> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://kb.hostcloud.in/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Fix a full mailbox

> Free up space or increase the storage for an email account that has reached its limit.

Each email account has a storage limit. When a mailbox is full, new emails bounce back to the sender, so it's worth fixing quickly. This guide shows you how.

## Signs your mailbox is full

* People tell you their emails to you bounced, with a message like "mailbox full" or "quota exceeded".
* Your email app shows a storage warning.
* You can't send email, or save sent messages.

## Check your mailbox size

[Log in to cPanel](/cpanel/log-in-to-cpanel.md) and open **Email Accounts**. Each address shows how much space it's using and its limit. To see which folders inside a mailbox are biggest, open **Email Disk Usage**.

## Option 1: Free up space

* **Empty Trash and Spam.** Deleted emails often still use space until these folders are emptied.
* **Delete large emails,** especially old ones with attachments. In [Webmail](/email/use-webmail.md), sort messages by size.
* **Clear old Sent items.**
* **Use Email Disk Usage** in cPanel to delete old messages from a folder in one go, for example everything older than a year.

> [!WARNING]
>
> Deleting emails on the server deletes them everywhere if you use IMAP, including on your phone and computer. Save anything important first.

## Option 2: Increase the mailbox limit

**1. Open Email Accounts**

In cPanel, open **Email Accounts**.

**2. Manage the account**

Click **Manage** next to the email address.

**3. Change the storage**

Under **Storage**, enter a larger amount, or choose unlimited if it's offered. Click **Update Email Settings**.

> [!NOTE]
>
> Mailbox storage comes out of your hosting account's total disk space. If your account itself is full, increasing a mailbox limit won't help. Check your overall usage in [Check disk and resource usage](/cpanel/check-disk-and-resource-usage.md), and [upgrade your plan](/billing/upgrade-downgrade.md) if you need more space.

## Keep it from filling up again

* Archive old emails to your computer once or twice a year.
* Ask people to send large files with a file-sharing link instead of an attachment.

Still stuck? [Open a ticket](/support/open-a-ticket.md) with the email address that's full.


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