Tip: upgrade your existing Microsoft Skydrive account from 7GB to 25GB for free [Limited time]
May 18, 2012 17
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Recently Microsoft unveiled a big change to its online file locker SkyDrive. They changed it from a website that you could upload files to (much like many other file lockers) to a multi-platform synchronization tool like Dropbox.
However, alongside these awesome changes comes a downside: they’re decreasing all SkyDrive accounts to 7GB of free storage, instead of 25GB. (Accounts that already had more than 4GB of space used were not affected.)
Luckily, they mercifully provide a way for anyone who cares to very easily get their 25GB back. (New accounts and accounts of people who have never uploaded a single file unfortunately can not get the 25GB.) However, you’ll have to do it quickly, because it’s a limited time offer and they’ve not announced when it ends.
Requirements
The only thing this offer requires is that you have a Microsoft SkyDrive account and have uploaded a single file at any time in the past.
Instructions
First, visit the Microsoft SkyDrive home page. Chances are, if you haven’t used Windows Live in a while, you’ll not be logged in, so log in using any pre-existing Windows Live/Hotmail/MSN account.
After you log in, you’ll be presented with a screen showing all of your files and a notice telling you to upgrade to 25GB for free:
Either click on the banner’s header or click the small Manage Storage link in the lower left. It’ll bring you to a page where you can either upgrade to the free 25GB or sign up for one of their free plans:
To upgrade to the free 25GB plan, just hit the Free Upgrade button. Like magic, your account will be upgraded to 25GB!
Now, at any time in the future, if you want to use SkyDrive with your existing Microsoft account, you’ll have access to 25GB instead of the new account’s limit of only 7GB.
via Lifehacker
About the author: Locutus View all posts by Locutus
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Hey mate I tried this. this morning at 7am gmt and it wasn’t there, I’ve never used skydrive before although I do have a live account, so not sure why that might be.
@Arbanax: Hmmm, I’ll do a little bit more research. My first thought is that it may only work for those who have at least visited SkyDrive once before.
Hi L…
Thanks for the heads-up. I have just logged in and completed the upgrade.
Not to sure if I’ll ever use all this space as I’m very picky about what I upload to any cloud service.
Love your work…
B
@Arbanax: According to the official MSDN page, only users who have uploaded at least one file can get the free space. Sorry :(
Ok I uploaded a file to see, but not sure if that now permits me to get the upgrade or not, since I might have got in too late. Thanks for checking anyway.
This only works for accounts setup before April 20, 2012. So if you created an account after that you don’t get the upgrade. I had never uploaded a file and it worked for me on my older accounts. Of course they may have changed that since I did the upgrade 2-3 weeks ago.
I am so glad you mentioned this Locutus! I’d totally forgotten I even had a SkyDrive account. So for having had only one picture that was 365kb in it, and sitting unused for years I have now 25GB available.
Thank you so much. Upgraded to 25 gb with no problem.
Most appreciated on ths informative post. I had aslo fortunately uploaded one file in the past and do not even recall doing so. I believe one can never have too much online available storage!
@veronica1:
Idem from BELGIUM.
Bye.
Thanks for this. Worked exactly as described.
With my thanks !
Cheers from Hollande-land
this is all I keep getting.
Thank you for using Windows Live.
To continue, please provide the following information. This information is required to use this Windows Live service.
We respect your privacy and will use this information in accordance with our privacy policy.
Review and accept the Agreements
Clicking I accept means that you agree to the Windows Live service agreement and Privacy Statement.
clicked on accept. then I got this.
There’s a temporary problem
There’s a temporary problem with the service. Please try again. If you continue to get this message, try again later.
very frustrated. this is my third attempt in four hours. thought the servers might be overloaded but after four hours ? what is wrong?
Just made 18GB thanks to my daily DotTech read …thanks!
Thanks for the head’s up!
I had signed up for a SkyDrive account months ago but never got around to uploading anything to it. But since you posted your tip about possibly losing such a large chunk of space in the clouds, I went there and did the free upgrade. Thanks to you, Locutus, as well as all the wonderful dottechies here looking out for us – I now have 25G instead of 7G with little to no effort on my part.
Thanks once again for all your information and tips throughout the year, not to mention the fantastic free software you provide.
still getting error message.
see previous post.
why am i getting this?
can anyone tell me?
@burnt marshmellow: That seems like a problem on Microsoft’s end. However, try clearning your cookies and cache and try again.