The Microsoft 365 mailbox increase is finally here, and it means your business is automatically receiving a massive storage upgrade. If your organization uses Microsoft 365 Business plans, your primary mailbox storage has officially doubled from 50 GB to 100 GB per user.
While this is fantastic news, it also means you might currently be wasting money on IT licenses you no longer need.
How does this affect me ?
If you have added an exchange plan 2 licensee to your account to allow you to go over the current limit of 50 GB then you will no longer require this.
The Upgraded Plans
The storage uplift applies to the following subscriptions:
- Microsoft 365 Business Basic
- Microsoft 365 Business Standard
- Microsoft 365 Business Premium
Previously, these plans capped mailboxes at 50 GB. Now, users get a full 100 GB without paying a single penny more.
The Hidden Cost: Are You Overpaying for Exchange Online Plan 2?
In the past, when a user neared their 50 GB limit, the standard solution was to buy an Exchange Online Plan 2 add-on license. This add-on was the only way to bump a Business user up to 100 GB.
Now that the base plans include 100 GB automatically, those add-on licenses are completely redundant.
Is Your MSP Being Proactive?
Managing licenses is the job of your Managed Service Provider (MSP). However, some providers are slow to audit client accounts. If your MSP has not proactively reached out to remove these duplicate Exchange Plan 2 licenses, you are paying twice for the exact same storage.
Check your latest IT invoice. If you see active “Exchange Online Plan 2” add-ons alongside your Business Basic, Standard, or Premium licenses, challenge your provider immediately. Ask them to remove the add-ons and lower your monthly bill.
How to Check If the 100 GB Limit Is Active
The rollout happens automatically, but you can easily verify if your account has been upgraded.
Method 1: Ask Your IT Admin (Via Microsoft 365 Admin Center)
Your administrator can check the entire company at once:
- Go to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.
- Navigate to Users > Active Users.
- Select a user and click the Mail tab.
- Under Email storage, look at the total allowed capacity. It should now read 100 GB.
Method 2: Check It Yourself (Via New Outlook or Outlook Web)
Every everyday user can check their own mailbox limit in seconds:
- Open Outlook on the web (office.com) or the New Outlook desktop app.
- Click the Gear icon (Settings) in the top right corner.
- Go to General > Storage.
- You will see a visual breakdown of your usage. The maximum cap will clearly display either 50 GB or 100 GB.
Take Action Today
Do not let unneeded subscription costs quietly drain your IT budget.
If you want us to perform a license audit to ensure you are not wasting money, or if you need help checking your storage status, contact our team today. We keep your systems optimized and your bills honest.
For further details about Microsoft pricing changes from 1st July and other improvements check out the Microsoft new capabilities and pricing update here
