Resize, Shrink, Create Partition Using Disk Management on Windows
Managing storage space on a Windows 10 PC does not always require third-party partition software. Windows 10 includes a Disk Management tool that lets you perform several common disk-management tasks, including resizing partitions, extending partitions, shrinking partitions, deleting partitions, and creating new partitions.
Disk Management is particularly useful when you want to organize a hard drive or SSD into separate sections. For example, you may want to create a separate partition for personal files, reduce the size of an existing partition to free up space, or extend a partition after obtaining unallocated space.
However, partition management should be performed carefully. A mistake such as deleting the wrong partition can result in permanent data loss. Before making changes, back up important files and carefully check the drive and partition you are working with.
Resize, Extend Partition, Shrink, Delete Partition using Disk Management Tool
In Windows 10, Disk Management provides several options for changing the way storage space is allocated. Although people often use the word “resize” to describe changing a partition’s size, Windows separates this into two main operations: Extend Volume and Shrink Volume.
Extending a partition increases its size by adding available unallocated space to it. Shrinking a partition reduces its size and creates unallocated space that can be used elsewhere. You can also delete a partition, which changes its space into unallocated space, and you can use that unallocated space to create a new partition.
Before proceeding, open Disk Management by right-clicking the Start button and selecting Disk Management. You can also press Windows + R, type diskmgmt.msc, and press Enter.
How to Extend a Partition
To extend a partition, Disk Management generally requires unallocated space immediately to the right of the partition on the same physical disk. If suitable unallocated space is available, right-click the partition and select Extend Volume. Follow the Extend Volume Wizard to specify how much space you want to add.
If Extend Volume is unavailable or grayed out, the required unallocated space may not be positioned correctly. Disk Management has limitations and cannot freely move existing partitions.
How to Shrink a Partition
Shrinking is useful when a partition has more space than you currently need. Right-click the partition and select Shrink Volume. Windows will check how much space can be safely reduced and then ask you to enter the amount to shrink.
After shrinking, the recovered space appears as Unallocated. You can then use this space to create another partition.
How to Delete a Partition
Deleting a partition removes its volume and converts its space into Unallocated space. To do this, right-click the appropriate partition and choose Delete Volume.
Be extremely careful with this option because deleting a partition can make the files stored on it inaccessible. Do not delete a partition simply because you do not recognize its name. Some partitions are required by Windows for booting, recovery, or system functions.
Create a Partition Using Disk Management on Windows 10
To create a partition in Windows 10 using Disk Management, first open Disk Management, create unallocated space by shrinking an existing partition if necessary, right-click the unallocated space, select New Simple Volume, choose the partition size, assign a drive letter, format the partition using NTFS, and finish the wizard. The new partition will then appear in File Explorer.
Creating a partition is straightforward when you already have unallocated space.
If your disk does not have unallocated space, you can first shrink an existing partition to make some available.
Step 1: Open Disk Management
Start by opening the Windows 10 Disk Management tool. Right-click the Start button in the lower-left corner of your desktop and select Disk Management from the menu.
A new window will appear showing the physical disks connected to your computer and the partitions or volumes stored on them. You may see entries such as Disk 0, Disk 1, and different volumes with drive letters such as C: or D:.
Take a moment to identify the correct disk before making any changes. If your computer has more than one hard drive or SSD, do not assume that Disk 0 is the drive you want to modify.
Step 2: Check for Unallocated Space
Look at the graphical section near the bottom of the Disk Management window. Your existing partitions will be displayed as blocks, while unused space that is available for creating a new partition will be labeled Unallocated.
If you already have enough unallocated space, you can continue to the next step.
If there is no unallocated space, you may need to shrink an existing partition. Make sure the partition you choose has enough free space for the new partition you want to create.
Step 3: Shrink an Existing Partition if Necessary
If you need to create unallocated space, right-click the partition you want to reduce and select Shrink Volume.
Windows will calculate how much the partition can be reduced. A window will then display the current partition size and the amount of space available to shrink.
In Enter the amount of space to shrink in MB, enter the amount you want to remove from the partition. Remember that the value is measured in megabytes (MB).
For example, if you want to free approximately 20 GB, you can enter roughly 20,480 MB. After entering the desired amount, click Shrink.
Windows will reduce the original partition and display the newly created space as Unallocated.
Step 4: Select the Unallocated Space
Now locate the Unallocated section you created. Make sure it is on the correct physical disk and that it contains approximately the amount of space you intended to use.
Right-click the Unallocated area. From the context menu, select New Simple Volume.
This opens the New Simple Volume Wizard, which guides you through the process of creating the new partition.
Step 5: Start the New Simple Volume Wizard
The first screen of the wizard explains that it will help you create a new simple volume.
A simple volume is a partition that uses space from a single physical disk. For a typical Windows 10 computer, this is the option you will normally use when creating a regular storage partition.
Click Next to continue.
Step 6: Choose the Partition Size
The wizard will ask you to specify the volume size.
If you want to use all of the unallocated space for the new partition, leave the default maximum value unchanged. Then click Next.
If you want to divide the unallocated space into multiple partitions, enter a smaller value instead. The remaining unallocated space can later be used to create another partition.
For a beginner, using all available unallocated space is usually the simplest approach when you only need one new partition.
Step 7: Assign a Drive Letter
Windows will ask you to assign a drive letter to the new partition. You may see a letter such as E:, F:, or another available letter.
The C: drive is normally used by Windows, so you should not select it for a new storage partition.
You can keep the drive letter Windows suggests unless you have a specific reason to change it. Click Next after selecting the desired letter.
Step 8: Format the New Partition
The next screen asks how you want to format the new volume. For a normal Windows 10 storage partition, select Format this volume with the following settings.
For the File system, choose NTFS. This is the standard file system for Windows internal storage.
You can leave the Allocation unit size set to Default. You can also enter a descriptive name in the Volume label field, such as Documents, Games, or Personal Files.
Keep Perform a quick format selected unless you have a specific reason to use a different formatting method. Remember that formatting prepares the partition for storing files.
Click Next to continue.
Step 9: Review the Settings
The wizard will display a summary of the choices you made, including the volume size, drive letter, file system, and formatting settings.
Carefully review this information. Make sure you have selected the intended amount of space and that the drive letter and file system are correct.
If everything looks right, click Finish.
Step 10: Check the New Partition in File Explorer
Windows will now create and format the new volume. Once the operation finishes, open File Explorer by pressing Windows + E.
Select This PC from the left side. You should see the new partition listed under Devices and drives with the drive letter you selected.
You can now use it like another storage location for documents, photos, applications, backups, or other files.
Faqs
Can I resize a partition without losing files in Windows 10?
Windows 10 can usually shrink or extend supported volumes without deleting the existing files. However, partition operations always carry some risk, particularly if there is a power failure, hardware problem, or user error. It is strongly recommended to back up important data before modifying partitions.
Why can’t I extend my partition?
The Extend Volume option may be unavailable when there is no suitable unallocated space immediately following the partition. Disk Management cannot move partitions around to rearrange space, so the location of unallocated space matters.
Why can’t I shrink a partition by the amount I want?
Windows may be unable to move certain unmovable files, which can limit how much a partition can be reduced. The amount shown by Disk Management is therefore not always the same as the total amount of free space shown in File Explorer.
Does shrinking a partition delete my files?
Normally, shrinking a supported Windows volume is designed to reduce its size while preserving the existing data. Nevertheless, you should back up important files before shrinking a partition.
What happens when I delete a partition?
Deleting a partition removes its volume information and turns the space into Unallocated space. Files stored on that partition may become inaccessible. Therefore, always verify the partition before selecting Delete Volume.
Can I create a partition without shrinking another partition?
Yes. If your disk already contains enough unallocated space, you can directly right-click that space and select New Simple Volume. You only need to shrink an existing partition when you need to create unallocated space.
Is NTFS the best format for a Windows 10 partition?
For a typical internal Windows storage partition, NTFS is generally the appropriate choice. It is designed for Windows and supports features that are important for normal Windows storage.
Summary
Windows 10’s Disk Management tool provides a convenient way to manage partitions without installing additional software. You can shrink a partition to create unallocated space, extend a partition when suitable unallocated space is available, delete a partition when you no longer need it, and use New Simple Volume to create a new partition.
For beginners, the most important rule is to identify the correct disk and partition before making any changes.
Always back up important files first, and be particularly careful with partitions labeled as System, EFI, Recovery, or other Windows-related partitions.