MEGA’s “Transfer quota exceeded” error means you’ve hit your bandwidth limit for the current period. Unlike storage limits, this is about how much data you’ve downloaded or transferred, not how much you’re storing. Here’s how it works and your options.
How MEGA’s transfer quota works
Free MEGA accounts have a transfer quota – a cap on how much data can be transferred (downloaded) within a rolling time window. MEGA doesn’t publicly state exact limits, but free accounts typically get around 5GB of transfer per day, resetting after approximately 6 hours once the quota is exhausted.
The quota applies to:
- Downloading files from your MEGA account
- Downloading files via shared MEGA links
- Streaming files from MEGA
It does not affect uploading – uploading files to your own MEGA account doesn’t count against the download quota.
Why it happens
Downloading large files, downloading many files in succession, or accessing large shared folders triggers the limit quickly. Even if you’re only downloading files you own, the transfer quota applies.
Options when you hit the limit
Wait it out: MEGA’s free quota resets on a rolling basis. The error message sometimes shows how long until the quota resets – typically 6 hours. If the transfer isn’t urgent, waiting is free.
Use the MEGA desktop app: The MEGA desktop sync client sometimes uses a different quota allocation than the browser. If you hit the quota via browser download, trying the desktop app occasionally works.
Change your IP address: MEGA tracks quota by IP address. Connecting via a VPN gives you a different IP and a fresh quota. This is a workaround that MEGA doesn’t officially support, but it’s widely used.
Upgrade to MEGA Pro: Paid plans have significantly higher transfer quotas (Pro Lite: 1TB/month, Pro I: 2TB/month, Pro II: 4TB/month, Pro III: 8TB/month). If you regularly hit the limit, a paid plan may be worth it.
Use a MEGA browser extension: The MEGA browser extension sometimes provides additional quota or handles downloads more efficiently than the standard web interface.
For shared link recipients
If you’re trying to download someone else’s shared MEGA files and hit the quota, the same options apply. The quota is tracked against your IP regardless of who owns the files.