How to Convert MBR to GPT in Windows 11 [2024 Update]

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On June 24, Panos Panay, Microsoft's chief product officer, announced the release of a new version of the Windows operating system, Windows 11. And an early beta version had already leaked online, offering users a sneak peek at its different look and feel and improved performance.

Many users are trying to upgrade their computers from Windows 10 to Windows 11. Unlike regular updates for Windows 10, Windows 11 has specific hardware requirements. Here's a table detailing the system requirements for Windows 11; you can check if your PC is eligible for the upgrade to Windows 11.

Does Windows 11 Use MBR or GPT? | Windows 11 System Requirements

You can see that Windows 11 requires a system firmware of UEFI. But what is UEFI? The answer is in the next section.

What is UEFI, and how can I check my partition style?

UEFI stands for Unified Extensible Firmware Interface. It was first introduced in Windows Vista Service Pack 1 and Windows 7 in 2007. In recent years, it has become the default system firmware for computers. UEFI stands out and replaces BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) because it supports hard drives over 2.2 TB and speeds up computer startup and shutdown.

Computers with UEFI use the GUID Partition Table (GPT). GPT is more flexible than the MBR partitioning style and has better compatibility with modern hardware. The main advantage of GPT is that it does not impose any limits on the number of partitions or the size of disks that a user can create. On an MBR disk, a user can create up to 4 partitions. On a GPT disk, you can create up to 128 partitions.

Since an upgrade to Windows 11 requires the GPT partition style, if you're unsure whether your disk is GPT or MBR, you can check the partition style with these steps:

Step 1: Right-click the Windows icon and select Disk Management.

2. In the Disk Management window, right-click the disk you want to check, and then click Properties.

Click on «Properties»

Step 3. This will open the “Device Properties” window. Click on the “Volume” tab, where you can see your disk's partition style.

Only when you see the partition style as GUID Partition Table, can you upgrade to Windows 11. But if your partition style is Master Boot Record, do not worry. You can convert disk from MBR to GPT. Here we provide two methods for you. You can share the page with those in need via social buttons.

Two Ways to Convert MBR to GPT on Windows PC (UTF-8)

In addition to upgrading to Windows 11, if your hard drive is over 2 TB, you'll need to convert from MBR to GPT to utilize it fully. On a Windows machine, you have several options for doing this, either with built-in tools or third-party partition managers.

Here, we will show you two methods on how to convert MBR to GPT. One is the easiest and safest way, using tools Partition Master, and the other is using the built-in tool in Windows - Disk Management.

Method 1: Convert MBR to GPT Using Partition Master Tool

Designed to help users manage disk partitions better, the Partition Master tool perfectly fulfills the need to convert MBR to GPT. More importantly, with this tool, users do not need to delete partitions. This means that there is no risk of data loss when converting MBR to GPT using Partition Master.

You can now download the tool and use it to convert to GPT following the instructions below before upgrading to Windows 11.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Convert MBR to GPT

Step 1: Download and run AOMEI Partition Assistant.

Step 2. In the Disk Converter, select Convert MBR to GPT and click Next to proceed.

Step 3. Select the MBR disk that you want to convert to GPT, and click "Convert" to start the conversion.

Video tutorial on how to convert MBR to GPT:

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Method 2: Convert MBR to GPT Using Disk Management

In Disk Management, users can extend, shrink, delete, and format volumes and disks. You can also use this tool to convert partitions from MBR to GPT. However, please note that this method requires deleting all partitions on the disk. This means you will lose all data on the disk. Remember to back up all data on the partition before proceeding.

If you have backups of your partitions, you can convert from MBR to GPT by following these steps:

Step 1: Right-click the Windows icon and select “Disk Management.”

2. In the "Disk Management" window, right-click on the volume of the target disk and select "Delete Volume". Repeat this for all volumes.

Delete the volume in "Disk Management"

Step 3. Right-click the unallocated space and select "Convert to GPT disk".

Converting MBR to GPT is not the final step. After the conversion, you also need to change the boot mode to UEFI. First, let's teach you how to check whether your PC uses UEFI or BIOS.

How do I check my computer's boot mode?

Step 1: Press ⊞ Win+R. Type msinfo32 in the Run box, and press ↵ Enter.

Step 2: This opens the System Information window. Look for the BIOS mode and see if it says UEFI or Legacy.

If your computer boots in UEFI mode, it will say UEFI. If it boots in BIOS mode, it will say Legacy.

How do I change the boot mode to UEFI?

You can change the boot mode to UEFI by following the steps in this link. This process should not harm your data.

Step 1: Turn off and restart your computer.

Step 2: Hold down the F2 key until you see the BIOS Setup utility screen.

Step 3: Under the “Boot” tab, use the up and down arrows to select “UEFI Mode,” and press Enter.

Step 4. Press F10 to save the changes and exit the screen.

How do I enable Secure Boot on Windows?

One other thing you'll need to do after switching to UEFI is enable Secure Boot, which is also a requirement if you want to upgrade to Windows 11.

Step 1: Search for "Advanced startup" in the Windows search bar, and then select "Advanced startup options."

Step 2: On the Startup screen, go to Recovery > Advanced startup. Click Restart now.

Click the “Restart Now” button.

Step 3: Your computer will restart and show the following screen. Click on Troubleshoot.

Step 4: Under Troubleshoot, select Advanced options.

Select **Advanced options**

Step 5: Choose **UEFI firmware settings**.

Select "UEFI firmware settings"

When you click “UEFI Firmware Settings,” your computer will either restart immediately or prompt you to restart. Click “Restart” to boot your computer into BIOS mode, which will display a different set of BIOS options.

Step 7. In the BIOS settings, click on the Security tab.

Step 8: Use the up and down arrows to select the Secure Boot option, and then change Secure Boot to Enabled.

UEFI vs BIOS: What's the Difference and Which Is Better?

This article will help you understand the differences between UEFI and BIOS, which firmware you should use for your motherboard, and how to check whether your PC is using UEFI or BIOS.

Convert partition style to GPT before upgrading to Windows 11!

The new Windows 11 only supports the GPT partition style and UEFI boot mode. In this article, we introduce you to two methods to convert your disk to GPT. We strongly recommend using the Partition Master tool, as it doesn't cause data loss during the conversion process. After converting the disk to GPT, the next step is to change the boot mode to UEFI. You can find detailed guides for both operations in this article. By following the instructions step by step, you can successfully transition from MBR to GPT.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Converting MBR to GPT for Installing Windows 11 1. **What are MBR and GPT?** - **MBR** (Master Boot Record) is an older disk partition style that supports up to four primary partitions or three primary plus one extended partition. - **GPT** (GUID Partition Table) is a modern partition scheme allowing more partitions (up to 128) and supporting larger hard drives. 2. **Why do I need to convert from MBR to GPT?** - Windows 11 requires UEFI firmware and a GPT partition table for installation to take advantage of its security and performance benefits. 3. **Does converting MBR to GPT result in data loss?** - Yes, direct conversion can lead to data loss. Back up all important files before converting. 4. **How can I convert MBR to GPT without losing data?** - Create a new GPT partition on another drive and migrate all your data. Alternatively, use third-party tools like tools Partition Master, which can help convert without data loss, but exercise caution. 5. **How do I check if my system supports UEFI in BIOS?** - Enter BIOS settings, look for the boot options or boot mode section. If you see "UEFI" or "UEFI Boot," it's supported. 6. **Can I install older versions of Windows after converting MBR to GPT?** - Probably not, as older Windows versions may not support GPT installations. Use a compatible version (like Windows 8 or later). 7. **What if I encounter issues during the conversion process?** - Seek help from online tech forums or contact professional technical support if you run into problems. 8. **Should I convert MBR to GPT without having the Windows 11 installation media?** - No, it's not recommended. Convert only after confirming your system meets all Windows 11 requirements, including UEFI and GPT. 9. **How do I convert MBR to GPT using the DiskPart command-line tool?** - Open Command Prompt (run as administrator) and enter the commands in this order: - `diskpart` - `list disk` (choose your system disk) - `select disk X` (replace X with your system disk number) - `clean` - `convert gpt` 10. **Do I need to change the BIOS/UEFI boot order after conversion?** - Yes, ensure UEFI boot priority is set so your system boots from the GPT-partitioned Windows 11 installation media.

If you still have questions about converting MBR to GPT on Windows 11, check the following frequently asked questions:

Does every drive need to have a GPT partition table to install Windows 11?

No, not all drives need to be formatted as GPT for installing Windows 11. Only the drive where you plan to install the Windows 11 operating system needs to be in GPT format to enable Secure Boot and UEFI mode. For data drives, as long as their storage capacity is less than 2TB, they can be formatted as MBR.

2. Does Windows 11 use GPT or MBR partition tables?

For the operating system drive, Windows 11 requires that the disk partition style be GPT. For data drives, you can set it to either GPT or MBR depending on the disk storage size – use GPT for disks larger than 2 TB and MBR for those smaller than 2 TB.

3. Can Windows 11 run on a GPT partition?

Indeed, according to the Windows 11 system requirements, you must use the GPT disk partition style to install or upgrade the Windows operating system to Windows 11. So the answer to whether a GPT partition can run Windows 11 is yes.