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Outlook Sync Limit: Why You Can't Download More Than 4GB at Once



How to Fix Outlook Only Download 4GB at a Time Issue




If you use Outlook as your email client, you might have encountered a problem where Outlook only downloads 4GB of mail at a time. This means that you cannot see all of your mail in your inbox, especially if you have a large folder or a long history of emails. This can be frustrating and inconvenient, especially if you need to access some important or old emails that are not downloaded.




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Why does this happen? The reason is that Outlook has a default setting that determines how much mail will be downloaded to your local machine, based on your disk size. This setting is meant to save space on your hard disk and prevent it from being filled up with unnecessary or large files. However, this setting also has a limit of 4GB, which means that if your folder size is above 4GB, Outlook will not download more than that amount.


When does this happen? This issue usually occurs when you synchronize your Exchange mailbox to an offline folder file (.ost) for the first time, or when you create a new Outlook profile. It can also happen if you have a large amount of mail in your inbox or other folders, or if you receive many attachments or images in your emails.


How can you fix it? There are several possible solutions that you can try to fix this issue and download more mail in Outlook. In this article, we will show you three of them:


  • Change the Outlook download settings



  • Increase the Outlook storage limit



  • Repair the Outlook data files



Let's take a look at each solution in detail.


Solution 1: Change the Outlook Download Settings




The first solution is to change the Outlook download settings and choose how much mail you want to download to your computer. You can do this by following these steps:


  • Open Outlook and go to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings.



  • Click Automatic Download and uncheck the box that says Don't download pictures automatically in HTML e-mail messages or RSS items.



  • Click OK twice to save the changes.



  • Go back to File > Account Settings > Account Settings.



  • Select your email account and click Change.



  • Click More Settings and go to the Advanced tab.



  • Under Cached Exchange Mode Settings, click Cached Exchange Mode and then select how much mail you want to keep offline from the drop-down menu. You can choose from one month, three months, six months, 12 months, two years, or all.Click OK and then Next to finish the setup.



  • Restart Outlook and wait for the synchronization to complete.



This solution will allow you to download more mail in Outlook, depending on the option you choose. However, it also has some drawbacks. For example, it will take more time and bandwidth to synchronize your mailbox, and it will use more disk space on your computer. Also, if you choose to download all mail, you might still encounter the 4GB limit if your folder size exceeds that amount.


Solution 2: Increase the Outlook Storage Limit




The second solution is to increase the Outlook storage limit and allow more mail to be stored in your offline folder file (.ost). You can do this by following these steps:


  • Open Outlook and go to File > Info > Tools > Mailbox Cleanup.



  • Click View Mailbox Size and check how much space is used by your mailbox and your offline folder file (.ost).



  • If your mailbox size is close to or above the storage limit, you have two options:



  • Upgrade to a Microsoft 365 subscription that offers more storage space. You can compare the different plans and prices here.



  • Delete some unwanted emails and attachments from your mailbox. You can use the Find items older than or Find items larger than options to locate them. You can also use the AutoArchive or Clean Up features to move or delete old or redundant messages.



  • If your offline folder file (.ost) size is close to or above the 4GB limit, you can try to compact it by clicking Compact Now. This will remove any empty space in the file and reduce its size.



  • Click OK and close the Mailbox Cleanup window.



  • Restart Outlook and check if the issue is resolved.



This solution will help you increase the Outlook storage limit and store more mail in your offline folder file (.ost). However, it also has some drawbacks. For example, upgrading to a Microsoft 365 subscription will cost you money, and deleting emails and attachments might cause you to lose some important or useful information. Also, compacting the offline folder file (.ost) might not reduce its size significantly if there is not much empty space in it.


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Solution 3: Repair the Outlook Data Files




The third solution is to repair the Outlook data files (.pst and .ost) and fix any errors or corruption that might prevent them from downloading more mail. You can do this by using the Inbox Repair tool (SCANPST.EXE) that is included with Outlook. You can follow these steps:


  • Close Outlook and locate the Inbox Repair tool (SCANPST.EXE) on your computer. The location of the tool depends on your version of Outlook and Windows. You can find a list of possible locations here.



  • Double-click the Inbox Repair tool (SCANPST.EXE) to open it.



  • Browse to the location of your Outlook data files (.pst and .ost) and select them. You can find a list of possible locations here.



  • Click Start to scan the files for errors.



  • If errors are found, click Repair to fix them. You might need to repeat this process several times until no errors are found.



  • Close the Inbox Repair tool (SCANPST.EXE) and open Outlook.



  • Synchronize your mailbox and check if the issue is resolved.



This solution will help you repair the Outlook data files (.pst and .ost) and download more mail in Outlook. However, it also has some drawbacks. For example, scanning and repairing the files might take a long time, depending on their size and number of errors. Also, repairing the files might cause some data loss or damage, so it is recommended to back up your files before using this solution.


Conclusion




In this article, we have shown you how to fix Outlook only download 4GB at a time issue by using three possible solutions:


  • Change the Outlook download settings



  • Increase the Outlook storage limit</li Repair the Outlook data files



Each solution has its own advantages and disadvantages, so you can choose the one that suits your needs and preferences. However, before you try any of these solutions, make sure to back up your Outlook data files (.pst and .ost) to avoid any data loss or damage.


We hope that this article has helped you solve the Outlook only download 4GB at a time issue and download more mail in Outlook. If you have any feedback or questions, please feel free to leave a comment below. We would love to hear from you!


FAQs




Here are some frequently asked questions related to the topic:


Q: How can I check the size of my Outlook data files (.pst and .ost)?




A: You can check the size of your Outlook data files (.pst and .ost) by following these steps:


  • Open Outlook and go to File > Info > Tools > Mailbox Cleanup.



  • Click View Mailbox Size and check the size of your mailbox and your offline folder file (.ost) under the Local Data tab.



  • Click View Data Files and check the size of your personal folders file (.pst) under the Data Files tab.



  • Click OK and close the Mailbox Cleanup window.



Q: How can I reduce the size of my Outlook data files (.pst and .ost)?




A: You can reduce the size of your Outlook data files (.pst and .ost) by following these steps:


  • Delete some unwanted emails and attachments from your mailbox. You can use the Find items older than or Find items larger than options to locate them. You can also use the AutoArchive or Clean Up features to move or delete old or redundant messages.



  • Compact your offline folder file (.ost) by clicking Compact Now. This will remove any empty space in the file and reduce its size.Compact your personal folders file (.pst) by clicking Compact Now. This will remove any empty space in the file and reduce its size.



  • Restart Outlook and check the size of your Outlook data files (.pst and .ost) again.



Q: How can I backup my Outlook data files (.pst and .ost)?




A: You can backup your Outlook data files (.pst and .ost) by following these steps:


  • Close Outlook and locate your Outlook data files (.pst and .ost) on your computer. You can find a list of possible locations here.



  • Copy the files to a safe location, such as an external hard drive, a USB flash drive, or a cloud storage service.



  • Keep the backup files updated regularly, especially before you try any solutions that might cause data loss or damage.



Q: How can I restore my Outlook data files (.pst and .ost) from a backup?




A: You can restore your Outlook data files (.pst and .ost) from a backup by following these steps:


  • Close Outlook and locate your backup files on your safe location.



  • Copy the files to the original location of your Outlook data files (.pst and .ost) on your computer. You can find a list of possible locations here.



  • If you are prompted to overwrite the existing files, click Yes.



  • Open Outlook and check if your mail is restored.



Q: How can I contact Microsoft support for more help?




A: You can contact Microsoft support for more help by following these steps:


  • Open Outlook and go to File > Support > Contact Support.



  • Type your question or issue in the search box and click Get Help.You will see a list of suggested articles or topics that might answer your question or issue. You can click on them to view more details.



  • If none of the suggestions are helpful, you can click Talk to a person and choose how you want to contact Microsoft support. You can chat online, schedule a call, or request a call back.



  • Follow the instructions on the screen and provide the necessary information to get help from Microsoft support.



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