Microsoft caps free OneDrive storage after finding one user exceeding 75 terabytes

Backing up all your "stuff" in the cloud? Please don't, urges Microsoft

Microsoft is rowing back on its offer of unlimited, free OneDrive cloud storage after finding some users taking the offer to extremes - including one consuming more than 75 terabytes to back-up their entire film collection and personal video recordings.

People who had signed up to Office 365 Home, Personal or University subscriptions will now be restricted to one terabyte of OneDrive storage, while new users will be offered 50 gigabytes of storage from $1.99 per month from early next year.

Free OneDrive storage will decrease from 15GB to 5GB for all users, current and new. The 15GB "camera roll storage bonus" will also be discontinued. These changes will start rolling out in early 2016.

"Since we started to roll out unlimited cloud storage to Office 365 consumer subscribers, a small number of users backed up numerous PCs and stored entire movie collections and DVR recordings. In some instances, this exceeded 75 TB per user or 14,000 times the average," claimed Microsoft in a blog post justifying the restrictions.

It continued: "Instead of focusing on extreme backup scenarios, we want to remain focused on delivering high-value productivity and collaboration experiences that benefit the majority of OneDrive users."

Office 365 users storing in excess of one terabyte of data on OneDrive will be notified by Microsoft and given 12 months to migrate their excess, while people availing themselves of OneDrive's free storage will also be given 12 months to migrate all by five gigabytes of their data.

"OneDrive has always been designed to be more than basic file storage and backup. These changes are needed to ensure that we can continue to deliver a collaborative, connected, and intelligent service. They will allow us to continue to innovate and make OneDrive the best option for people who want to be productive and do more," claimed Microsoft.