What does the Gmail error '452 4.2.2 The email account that you tried to reach is over quota' mean, and how should I handle it?
Michael Ko
Co-founder & CEO, Suped
Published 28 Apr 2025
Updated 17 Aug 2025
6 min read
When sending emails, encountering bounce messages is a common part of the process. One specific message that senders often see, particularly with Gmail accounts, is "452 4.2.2 The email account that you tried to reach is over quota." This error indicates a temporary problem, classifying it as a soft bounce. Understanding this error and how to manage it is important for maintaining effective email campaigns and a strong sender reputation.
A soft bounce, by definition, suggests a transient issue that might resolve itself with time. However, a significant increase in these soft bounces, even if emails eventually get delivered after retries, warrants attention. It can hint at underlying issues with your list hygiene or a broader problem with recipient mailbox management that could indirectly impact your deliverability rates.
Understanding the 452 4.2.2 error
The 452 4.2.2 error explicitly means the recipient's Gmail mailbox has reached its storage limit. Each Google account, whether it's a personal Gmail account or a Google Workspace account, comes with a set amount of free storage, typically 15 GB, shared across Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos. When a user exceeds this quota, their account can no longer receive new emails until space is freed up.
Example Gmail over quota error message
452 4.2.2 The email account that you tried to reach is over quota. Please direct the recipient to https://support.google.com/mail/?p=OverQuotaTemp
This error is distinct from a hard bounce, which indicates a permanent delivery failure, like an invalid email address. A 452 4.2.2 error is temporary. Gmail's server tells the sending server, "I can't accept this email right now because the mailbox is full, but try again later." The sending server will typically retry delivery for a certain period, usually 24 to 72 hours, before converting it into a hard bounce.
It's important to remember that this issue is on the recipient's end, not yours. It means the recipient has too much data stored in their Gmail account, preventing new messages from being delivered. This could be due to a large volume of emails, extensive use of Google Drive, or many photos in Google Photos.
Impact on your email deliverability and sender reputation
Generally, a soft bounce like 452 4.2.2 doesn't directly harm your sender reputation as long as it remains a soft bounce. Mailbox full errors are usually seen as temporary recipient-side issues. However, if these temporary failures persist and eventually convert into hard bounces, it can start to impact your sender score negatively.
Consistent attempts to send to a perpetually full mailbox might also lead to your sending IP or domain being temporarily blocklisted (or blacklisted) by Gmail if their systems detect what appears to be an unresponsive or poorly managed list. While this specific error is less likely to trigger a major blocklist entry, a high volume of any repeated soft bounces could raise red flags about the quality of your email list.
Importance of managing over quota bounces
Reputation protection: Too many continuous soft bounces can indicate a lack of list hygiene and potentially degrade your sender reputation.
Resource waste: Each retry consumes sending resources and can slow down your email delivery for other, valid recipients.
Data accuracy: High bounce rates, even soft ones, suggest a portion of your list isn't engaged or actively managing their inbox.
The key is to differentiate between an occasional, temporary issue and a persistent pattern that indicates an inactive or problematic recipient. When Gmail flags a mailbox as over quota, it's essentially saying, the recipient needs to clear space, but they might do it soon. This is why understanding the nuances of how Gmail handles these over quota bounces is crucial.
Strategies for handling over quota bounces
While 452 4.2.2 is a soft bounce, simply continuing to retry indefinitely isn't ideal. Most Email Service Providers (ESPs) have built-in retry mechanisms, but you should also implement your own suppression rules for these types of errors. The goal is to avoid wasting resources on undeliverable emails while giving the recipient a chance to clear their inbox.
A common strategy is to temporarily suppress (or pause sending to) these addresses for a few days, say three to seven days. If the email bounces again with the same error code after this temporary suppression period, it's wise to consider permanently removing them from your active mailing list. This indicates the recipient is unlikely to clear their mailbox, and continued attempts could eventually damage your sender reputation.
Default retry approach
When encountering a 452 4.2.2 soft bounce, many systems will automatically retry delivery at increasing intervals. If the mailbox remains full, the email will eventually convert to a hard bounce and be permanently removed. This is often an automatic process handled by your EmailServiceProvider (ESP).
Recommended handling approach
Temporary suppression: Implement a 3-7 day temporary suppression for email addresses returning a 452 4.2.2 bounce.
Retry after delay: After the suppression period, attempt to send to the address again.
This structured approach helps manage your resources efficiently and preserves your sender reputation by not repeatedly hitting a closed door. By setting clear rules for how these bounces are treated, you can minimize their impact on your email program.
Proactive measures to minimize over quota bounces
The best way to minimize over quota bounces is to maintain a healthy and engaged email list. Regularly cleaning your list ensures you are only sending to recipients who want to receive your emails and whose mailboxes are active.
Implementing strong opt-in practices, such as double opt-in, ensures that your subscribers are genuinely interested in your content and more likely to manage their inboxes. This reduces the chances of them neglecting their email accounts to the point of being over quota. Pay close attention to engagement metrics: subscribers who haven't opened or clicked your emails in a long time are more likely to have abandoned or full mailboxes.
Measure
Action to take
Impact
List hygiene
Regularly remove inactive subscribers, especially those consistently bouncing.
Reduces wasted sending resources and improves overall list quality.
Engagement monitoring
Segment or suppress non-engagers who are more prone to full mailboxes.
Keeps your list active and focused on deliverable addresses.
Bounce monitoring
Actively track bounce codes and patterns to identify potential issues early.
Allows for quick adjustments to suppression rules and list management.
While you cannot force a recipient to clear their Gmail mailbox, these proactive measures ensure your sending practices are optimized for deliverability and that your list remains high quality, minimizing the impact of these temporary over quota errors.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Regularly audit your email lists for inactive subscribers and those consistently returning soft bounces.
Implement a tiered suppression strategy: temporary for initial soft bounces, then permanent if issues persist.
Common pitfalls
Ignoring 452 4.2.2 errors, assuming they always self-resolve, and endlessly retrying delivery.
Failing to differentiate between temporary (soft) and permanent (hard) bounce codes in your system.
Expert tips
Use email validation services periodically to clean your list and identify problematic addresses before sending.
Monitor Google Postmaster Tools for any unusual patterns in your bounce rates or reputation metrics.
Marketer view
A marketer from Email Geeks says they noticed a significant increase in 452 4.2.2 soft bounces since late August, which was unusual for their normal rates, despite good hygiene practices.
2023-09-05 - Email Geeks
Expert view
An expert from Email Geeks clarified that this error means the recipient's mailbox is full or they've reached their Google storage quota, indicating it's an issue on their end.
2023-09-05 - Email Geeks
Managing full mailboxes for improved deliverability
The Gmail error "452 4.2.2 The email account that you tried to reach is over quota" is a temporary bounce indicating a recipient's mailbox is full. While not immediately damaging to your sender reputation, a high volume of these soft bounces can signal underlying list quality issues and inefficient sending practices.
By understanding the nature of this error and implementing strategic suppression rules and proactive list hygiene, you can effectively manage these bounces. This ensures your email campaigns remain efficient and your sender reputation stays strong, ultimately improving your overall email deliverability.
Google account, whether it's a personal Gmail account or a Google Workspace account, comes with a set amount of free storage, typically 15 GB, shared across Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos. When a user exceeds this quota, their account can no longer receive new emails until space is freed up.
Gmail account, preventing new messages from being delivered. This could be due to a large volume of emails, extensive use of Google Drive, or many photos in Google Photos.
