If you are using Carbonite, you may encounter a “Storage Limit Reached” warning. This occurs when the amount of data you are backing up exceeds the storage capacity allocated in your plan. Once this limit is reached, new backups cannot complete until you free up space or upgrade your plan.
Understanding the causes and solutions ensures your critical data continues to be backed up without interruptions.
Common Causes of Storage Limit Errors
Plan Storage Capacity Reached
Every Carbonite plan has a defined storage limit; exceeding it triggers this error.
Large Backup Files
Uploading large media files, database files, or system backups can quickly consume storage.
Multiple Devices Backing Up to Same Account
If several devices share one Carbonite account, combined backups may exceed total plan storage.
Old or Redundant Backups
Files that are no longer needed may still occupy cloud storage.
Failed Cleanup or Deleted Files Not Removed from Cloud
Files removed locally may not yet have been purged from Carbonite cloud storage.
Step-by-Step Solutions for Storage Limit Issues
1️⃣ Check Storage Usage
Log in to your Carbonite account → Account Dashboard → Storage Usage
Identify which files or devices are consuming the most space.
2️⃣ Delete Unnecessary Backups
Remove old or redundant files from the cloud to free storage.
Prioritize deleting temporary or non-critical data.
3️⃣ Exclude Large Non-Essential Files
Use Carbonite settings to exclude large files or folders that do not require backup.
This helps optimize storage usage and prevents hitting limits prematurely.
4️⃣ Upgrade Your Plan
If your current storage is consistently exceeded, consider upgrading to a plan with higher storage limits.
Ensure the new plan is recognized in your account after upgrade.
5️⃣ Spread Backups Across Devices or Drives
Consider backing up non-critical or large files to external drives instead of cloud storage.
Manage which folders are prioritized for cloud backup.
6️⃣ Ensure Deleted Files Are Purged
Verify that files deleted locally are removed from the cloud after Carbonite syncs.
If deleted files still occupy cloud storage, contact support for manual cleanup.
7️⃣ Monitor Future Usage
Regularly check storage usage in your account dashboard.
Schedule large backups during off-peak hours to avoid overloading storage.
8️⃣ Contact Carbonite Support
If storage usage seems inaccurate or files are stuck in the cloud:
Provide account email and plan details.
Include a list of large files or affected devices.
Support can assist with storage reconciliation and resolving stuck or orphaned files.
Business Users: Storage Limit Considerations
Track storage usage across multiple endpoints.
Enforce data retention policies to delete old backups systematically.
Consider higher-tier plans for businesses with large file volumes.
Coordinate backup scheduling to optimize storage and avoid hitting limits unexpectedly.
Tips to Prevent Storage Limit Errors
Exclude non-critical and temporary files from backups.
Regularly delete unnecessary files or old versions in the cloud.
Monitor usage via account dashboard.
Upgrade storage proactively if you handle large data volumes.
Organize backups by device or folder to control storage consumption.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Why does Carbonite say my storage is full?
You’ve reached the maximum cloud storage allowed by your subscription plan.
Q2: Can I continue backing up after hitting the limit?
No, backups will pause until you free storage or upgrade your plan.
Q3: How do I free up cloud storage?
Delete unnecessary backups, remove redundant files, and ensure deleted files are purged from the cloud.
Q4: Can multiple devices share storage?
Yes, but combined backups count toward your plan’s total storage.
Final Thoughts
Storage limits in Carbonite occur when your backed-up data exceeds your plan’s capacity. By checking storage usage, deleting unnecessary files, excluding non-critical data, upgrading plans, and monitoring future usage, you can ensure uninterrupted backups and restore operations.
For businesses, careful monitoring and storage management across multiple devices are key to preventing storage-related interruptions.