How to Delete EFI (System) Partition in Windows 11/10/8/7 [2 Methods]

Can I delete the EFI System Partition?

Usually, you can easily delete a partition in Disk Management. However, in Windows, you cannot delete the EFI System Partition, as the “Delete Volume” option is grayed out.

The "Delete Volume" option may also be grayed out if you attempt to delete an OEM partition, a recovery partition, or a System Reserved partition. This article will discuss how to delete the EFI System Partition on Windows and provide essential information about what the EFI System Partition is and what happens when you delete it.

To efficiently delete the EFI partition from your computer, you can fully rely on tools such as the professional Partition Master Professional, as shown in Part 3. Keep reading to find out more.

Page Content:

Part 1: What is an EFI System Partition (ESP)?
Part 2: What Happens If You Delete EFI System Partition (ESP)?
Part 3: How to Delete EFI Partition in Windows 11/10/8/7 [2 Methods]
Video Tutorial: How to Remove EFI System Partition

Part 1: What is the EFI System Partition (ESP)?

Let's first know what EFI is. **EFI System Partition**, abbreviated as ESP, is a partition that will be automatically created when you install Windows operating system on a GPT disk successfully. It usually has no drive letter and takes up about 100MB or 200MB. Actually, you may see more EFI System Partitions in Windows 10.

According to Wikipedia, "The EFI system partition (ESP) is a partition on a data storage device (such as a hard disk drive or solid-state drive) that is used by computers conforming to the UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) specification. When a computer is started, the UEFI firmware loads files from the ESP (EFI System Partition) to boot an installed operating system and various utilities."

It consists of four main parts:

• Bootloader
• Device drivers
• System utilities
• Data files

Part 2: What Happens If You Delete the EFI System Partition (ESP)?

As stated in Part 1, the EFI partition acts as an interface for your computer to boot into Windows. This is a step that must be done before the Windows partition can be booted. Without an EFI partition, your computer will not be able to start up Windows.

In short, deleting the EFI System Partition will make the installed system unbootable. That's why Windows operating systems typically protect and lock the ESP to prevent accidental deletion. This is also the reason why you can't see the EFI partition in Windows File Explorer or delete it via Windows Disk Management.

Part 3: How to Delete EFI Partition in Windows 11/10/8/7 [2 Methods]

For those who wish to remove the EFI System Partition, there are two options available. One is to use the built-in Windows tool Diskpart, and the other is to utilize a third-party utility, AOMEI Partition Assistant. To prevent unintentional loss of files, make sure to back up the ESP beforehand.

Method 1: Delete the EFI Partition with a Disk Partition Management Tool

Aside from DiskPart, third-party partition managers are more flexible and reliable when dealing with such issues. A professional partition management tool like AOMEI Partition Assistant can simplify the process of deleting an EFI partition in Windows, with an easy-to-use interface.

Download the partition manager tool now and learn the detailed guide.

Step 1: Launch Partition Master, right click on the EFI System Partition in the “Partition Management” area and select “Delete”.

2. Click “Yes” to confirm the deletion of the selected disk partition.

Note that this will delete the EFI/UEFI partition, which might cause boot issues with your operating system. Make sure you want to proceed.

Step 3: Click on "Run 1 Task", and then click "Apply" in the new window to completely remove the EFI System Partition.

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Method 2: Delete the EFI Partition Using Diskpart

Since DiskPart is a command-line tool, it can be a bit complicated for average users. Proceed with caution when deleting the EFI partition with the following commands:

Step 1: Open DiskPart on your computer.

1. Press the "Windows key + R" to open the Run dialog box. 2. Type in diskpart, then click "OK" to open the black Command Prompt window.

Step 2. Change the ID of the EFI system partition and set it as a data partition.

Please enter each of the following commands one at a time and press Enter after each:

• list disk (This will show all the disks on your computer.)
• sel disk 0 (This selects the disk you want to work with. The "0" here stands for the letter of the disk.)
• list partition (This will show all partitions and the EFI System Partition on the selected disk.)
• sel partition 1 (Select the EFI partition that you want to delete. Here, "1" stands for the volume number of EFI.)
• SET ID=ebd0a0a2-b9e5-4433-87c0-68b6b72699c7

This will delete the EFI System Partition. Proceed with the following steps to remove this partition from your hard drive.

Step 3: Use the command line to delete the EFI partition.

Please enter each of the following commands one by one and press Enter after each:

• "list partition" (This will display all the volumes on the hard drive.) • "sel partition 1" (This selects the partition you want to delete. The number 1 represents the letter of the volume.) • "delete partition override" (This will delete the EFI partition from the Windows disk.)

Step 4. Finish the EFI deletion process.

Lastly, when you see the “The selected partition has been successfully deleted.”, type “exit” to close the window. You can also use Diskpart to force delete partition.

"The Diskpart command is very useful when dealing with disk partition issues, so sharing this method can help many others who encounter the same problem."

Video Tutorial: How to Delete the EFI System Partition (ESP) in Windows 10

Please provide the English content you would like translated, and I'll promptly translate it into Chinese for you.

Last Words

After successfully deleting the EFI partition from your computer, you can use the unallocated space to create new partitions for data storage or add the free space to other existing partitions.

The following video tutorial demonstrates how to partition a hard drive using the Partition Master tool. You can learn how to resize partitions, create new ones, and delete them.

If you have more questions about EFI partitions, you can seek help through the links below:

• How to Restore or Repair Deleted EFI Boot Partition in Windows 10/8/7
• How to Resize EFI System Partition in Windows 10

FAQs About EFI System Partition 1. What is an EFI System Partition? An EFI System Partition is a special partition on a computer's hard drive with a GUID Partition Table (GPT) that stores the EFI (Extensible Firmware Interface) firmware, bootloaders, drivers, and other system startup-related files. It is part of the UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) system, which replaces the traditional BIOS. 2. How do I identify an EFI System Partition? In Windows, it is typically labeled as "System Reserved" or "EFI System Partition" and appears as a partition with the type "EFI System" in Disk Management. On a Mac, it is referred to as the "Boot Camp" partition. 3. What size should an EFI System Partition be? The recommended size for an EFI System Partition is usually between 100-500 MB, depending on your operating system and the number of installed programs. Most modern installations typically require at least 200 MB. 4. How do I create an EFI System Partition? When installing an operating system in UEFI mode, the installer will automatically create the EFI System Partition. If you need to create one manually, you can use disk management tools or third-party disk partition software. 5. How is an EFI System Partition different from MBR? MBR (Master Boot Record) is the partitioning method used in older BIOS systems, while the EFI System Partition is part of the UEFI system. MBR supports up to four primary partitions or three primary plus one extended partition, while GPT (the partition table format used by EFI) allows for more partitions and supports larger hard drive capacities. 6. How do I repair or reinitialize an EFI System Partition? To fix or reinitialize an EFI System Partition in case of boot issues, you can use built-in recovery tools like Windows' "Startup Repair" or macOS' "Disk Utility," or specialized EFI/UEFI repair tools. 7. Can I install an EFI System Partition on a non-EFI system? No. An EFI System Partition can only be created and used on hardware that supports UEFI. If you attempt to install it on a system that only supports BIOS, the operating system installer will not create an EFI System Partition. 8. Can I format an EFI System Partition? It is generally not advisable to format the EFI System Partition, as it may prevent your operating system from booting. If formatting is necessary, ensure you back up important files first and then restore them along with system settings using the appropriate tools. 9. Can two different operating systems share the same EFI System Partition? Yes, two or more operating systems can share an EFI System Partition on the same computer, provided they both support UEFI booting. Each OS will have a separate boot entry. 10. How do I recover lost boot files from an EFI System Partition? If you lose boot files, you can use installation media or recovery tools to repair them. For instance, in Windows, you can use the Command Prompt to restore missing bootmgfw.efi or bootmgr.efi files. In macOS, you can use "Recovery Mode" to repair the Boot Manager.

1. Is it safe to delete the EFI System Partition?

If you are using UEFI instead of BIOS legacy mode, do not delete the EFI partition, or your device will become unbootable. You can choose to delete the EFI partition after you have installed the new operating system and booted into it in legacy mode.

How can I hide my EFI partition from the computer screen?

Hide the EFI partition:

1. Right-click the Windows icon and select "Disk Management." 2. Right-click the partition you want to change. 3. Select "Change Drive Letter and Paths..." 4. Click the "Delete" button. 5. If prompted, click "Yes."