'Extend Volume Greyed Out'? Easy Tips to Extend Volume

"Hello, I want to extend the size of my C drive, but the system won't let me. The 'Extend Volume' option is grayed out and I can't select it."

This is a genuine user scenario from the Microsoft Community. Are you encountering the issue where the Extend Volume option is disabled when attempting to increase the C drive or other partition space on Windows 11/10? On this page, we will delve into the reasons why the Extend Volume option is grayed out and provide solutions to fix the "cannot extend volume" error on Windows 11/10/8/7, as well as Windows Server systems.

"Your Most Reliable Tool for Fixing 'C Drive Extend Volume Greyed Out'"

To assist you in resolving the "Extend Volume Greyed Out" error and successfully increase partition size, we recommend trying a reliable volume extension tool, such as tools Partition Master Professional.

Its Resize/Move and Allocate Space feature will effectively fix all the issues, helping you effectively extend volume on Windows 11/10/8/7.

?Read Also: Fix Unable to Extend C Drive

Situation 1: No Unallocated Space

When your hard disk has no unallocated space, you cannot extend a volume. You can either use Disk Management or use tools like Partition Master for assistance.

You can follow either way to enlarge your target partition on Windows 11/10/8/7 now.

#1. Utilizing the tool Partition Master

With the Allocate Space feature of AOMEI Partition Assistant, you can easily move free space from other partitions to extend the target volume flexibly.

Step 1. Right-click on the D: partition with sufficient free space and choose "Allocate Space".

Step 2. Select the target partition - C: drive and drag the partition panel rightward to add the free space from D: drive to C: drive. Then click "OK" to confirm.

Step 3. Click the "Execute Task" button and hit "Apply" to commence the process of moving free space from Drive D: to Drive C:.

#2. Create Unallocated Space and Extend Volume using Disk Management

Hey, just to let you know, if you can't extend the C drive, you can also enable the "Extend Volume" feature for the system partition using the same steps outlined below.

< strong >Step 1. Create Free or Unallocated Space behind the Target Volume< / strong >

If there is no free or unallocated space on the computer drive, you must first delete an empty or unnecessary partition (excluding the recovery partition) or shrink a partition to create free/unallocated space adjacent to the target volume.

1. Press the Windows + X keys and click "Disk Management." 2. Right-click an empty partition next to the target volume and select "Delete Volume." Click "OK."

Delete the volume to free up space

Here are the translations for the given text fragments into English:
• 3. You can also right-click a neighboring partition with enough free space and select "Shrink volume."
• 4. Specify the amount of space you want to shrink. Click "Shrink" and then "OK" to confirm.

Resize the partition to free up space

Now you can follow the steps below to resize a hard drive partition without encountering the "can't extend volume" error.

**Step 2. Enable Extend Volume, Increase Partition Size**

1. In Disk Management, right-click the target partition that you wish to extend. 2. Select "Extend Volume" and adjust the size you want to add to the target volume. 3. Click "OK" to confirm.

Situation 2: No Adjacent Unallocated Space In this situation, there is no unallocated space adjacent to the volume you want to extend. This means that the partition cannot be expanded directly. To solve this issue, you'll need to adjust the existing partitions to create room for the extension. Here's how: 1. **Shrink an Existing Partition**: First, identify a partition that has enough free space and is located next to the partition you want to extend. Right-click on it and select "Resize/Move Volume." 2. **Create Unallocated Space**: Drag the partition handle left or right to shrink it, creating unallocated space. Make sure the unallocated space is adjacent to the target partition. 3. **Extend the Target Volume**: Now, right-click on the partition you want to extend and choose "Resize/Move Volume." Drag the partition handle to expand it into the newly created unallocated space. 4. **Apply Changes**: Click "OK" or "Apply" to execute the changes. The process may take some time, so avoid using the computer during this period. Remember that resizing partitions can potentially lead to data loss. Always backup your important files before making any changes.

If you have unallocated space on your disk but it's not adjacent to your target volume, the Extend Volume option will appear grayed out in Disk Management. You can utilize tools like Partition Master to extend the system partition with its Resize/Move function.

Step 1. Locate the Target Partition.

Go to Partition Manager and locate the target partition, then select “Resize/Move”.

Step 2. Extend the Target Partition.

Slide the partition panel rightwards or leftwards to add the unallocated space into your current partition, and then click "OK" to confirm.

Additional Option: Get Space from Another Drive

If there isn't enough unallocated space on your disk, right-click on a large partition with enough free space and select "Allocate Space".

Then select the target partition that you want to extend at the Allocate space to column.

Drag the dots of the target partition into the unallocated space and click “OK”.

Click the “Execute Task” button and then click “Apply” to save all the changes.

Scenario 3: When Partition Is FAT or Other Format

Due to limitations in Windows, you cannot directly use Disk Management to extend partitions formatted with FAT, exFAT, or EXT file systems. Here, you have two options to resolve this issue:

Here are the translations of the languages you provided in English: 1. #1. Extend FAT or Other Format Partition Using tools Partition Master

Alright, here's the translation in American English: "With the tool Partition Master, it breaks through the limitations of Windows PC, allowing you to easily expand the target partition following the steps in Method 1 or Method 2."

1. #2. Convert FAT to NTFS and Extend Partition in Disk Management

To convert a FAT partition to NTFS, you would need to format or delete the partition, resulting in data loss. Therefore, we do not recommend attempting this method; it is time-consuming and carries risks.

Situation 4. Having Space on Extended Partition or Vice Versa

Windows also doesn't allow you to extend a primary partition with unallocated space in an extended partition, so it is to extend a logical partition with space in a primary partition.

Thus, to solve the problem and extend a volume, you'll need to turn to third-party partition management software for help. Tools like MiniTool Partition Wizard can help.

< strong > Video Tutorial: Extend and Partition Hard Drive < /strong >

The following video tutorial demonstrates how to partition a hard drive on Windows 10, and you can also learn how to extend a volume within the video:

Scenario 5: When an MBR Partition Reaches 2 TB Limit

This is a rare instance but can happen sometimes with an MBR partition. If you create a single volume that reaches a 2TB capacity, you won't be able to continue expanding the partition. Consequently, the Extend Volume option will become grayed out.

In this case, you can convert the MBR disk to a GPT disk to break the limit. We don't suggest you use Disk Management to execute the operation, as it requires deleting all partitions to convert a disk.

The job can be done by tools Partition Master whose disk conversion function is just what you need. You may refer to Convert MBR to GPT during Windows installation for guidance.

Also Read: How to Partition A Hard Drive in Windows 10

Video Tutorial - Extend Volume Greyed Out In Windows 10

The video tutorial released by Sandeep Singh demonstrates how to resolve the issue of the "Extend Volume" option being grayed out in Windows 10 when using Disk Management.

Manually creating unallocated space next to C drive in Disk Management - 0:34 - 3:33

If you find these methods work for you, feel free to share them to help more friends.

Why Is "Extend Volume" Grayed Out

If you're unable to extend the volume, such as with the C drive, don't worry. Open Windows Disk Management, examine the status of your disk partitions, and review the reasons listed below. This will help you understand why the Extend Volume option is disabled on your computer:

1. There is no unallocated space on your hard drive. 2. There is no contiguous unallocated space or free space behind the partition you want to extend. 3. Windows cannot extend a FAT or other format partition.

The Extend Volume option in Disk Management only works with RAW or NTFS partitions. You cannot extend FAT or other formatted partitions on a Windows PC.

Here are the translations for the provided languages: 1. Windows cannot extend a primary partition using unallocated space within an extended partition, or vice versa. 2. The partition capacity has reached the 2TB limit on an MBR disk.

Conclusion

On this page, we present 6 dependable methods to assist you in resolving the "Extend Volume greyed out" issue and successfully expand partitions, regardless of whether you have free or unallocated space on your computer's hard drive.

If you prefer a reliable & free tool to extend partitions, the tools Partition Master Free Edition is more dependable, as it doesn't require deleting the partition, even if you don't have unallocated space. Moreover, no data loss will occur when extending the volume using this free partition tool.

"Can't Extend C Drive" FAQs in English would be "Frequently Asked Questions about Unable to Extend C Drive."

< strong >1. Why can't I extend partition C in Windows 10 (why is Extend Volume grayed out)?< /strong >

Is "Extend Volume" grayed out in Disk Management? The presence of unallocated space next to the C drive can lead to the issue of an extended volume being grayed out. If you're attempting to extend the C drive, a free partitioning tool can effectively manage the partition.

2. How do I fix the extended volume grayed out issue?

The best way is to create unallocated disk space to the right of the target partition. To make unallocated space, you can delete the adjacent volume (data loss!). Or try using Partition Master tools to manage and extend disk space freely.