experiencing the "OneDrive SharePoint Sync Not Enough Free Space for Files" error, the solutions above can help free up space and fix sync issues. The best way to instantly recover storage is to use 4DDiG Duplicate File Deleter to remove duplicates and optimize your cloud storage.
Secure Download
Secure Download
You May Also Like
- Home >>
- Remove Duplicates >>
- How to Fix OneDrive SharePoint Sync Not Enough Free Space for Files? Fixed!