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Question

Box Drive space concerns

  • June 2, 2026
  • 1 reply
  • 127 views
G

I have used Box for years, my design team work globally so its perfect to access and collaborate on files. Recently it has caused issues, clearing the cache has been the only option (loging out!).

 

I’m not new to the app, and I’m patient with updates and glitches, but I’m growing concerned at just how much hard drive space the app is using. Yes, we have over 2000 folders shared, but I currently have just two of them stored locally on my machine, this adds up to around 300GB of data in total. I have a 4TB hard drive, with roughly 3.2TB available before installing Box Drive.

So, I’ve just reinstalled the App and logged in, selecting my two folders I start work once they’re downloaded. As you’d expect there’s around 2.9TB available when I finish for the day. The next day during work, I’m alerted of a storage issue. There’s now only 190GB available on my HD and some apps are struggling. I always check where the space is being used and sure enough it is Box Drive, every time.

I then have to save everything, log out of Box and watch my HD creep back up to 3.2TB available, restart, then do the whole process again. How fun.

It is becoming tedious, especially as I’m drawing closer to a client deadline.
Have you had similar problems? is there something i’m missing or need to switch off…?

It’s becoming so regular I’m considering an alternative app.
Help!

1 reply

Rona Box
  • Rona Box
  • Community Manager
  • July 18, 2026

Hi ​@GLDNROB, 

Welcome to Box Community, and we’re glad to assist! 

 

By default, Box Drive utilizes a local cache to stream files on-demand rather than downloading everything. This standard cache is automatically capped at 25 GB (or 50% of your available disk space if you have less than 50 GB free).

However, when you mark folders for offline use, standard cache limits do not apply. Marking folders for offline access instructs Box Drive to download the folders, sub-folders, and all their files directly to your hard drive. Box Drive will allow offline content to fill up your hard drive until you have only 2 GB of free space remaining.

Since your two selected folders contain roughly 300 GB of data in total, they should easily fit on your 4TB drive (with 3.2TB free).

 

 

Here are the things you can do:

  1. Manually Limit the Maximum Cache Size

If you want to strictly limit how much space Box Drive's standard cache can use, you can set a hard limit (we recommend not setting it below 5GB):

  • Windows (via Registry):
    1. Open the Registry Editor (regedit).
    2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Box\Box.
    3. Create a new DWORD value named MaximumCacheSize.
    4. Set the Base to Decimal and enter the limit in GB (e.g., 30 for 30GB).
    5. Restart Box Drive.
  • macOS (via Terminal):
    1. Open Terminal.
    2. Run: defaults write com.box.desktop MaximumCacheSize <Limit_In_GB> (e.g., defaults write com.box.desktop MaximumCacheSize 30).
    3. Restart Box Drive. (Note: If your Mac is running in File Provider Extension (FPE) mode, cache size limits are managed by macOS itself, but setting this can still help restrict temporary download/upload caches).
  1. Revert Folders to "Online-Only"

If you do not absolutely need all 300GB of those two folders offline, right-click them in Finder/File Explorer and set them to Online-only. This keeps them visible for collaboration but frees up the local disk space immediately.

 

Hope it helps! Let us know if you need additional assistance. 

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