How to Partition a Hard Drive in Windows 11 [Create and Format Disk]

This article focuses on a step-by-step guide to partitioning a hard drive in Windows 11. We've also included a tip at the bottom of the page for partitioning a hard drive on a Mac.

English to Chinese translation: Convert English text into Chinese.

[1] Is partitioning a hard drive a good idea?

When you need to replace the hard drive or purchase a new computer, you may find all existing data and operating system installations on a single partition. Should you run hard drive partition? Or is the disk partitioning too few, making it troublesome to manage sensitive data. You can find a reliable solution on this page. Hold on, let's start with the pros and cons of hard drive partitioning.

While partitioning a hard drive can be a valuable way to organize your computer's files and resources, it also has some potential downsides.

Advantages of Hard Disk Partitioning:

One advantage of partitioning is that it allows you to separate your operating system and files from other data, which can help protect your system from damage or loss. Partitioning your hard drive also makes backing up your data easier, since you only need to copy the partition that contains your important files.

Disadvantages of Hard Disk Partitioning:

However, partitioning can also lower your system's overall performance, since the hard drive has to work harder to access partitioned data. Additionally, if you partition your hard drive incorrectly, you might accidentally delete important files or damage your operating system.

Thus, weighing the pros and cons before partitioning is crucial. The following sections introduce some practical solutions to create or adjust partitions on Windows 11.

Read More: Repartition Hard Drive

How to partition a hard drive in Windows 11?

Either way, you can easily create the new volume without losing any data, whether you're a beginner or an advanced user.

Method 1: Create a Partition in Windows 11 Using Disk Management

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

Quick way to open Disk Management: Press Windows + R to open the Run box, then type diskmgmt.msc to launch Disk Management.

If your partition has no unallocated space, shrink the volume first as described in Step 2. Otherwise, proceed to Step 3 and continue.

Step 2: Shrink the volume to create unallocated space.

Right-click the volume and select “Compress Volume.”

In the “Initialize” window, enter the amount of space you want to allocate for the compressed drive, in MB. Then click the “Compress” button.

Then, you can check for unallocated space next to a partition on your hard drive.

Step 3: Right-click on the Unallocated space, and select New Simple Volume…

Click "New Simple Volume"

Follow the New Simple Volume Wizard instructions:

• Enter a simple volume size in MB > Click “Next.”
• Select “Assign the following drive letter” and choose a drive letter > Click “Next.”
• Select “Format this volume with the following settings,” then set File system, Allocation unit size, and Volume label > Click “Next” > Click “Finish.”

If you're using a Windows 10 computer, the steps to create and format the partition might be a bit different. Check this page for assistance:

How to Partition a Hard Drive in Windows 10?

You can partition a hard drive in Windows 10 with either Windows Disk Management or a third-party disk partition software. Both disk partition methods are free, so just choose the one that suits you best.

Advanced option: Format the hard drive using Disk Management.

If there is no unallocated space available on the current partition, formatting the partition is your second choice. Warning: You are allowed to format a data partition which does not contain any operating system. Formatting a system partition is not allowed.

How to Format a Hard Drive Partition:

Click the partition you want to format, and then click “Format”. Check the default settings for Volume label, File system, and Allocation unit size, and then click “OK”.

Method 2: Partition the Hard Drive with Partition Master

AOMEI Partition Assistant is a free partition manager that helps you manage hard disk partitions. It's an excellent hard disk partition software for beginners due to its user-friendly interface and simplicity. The software also provides a step-by-step guide on how to partition a hard drive. Plus, it's compatible with all versions of the Windows operating system.

Step 1: Run AOMEI Partition Assistant, and check the available space of the hard disk in "Partition Management".

• If you have unallocated space on your hard drive, skip to Step 3 to create the partition. • If you don't have any unallocated space, proceed to Step 2.

Step 2: Shrink the disk partition to create unallocated space.

Then right-click on the target disk partition with enough space and select “Resize/Move”.

Then, you can drag the partition to the left or right to shrink it and free up enough unallocated space. You'll see how much space you've reduced in the "Size" field. Click "OK".

Click “Perform XX Task” and then “Apply” to save all the changes.

Back in the “Disk Management” tool, you should see the unallocated space on the same disk, and you can proceed to create a new partition on your hard drive.

Step 3. Create a new partition on the target drive.

Right-click the unallocated space, and then select New.

Create partition step 1

Customize the partition size, drive letter, label, file system (NTFS, FAT32, EXT2/3/4, exFAT), and so on in the “Advanced Settings.” Click “OK.”

Click “Execute * Task” and then “Apply” to create the partition using unallocated space on your disk. Repeat the steps to partition hard drive and create more partitions.

Create Partition Step 3

How do I partition a hard drive on a Mac?

Using Disk Utility, it's easy to partition your Mac's hard drive. Just follow these simple steps to create a new partition:

Step 1: Open "Finder" > Click on "Go" > Select "Utilities" > Double-click "Disk Utility."

Step 2. Click the Partition button in the top toolbar, and then click the + icon.

Step 3. Next, you will see the partitioning screen, where you can set up your partition information.

Step 4: When you're done, click the "Apply" button.

Final Thoughts

Partitioning your hard drive is a great way to boost your computer's performance. By dividing your hard drive into separate sections, you can better organize your files and folders. Plus, partitions can help protect your data from corruption or accidental deletion. If you're unsure how to partition your hard drive, there are plenty of resources online that can walk you through the process. Do a little research, and you should have your hard drive partitioned in no time.