A message stating “mailbox full” or “quota exceeded” points to a capacity issue that needs checking. The code 550 alone does not establish that a mailbox is full: it can also accompany an access refusal, an unknown address or an email policy restriction. Keep the complete rejection message before changing settings.
Identify the affected mailbox and service
If your message is rejected by an external recipient’s mailbox, contact that person through another channel. Increasing your own mailbox quota does not free space for the recipient.
If other people cannot send you email, check which address the rejection identifies and where its email is hosted. A website hosted by Nuagerie does not necessarily use cPanel for email. The steps below apply to cPanel mailboxes when the tools are available; another email service has its own settings.
Check both levels of storage
- The mailbox: in Email Accounts, locate the address and compare used storage with its allocation. The Manage button opens the settings, including storage information for that mailbox.
- The hosting account: also check Disk Usage, if available. Mailbox storage and overall account capacity are separate limits. A mailbox can appear below its quota while the hosting account has run out of space.
Free space on your computer or phone does not represent available storage on the server. Increasing a mailbox quota also does not add capacity to the hosting account. If the figures do not explain the rejection, our team can investigate which level is affected.
Adjust the quota when your service allows it
Open cPanel using the access authorized for your hosting service. Our mailbox management guide introduces the common functions.
- In Email Accounts, click Manage beside the correct address.
- Under Storage, compare Current Storage Use with Allocated Storage Space.
- If the setting is editable and the account has sufficient capacity, choose an allocation suited to your needs within your service limits. Check the unit displayed.
- Save with Update Email Settings, then check the saved value.
An “Unlimited” option does not mean that the hosting account has unlimited physical storage. If the setting is missing, capped or the overall account is full, ask us which options fit before changing your plan or deleting data.
Free space without losing useful messages
Start by identifying large folders and messages you can safely remove. Sent messages and custom folders are worth checking too. Preserve important email in a separate, verified copy before deleting anything; confirm that the messages and their attachments are accessible in that copy.
With IMAP, deleting a message in one application can synchronize the deletion to the server and other devices. An “Archive” folder still synchronized on the same server is not an independent backup and may continue using storage.
Delete only selected items after reviewing them. Email Disk Usage, when available, lets you examine folders and remove messages; its Delete Permanently action is final. Do not use bulk deletion as a test or delete the mailbox itself to resolve a quota issue.
Whether Trash counts toward a mailbox quota depends on configuration. Emptying it therefore does not guarantee that the displayed problem will be resolved. Usage figures can also take time to reflect changes. If the numbers remain inconsistent, request a check instead of manipulating mail-storage files.
Confirm that incoming mail works again
After the correction, have someone send a small test message from another address and check that it arrives, including in webmail. A message already returned to its sender is not necessarily sent again automatically: request a resend after confirming that the mailbox can receive email again.
If the problem continues, consult our email troubleshooting guide and open or update a request in your Nuagerie Client Area. Privately provide the exact rejection, affected address, time with time zone, storage figures and checks already performed. Our email headers guide can help if that information is requested.
Remove passwords, tokens and information unrelated to the incident. If your retention needs keep growing, tell us about your usage: we can discuss suitable storage and email options with you.
