| Service | Microsoft Docs article | Related commit history on GitHub | Change details |
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| SharePoint | Unlicensed Onedrive Accounts | https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/OfficeDocs-SharePoint/commits/public/SharePoint/SharePointOnline/unlicensed-onedrive-accounts.md | Previously updated : 08/28/2024 Last updated : 10/10/2024 Title: "Manage unlicensed OneDrive user accounts"++ recommendations: true-- audience: Admin f1.keywords: - NOCSH In this article, you learn how to identify, monitor, and manage unlicensed OneDr ## Changes to storage policies for unlicensed OneDrive accounts > [!IMPORTANT]-> Beginning January 27, 2025, any OneDrive user account that has been unlicensed for longer than 90 days becomes inaccessible to admins and end users. The unlicensed account is automatically archived, viewable via admin tools, but remains inaccessible until administrators take action on them." --## Prerequisites --If you want to access the data of the now inaccessible unlicensed OneDrive account, you must do the following prerequisites to set up [Microsoft 365 Archive](/microsoft-365/syntex/archive/archive-setup): --1. Set up and link Azure subscription in [Syntex pay-as-you-go](/microsoft-365/syntex/syntex-azure-billing). -2. Must have Global admin or SharePoint admin permissions. -3. [Enable Microsoft 365 Archive](/microsoft-365/syntex/syntex-azure-billing) Unlicensed Account billing (billing is available starting April 2025). --If a OneDrive account stays unlicensed for longer than 90 days, the account becomes inaccessible until you fulfill the prerequisites. --> [!NOTE] -> These changes do not apply to EDU, GCC, or DoD customers. +> Beginning January 27, 2025, any OneDrive user account that has been unlicensed for longer than 93 days becomes inaccessible to admins and end users. The unlicensed account is automatically archived, viewable via admin tools, but remains inaccessible until administrators take action on them. These changes do not apply to EDU, GCC, or DoD customers. -## Get reports on unlicensed OneDrive user accounts +## Reporting Unlicensed OneDrive accounts aren't associated with a Microsoft 365 or Office 365 subscription in your organization. A OneDrive account can become unlicensed when the licensing isn't activated or is expired. You can also encounter unlicensed OneDrive accounts when accounts are created, but aren't assigned a license. Monitoring unlicensed accounts can help you determine the risk of these accounts, and plan for migration or [deletion of user accounts](/microsoft-365/admin/add-users/delete-a-user). -You can identify unlicensed OneDrive accounts using the SharePoint admin center to generate reports on unlicensed accounts. The following steps show how to use the SharePoint admin center to generate a report of unlicensed OneDrive accounts: +### Get reports on unlicensed OneDrive accounts ++You can identify unlicensed OneDrive accounts using the SharePoint admin center. The following steps show how to use the SharePoint admin center to generate a report of unlicensed OneDrive accounts: 1. Sign in to the SharePoint admin center with your work or school account. 2. Go to **Reports** and select **User reports**. You can identify unlicensed OneDrive accounts using the SharePoint admin center The report shows the username, email address, account type, and last activity date of each unlicensed OneDrive account. +The following table provides more information on data shown in the unlicensed OneDrive accounts report: ++|Column|Description| +||| +| Unlicensed accounts | Total number of OneDrive accounts that aren't licensed as of the date the report is generated.| +| Storage used | Total storage consumed by these unlicensed OneDrive accounts as of the report's date.| +| Retention period | Unlicensed accounts with a [set retention period](set-retention.md) during the process of license removal or user account deletion. The retention period is honored, and the content will remain in an archived state until the period expires.| +| Retention policy | Unlicensed accounts subject to a [retention policy](/purview/retention) set up in Microsoft Purview. The retention policy is honored, and the content will remain in an archived state until the policy expires.| +| Active user with no license | Unlicensed accounts where the user's license was removed, but the account wasn't deleted as part of the [user deletion process](/microsoft-365/admin/add-users/delete-a-user) Starting in January 2025, unlicensed OneDrive accounts in this category will be moved to the recycle bin for 93 days before being permanently deleted. | +| Duplicate account | Unlicensed accounts created when an employee transfers to a different country, region, or firm within the organization. If these duplicate accounts are unnecessary, it's recommended to use the downloadable CSV from the SharePoint admin center to identify and delete them. If no action is taken, the accounts are automatically archived starting in January 2025 and will incur archive charges.| + ## Unlicensed OneDrive account management options -After you identify the unlicensed OneDrive account, you can choose to license or delete the account. If no action is taken, the account remains archived. +After you identify the unlicensed OneDrive account, you can choose to license or delete the account. If no action is taken, the account is automatically archived from January 2025. ### Assign license to unlicensed OneDrive account -To assign a license to an unlicensed OneDrive account, you need to assign a Microsoft 365 or Office 365 subscription to the user that includes OneDrive. Assigning a license allows the user to access their OneDrive files with their work or school account, and lets you manage their settings and policies. +**Prior to the unlicensed OneDrive account archival** - To assign a license to an unlicensed OneDrive account, you need to assign a Microsoft 365 or Office 365 subscription to the user that includes OneDrive. Assigning a license allows the user to access their OneDrive files with their work or school account, and lets you manage their settings and policies. You can also bulk assign licenses using either of the following methods: - [Assign licenses to user accounts in the Microsoft 365 admin center](/microsoft-365/admin/manage/assign-licenses-to-users) - [Assign licenses to user accounts with PowerShell](/microsoft-365/enterprise/assign-licenses-to-user-accounts-with-microsoft-365-powershell) +**After the unlicensed OneDrive account archival** - The account must be reactivated from the archived state before a license can be assigned. If the archived account has an associated user, the IT admin can give the user a valid license and the account will automatically get reactivated within 24 hours. If the archived account doesn't have an associated user (for example, if the identity was deleted), then we recommend admins move any actively needed content to a SharePoint site or an active and licensed OneDrive account. + ### Delete unlicensed OneDrive account -To delete an unlicensed OneDrive account, you need to [remove the user from your organization and delete their data](/microsoft-365/admin/add-users/delete-a-user). You can use the Microsoft 365 admin center, PowerShell, or the Microsoft Graph API to permanently delete the user. +**Prior to the unlicensed OneDrive account archival** - To delete an unlicensed OneDrive account, you need to [remove the user from your organization and delete their data](/microsoft-365/admin/add-users/delete-a-user). You can use the Microsoft 365 admin center, PowerShell, or the Microsoft Graph API to permanently delete the user. -Once you delete the unlicensed account, both the OneDrive account and its files are permanently deleted, and the user is no longer able to sign in to their work or school account. +Once you delete the unlicensed account, both the OneDrive account and its files are moved to the recycle bin. After 93 days, it will be permanently deleted, and the user is no longer able to sign in to their work or school account. ++**After the unlicensed OneDrive account archival** - An account can be deleted from the archived state without reactivation. However, if the account is subject to a retention policy, the unlicensed account can't be deleted, and the administrator will receive an error message. ### Archive unlicensed OneDrive account If no action is taken, the account remains archived through [Microsoft 365 Archive](/microsoft-365/syntex/archive/archive-overview). Archiving the account lets you keep the OneDrive account and its data for long periods of time in case you need to retrieve it later. +For newly unlicensed OneDrive accounts, it will be after 93 days of the license removal or user deletion. For example, a OneDrive account that became unlicensed on August 1, 2025, will be inaccessible to users as of November 2, 2025. For unlicensed OneDrive accounts with license removal before October 26, 2024, the accounts will be archived sometime between late January 2025 to late March 2025. ++### Access unlicensed OneDrive account ++If you want to access the data of the now inaccessible unlicensed OneDrive account, reactivation is required, and you must do the following prerequisites to set up [Microsoft 365 Archive](/microsoft-365/syntex/archive/archive-setup): ++1. Set up and link Azure subscription in [Syntex pay-as-you-go](/microsoft-365/syntex/syntex-azure-billing). +2. Must have Global admin or SharePoint admin permissions. +3. [Enable Microsoft 365 Archive](/microsoft-365/syntex/syntex-azure-billing) Unlicensed Account billing (billing is available starting April 2025). ++After the setup is completed and reactivation is triggered, it may take up to 24 hours for the account to become accessible. Once reactivated, the account remains active for 30 days before being automatically archived again. ++> [!NOTE] +> These changes do not apply to EDU, GCC, or DoD customers. ++## Charges from archived accounts + Microsoft 365 Archive charges for both storage and account reactivation. For more information about Microsoft 365 Archive pricing, see [Pricing model for Microsoft 365 Archive (Preview)](/microsoft-365/syntex/archive/archive-pricing). +Once a payment method is provided, billing follows the routine cycle for archived content. If the billing is put down to reactivate one particular unlicensed account, the reactivation fee is applied for $0.60/GB for that account, and from that month onward, the storing fee of $0.05/GB/Month will also be applied for all unlicensed accounts within the organization that's longer than 90 days. ++For example, if an organization has 100 unlicensed OneDrive accounts, each consuming 1 TB for a total of 100 TB, and enforcement occurs between January and March 2025, the 100 unlicensed accounts are automatically archived. If the organization needs to reactivate a specific account in October 2025 and set up billing, they incur the following costs: ++- A one-time reactivation fee of $0.60/GB for 1TB, totaling $614.40. +- A monthly storage fee of $0.05/GB for 100TB, amounting to $5,120/month starting from October 2025. ++## Use Microsoft Purview in Archived State ++Archived OneDrive accounts fully honor retention policies, settings, and litigation hold and eDiscovery hold. For example, if your company has a five-year retention policy, it remains unchanged whether the OneDrive account is active or archived. Archiving doesn't reset the timeline of the retention policy or holds. ++Microsoft Purview eDiscovery and Content Search are still discoverable in archived content. Exporting the content that's supporting the search results won't require manual reactivation of the archived account, and it takes up to 24 hours to complete. ++When a change is made to retention policies, it's applied to archived accounts. For example, if the company reduces the retention policy from five years to three years, this update syncs with all archived accounts, for any accounts that have fulfilled the updated retention period, those accounts are moved to recycle bin, and the recycle bin process will begin. + ## Frequently Asked Questions **1. What is an unlicensed OneDrive account?** Microsoft 365 Archive charges for both storage and account reactivation. For mor **License Removal:** -- Go to the Admin Center.-- Navigate to Billing > Your Products.-- Select the subscription and select on Remove licenses.+- Go to the SharePoint admin center. +- Expand Billing and select **Your Products**. +- Select the subscription and select **Remove licenses**. **User Deletion:** -- Go to the Admin Center.-- Navigate to Active users.+- In the SharePoint admin center, expand **Users** and select **Active users**. - Delete the user. -For additional information: [Delete a user from your organization](/microsoft-365/admin/add-users/delete-a-user). +For more information on deleting users, see [Delete a user from your organization](/microsoft-365/admin/add-users/delete-a-user). ++**2. Can unlicensed ODB leverage unused SPO storage quota?** ++**Answer:** No. They're independent. Unlicensed OneDrive accounts can't use unused SharePoint storage quota, even though there's Microsoft 365 Archive set up in the SharePoint tenant. ++**3. What is the outcome if an Unlicensed OneDrive account is restored from the Recycle Bin, 90 days after its license removal? Does the account get automatically archived?** -**2. When will an unlicensed account get archived?** +**Answer:** Yes. If 93 days have past since the license removal, bringing back an unlicensed OneDrive account from the recycle bin can lead to automatic archival. ++**4. When will an unlicensed account get archived?** **Answer:** For newly unlicensed OneDrive accounts, it will be after 93 days of the license removal or user deletion. For example, a OneDrive account that became unlicensed on August 1, 2025, will be inaccessible to users as of November 2, 2025. For unlicensed OneDrive accounts with license removal before October 26, 2024, the accounts will be archived sometime between late January 2025 to late March 2025. -**3. How does it impact eDiscovery in Microsoft Purview?** +**5. How does it impact eDiscovery in Microsoft Purview?** -**Answer:** Microsoft Purview eDiscovery and Content Search are still discoverable in archived content. Exporting the content that's supporting the search results will not require manual reactivation of the archived account, and it will take up to 24 hours to complete. +**Answer:** Microsoft Purview eDiscovery and Content Search are still discoverable in archived content. Exporting the content that's supporting the search results won't require manual reactivation of the archived account, and it takes up to 24 hours to complete. -**4. How does it impact Retention Policy, Retention Setting, or Litigation Hold?** +**6. How does it impact Retention Policy, Retention Setting, or Litigation Hold?** -**Answer:** Archived OneDrive accounts fully honor retention policies, settings, and litigation holds. For example, if your company has a five-year retention policy, it remains unchanged whether the OneDrive account is active or archived. Archiving doesn't reset the timeline of the retention policy or holds. +**Answer:** Archived OneDrive accounts fully honor retention policies, settings, and litigation holds. For example, if your company has a five-year retention policy, it remains unchanged whether the OneDrive account is active or archived. Archiving doesn't reset the timeline of the retention policy or holds. >[!Note] > If a OneDrive account is retained due to a Retention Policy, Retention Setting, or Litigation Hold and has been archived due to being unlicensed for 93 days or longer, then you will still pay for the monthly archive storage costs. -**5. Can I delete an unlicensed account without Archive reactivation?** +**7. Can I delete an unlicensed account without Archive reactivation?** **Answer:** Yes. An archived unlicensed account can be deleted from the archive state. However, if the account is under retention policy, the unlicensed account can't be deleted, and the administrator receives an error message. -**6. When will I get charged?** +**8. When will I get charged?** **Answer:** Once a payment method is provided, billing follows the routine cycle for archived content. If there's no retention policy and billing stops, your content is deleted within a 93-day period. If a retention policy is still active, the policy is honored regardless of billing status. If the account has no retention and billing, the 93-day content deletion lifecycle begins. -As an example, if the billing is put down to reactivate one particular unlicensed account, the reactivation fee will be applied for $0.60/GB for that account, and from that month onward, the storing fee of $0.05/GB/Month will also be applied for all unlicensed accounts within the organization that's longer than 90 days. --**7. Can unlicensed ODB leverage unused SPO storage quota?** --**Answer:** No. They're independent. Unlicensed OneDrive accounts can't use unused SharePoint storage quota, even though there's Microsoft 365 Archive set up in the SharePoint tenant. +As an example, if the billing is put down to reactivate one particular unlicensed account, the reactivation fee is applied for $0.60/GB for that account, and from that month onward, the storing fee of $0.05/GB/Month will also be applied for all unlicensed accounts within the organization that's longer than 90 days. -**8. What's the guidance on 'duplicate accounts'?** +**9. What's the guidance on 'duplicate accounts'?** **Answer:** A duplicate account is created when an employee switches to a different country/region or a different firm within the organization. If the duplicate accounts aren't desired, we recommend using the downloadable CSV in the SharePoint Admin Center to identify the accounts and delete them. For already-archived unlicensed OneDrive accounts, it can be deleted from the archived state without the need of reactivation. -**9. What is the outcome if an Unlicensed OneDrive account is restored from the Recycle Bin, 90 days after its license removal? Does the account get automatically archived?** --**Answer:** Yes. If 90 days have past since the license removal, bringing back an unlicensed OneDrive account from the recycle bin can lead to automatic archival. - **10. Once I initiate the reactivation of an account from Microsoft 365 Archive, how long do I have to wait until the data is available?** **Answer:** It takes up to 24 hours for the account to be accessible. Once the account is reactivated, it remains active for a total of 30 days before it gets automatically archived again. As an example, if the billing is put down to reactivate one particular unlicense **12. What's the process to relicense an account once it's archived?** -**Answer:** If the archived account has an associated user, the IT admin can simply give the user a valid license and the account will automatically get reactivated within 24 hours. If the archived account does not have an associated user (for example, if the identity was deleted), then we recommend admins move any actively needed content to a SharePoint site or an active and licensed OneDrive account. +**Answer:** If the archived account has an associated user, the IT admin can give the user a valid license and the account will automatically get reactivated within 24 hours. If the archived account doesn't have an associated user (for example, if the identity was deleted), then we recommend admins move any actively needed content to a SharePoint site or an active and licensed OneDrive account. -**13. If a change is made to retention policies, will that change sync down to the archived sites?** +**13. If a change is made to retention policies, will that change sync down to the archived sites?** -**Answer:** Yes. As an example, if the company retention policy is shortened from 5 years to 3 years, this change will be synced with all archived accounts, and the recycle bin process will start for accounts that have completed the retention policy. +**Answer:** Yes. As an example, if the company retention policy is shortened from five years to three years, this change is synced with all archived accounts, and the recycle bin process will start for accounts that have completed the retention policy. ## Related topics |