Microsoft is preparing to change your Microsoft 365 Family and Premium subscriptionsintroducing new ways of sharing artificial intelligence capabilities and one reduction of cloud space overall available to families.
The most relevant news concerns OneDrive: The maximum limit goes from 6 TB to 2 TB shared among all plan members. In parallel, Copilot features will also be accessible to other members of the subscriptionovercoming the current limitation that reserves the advantages related to artificial intelligence to the main owner.
The changes were communicated by Microsoft to subscribers via email and will be introduced in the coming months. For new customers it is already in force the new archiving model, while for existing subscribers the change will take effect on the first renewal after 2 May 2027. Those who have already paid for their subscription in advance will maintain the current conditions until the current contractual period expires. Microsoft also said it will notify affected users ahead of the transition.
Under the current system, Microsoft 365 Family allows you to share your subscription with up to six people, each with their own OneDrive space of up to 1TB. The new model replaces individual quotas with a single 2TB containerusable by all members of the plan.
Microsoft justifies the choice with greater flexibility in the distribution of space: a family member will be able to use more than 1 TB without being tied to their individual quota, provided that the other members leave sufficient free capacity. The downside is a 6 to 2 TB reduction in maximum available space for the entire group, or about 67%.
The company specifies that sharing space will not result in sharing personal files. Each member will continue to use their own account and their documents will remain private from other members of the membership.
Microsoft has also provided a transition phase for those who exceed the new limit. Affected users will have up to one year to reduce the space occupied to within 2 TB. In the meantime, files already uploaded will remain preserved and normally accessible: There is no immediate automatic deletion of excess content. Alternatively, it will be possible to purchase additional space for a fee.
A support document also notes that some existing subscribers, in eligible markets, may receive temporary bonus space upon renewal following the rollout of the shared system. Microsoft has not yet specified the requirements and affected countries in detail.
The other novelty concerns artificial intelligence. When Microsoft integrated Copilot features into Personal and Family subscriptions last year, AI benefits remained reserved for the primary plan holder. With the new update, Family and Premium subscribers will be able to share Copilot features and usage with up to five other membersas well as access to Office applications and OneDrive space.
It will also be possible to manage access to artificial intelligence features for the younger members of the family. The stated goal is to make AI tools available to all users included in the subscription, rather than concentrating them on just one account.
The system for using advanced features will also change. Microsoft intends to replace the individual limits associated with individual functions with a single availability of use of artificial intelligence, which each subscriber will be able to allocate to the advanced tools they prefer. It will also be possible to purchase additional capacity when the included capacity is not enough.
However, this greater flexibility could have economic consequences for some users. Heavy users of Copilot may run out of included availability more quickly and may need to purchase additional capacity, depending on how they use different features.
The changes come about a year after the launch of Microsoft 365 Premium, a plan which is offered at €22 per month and combines the advantages of Copilot Pro with those of Microsoft 365 Family.
According to the information currently available, No similar changes are planned for Microsoft 365 Single and Basic. For Microsoft 365 Pro instead, a 5 TB shared cloud space is indicated, although the specific conditions depend on the relevant plan.
