Quota Exceeded (Mailbox for User Is Full): Meaning and Fix
In short: “Quota exceeded (mailbox for user is full)” means the recipient’s mailbox is full, so your message bounced. The recipient must delete old messages or increase their quota. If you see it for mail sent to you, empty your own mailbox. “Account is full (quota exceeded)” means the same.
| Message / code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Quota exceeded (mailbox for user is full) | Recipient’s mailbox is full |
| 452 4.2.2 over quota | Temporary – the server retries |
| 552 5.2.2 mailbox full | Permanent – message returned |
How to free up space
- Delete old and large messages in webmail and empty Trash and Spam.
- With IMAP, archive old mail to a local .pst file in Outlook.
- With POP3, let Outlook download messages and remove them from the server after 14 days.
- Increase the quota or use an e-mail backup service.
Frequently asked questions
What does quota exceeded mean?
The mailbox storage limit has been reached; new messages are rejected and bounce.
How do I fix mailbox for user is full?
The recipient must delete messages, empty Trash/Spam or increase the quota.
What does account is full (quota exceeded) mean?
The e-mail account’s storage is full and it cannot receive new messages.
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