University OneDrive is an excellent space for university work. Personal files are better kept in a private account, so they remain available even if you no longer have access to your University OneDrive.

Here’s why separating them makes sense:

You won't have lifelong access
University accounts are closed when you leave. Personal files stored in University OneDrive may no longer be accessible once your employment ends.

Personal services should not rely on a work account
Using a University email for personal services (e.g. banking, subscriptions, personal cloud storage, Google Scholar) risks losing access when the account is deactivated. A personal email ensures continuity.

Better security for everyone
Keeping personal and work files separate reduces risk. University data must stay on University systems, and personal data is safer when managed under your own accounts and passwords.

Access for family in the event of bereavement
During a time of loss, navigating administrative requirements can be challenging. Because of the legal and privacy protections surrounding University accounts, they may not be easily accessible to family members. We encourage staff to store personal files in private accounts, as these are much more likely to remain accessible to your loved ones in the future.

What we recommend
Use a personal cloud storage account for non‑work files. Most providers offer free and paid options, allowing you to choose what works best for you.

If this presents a disproportionate cost challenge, please contact the IT Service Desk for advice.

Note: IT Service Desk cannot assist with managing or migrating data in personal (non‑University) accounts.

Use OneDrive’s built-in tools to help find where space is used. These tools may take some time to update after you delete items (changes can take several hours to and up to a day to appear), so don’t be alarmed if your usage doesn’t fall immediately, check again later.

1. Remove your largest files
   Old video recordings, PowerPoint presentations, and photos often take up a lot of storage. Use the link below to view your largest files across your account. Select the files you no longer need, right-click, and select Delete

View Largest Files

2. Review files you've shared
   Check files listed as "Shared by you". Confirm they are still required and stored in the best location. Team or collaborative files may be better placed in a Teams or SharePoint site rather than "My files".
   Review "Shared by you"
3. Check where space is being used (optional)
   This more advanced view helps you spot large folders quickly. Open OneDrive settings, then select Storage Metrics, open Documentsand sort folders by Size or Date.
   Note: Files can't be deleted from this screen.
4. Empty your Recycle Bin
   This is the final step to release storage space. Once you follow the link to your Recycle Bin, select "Empty recycle bin" at the top of the page.

Open your Recycle Bin

Your data is protected by a three-stage safety net. Deleting a file does not mean it is gone for ever; it simply moves through the following stages:

Stage 1: The Recycle Bin – When you delete a file, it stays here first. Files in this bin still count towards your storage quota. To free up your space, follow the link to your Recycle Bin and select Empty recycle bin. If you need to restore a file instead, simply select it and click Restore at the top of the page. Open your Recycle Bin

Stage 2: The Second-Stage Recycle Bin – When you empty your main Recycle Bin, files move here. Files here are no longer taking up your storage space. You can still recover files from here by selecting them and clicking Restore at the top of the page. They remain recoverable for the remainder of the 93-day retention period. Open the Second-Stage Recycle Bin

Final Protection – Never empty or delete items from the Second-Stage Bin. It does not free up any additional storage space and it means the file is gone for ever. After a total of 93 days across both bins, the file is permanently removed.

Moving files from your personal OneDrive into a shared space such as Microsoft Teams or SharePoint can help reduce your individual storage usage while ensuring important University work remains accessible.

This approach is most effective when used thoughtfully. While files moved to shared spaces no longer count against your personal quota, they still consume University storage overall. Files should only be moved if they provide ongoing value to the University.

For Microsoft guidance on sharing files in Teams, review the Teams guide.

For Microsoft guidance on sharing files in SharePoint, review the SharePoint guide.

When shared spaces are the right choice
Shared locations are recommended for files that support:

• Team collaboration
  Allowing multiple people or departments to access, edit, and manage the same files together.
• A single source of truth
  Reducing duplication and version confusion by maintaining one authoritative copy.
• Business continuity
  Ensuring work remains accessible if a staff member changes role or leaves the University.
• Automatic access management
  Permissions are managed through Team or site membership, so access is updated automatically as people join or leave.

Group Workspaces
Please note that Group Workspaces are being decommissioned and are not suitable for long‑term storage.

Sending attachments by email creates multiple copies of the same file across the University. Each copy consumes storage and increases the risk of version confusion.

For example, emailing a 10MB attachment to ten people results in 100MB of duplicated data.

Why sharing links is better

• Less storage usage
  A single file stored in OneDrive, Teams, or SharePoint replaces dozens of duplicate attachments.
• Improved version control
  Everyone works from the same file, eliminating uncertainty about which version is current.
• Stronger security
  Access to a shared file can be changed or revoked at any time. Email attachments cannot be recalled once sent.
• Less work for colleagues
  Recipients do not need to store, manage, or delete duplicate copies in their own accounts.

For Microsoft guidance on attaching files in Outlook, review the Outlook guide.

The University is introducing automated retention policies to support compliance and manage storage more effectively. Adopting these practices now will reduce the need for manual cleanup in the future.

Default retention period
New University accounts are created with a default 8‑year retention policy. This policy is being rolled out to existing accounts, but you can apply it manually now if it is not yet visible.

Retention policies preserve email for compliance purposes while automatically removing it once the retention period ends.

Customising retention
You can apply different retention periods to folders or individual emails, depending on their importance.

Apply to a folder
Right‑click the folder, select Assign policy, then choose the appropriate retention period.

Apply to an email
Right‑click the message, select Advanced actions, then choose Assign policy.

Technical note
If these options are not available in the Outlook desktop application, use Outlook on the Web, where full retention controls are always available.

For Microsoft guidance on applying retention labels in Outlook, review the Outlook retention labels guide.

Some roles and research activities require substantially more storage than the standard allocation. If your work involves very large volumes of data (for example, datasets exceeding 1TB), additional guidance applies.

Current guidance for high‑volume storage
Microsoft OneDrive remains the primary storage location for University data. Before requesting additional capacity, you must ensure your account is being used efficiently.

• Complete digital housekeeping
  Follow the housekeeping steps above to remove redundant, obsolete, or temporary files.
• Review shared content
  Move collaborative or team‑owned files into Microsoft Teams or SharePoint where appropriate.
• Request a storage increase
  If additional space is still required for University work, please request a storage increase by completing the Storage Quota Request form.

Future storage options
The University is actively exploring alternative solutions for very large datasets, such as local Network Attached Storage (NAS), which may be more suitable where collaboration features are not required.

High‑storage users will be contacted directly when these options become available. Until then, please continue to use OneDrive as the primary location for work‑related data.