This article will show you how to resize Windows 11/10 (32-bit and 64-bit) partitions without losing data. Follow the guide to learn how to shrink a volume and how to extend partition with unallocated space in Windows 11/10 by yourself.
3 Tools to Adjust Partition Size in Windows 11/10:
#1. Partition Wizard - Easiest
#2. Disk Management - Moderate
#3. DiskPart Command Line - Difficult
Question 1 - "How do I resize partitions in Windows?"
Question 2 - "How can I increase the size of a partition in Windows 11/10 without formatting?"
Question 3 - "How do I increase or shrink disk space in Windows 11/10?"
Resize partition, in the context of Windows computers, refers to reallocating disk space to either expand or shrink a partition, making full use of unallocated space on the hard drive or SSD. For instance, when your C drive is out of space, you would need to resize another partition and add its free space to C to resolve this issue.
So how to resize partitions in Windows 11/10/8/7? In the following parts, we will take Windows 11/10 as an example to show you how to manage partition size, including shrinking volume and extending partition in Windows 11/10/8/7.
Here, we'll introduce you to two user-friendly and powerful partition managers, as well as a favorite among administrators that will let you resize your drive partitions with ease.
Here are the best free tools to resize partitions on Windows 11/10 without any data loss:
These three Windows 11/10 partition adjustment tools can adjust the size of hard disk partitions on Windows 11/10 32-bit and 64 bit operating systems.
If you're new to Windows or prefer an all-in-one tool for free volume expansion and shrinkage in Windows 11/10, then go for the best option, AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard.
Both Disk Management and Diskpart are built-in Windows tools that can shrink the size of a disk volume, for example, System C drive. However, they are not as efficient as a third-party partition manager like the Partition Master tool.
Below is a brief comparison table to help you choose the best disk partition management tool for resizing partitions on Windows 11/10/8/7:
Feature Comparison | Partition Master | Disk Management | Diskpart Command |
---|---|---|---|
Extend Volume | √ |
√ (Doesn't support FAT) |
√ (Doesn't support FAT) |
Shrink Volume | √ | √ (Doesn't support FAT) | √ (Doesn't support FAT) |
Resize Dynamic Volume | √ | √ (Doesn't support FAT) | √ (Doesn't support FAT) |
Resize Partition (from the beginning and end of the partition) |
√ | × | × |
In addition to resizing partitions, the Partition Master tool supports some advanced disk management features that you might find interesting. For example:
Now, you can choose the utility you prefer and follow a specific tutorial to resize partitions in Windows 11/10.
Applies To: Extending system partition, creating, deleting, resizing/moving, copying, merging, splitting, or formatting partitions in Windows 11/10/8/7.
AOMEI Partition Assistant is designed for beginners who have no experience managing disk space on various Windows PCs.
Step-by-Step Guide to Resize Partition
Now, use a free partition resize tool to resize Windows 11/10 partitions with the following steps, including shrink volume and extend volume:
Step 1: Locate and select the target drive/partition.
Launch Partition Master, go to the "Partition Management" interface, select the hard drive/partition you want to resize, right-click and choose "Resize/Move".
Step 2: Resize or move the partition
1. To shrink the partition, simply drag one of its endpoints into the free space. When you're done, click “OK.”
2. To extend the partition, you must have unallocated space next to it (if not, create some following the steps above). Click with your mouse on the unallocated space. Hit “OK.”
3. To move a partition, you need unallocated space next to it. If there isn't any, free some up first.
Right-click the partition you want to move, and select “Resize/Move Partition.” Drag the entire partition left or right to reposition it. Click “OK” to confirm.
Step 3: Review the results and apply the changes
Here you will see the new disk partition information and图表.
To save the changes, click the Run Task button, and then click Apply.
Video Tutorial: Adjust and Manage Disk Partitions in Windows 11/10
You can also perform more operations on managing Windows 11/10 hard drive via Partition Master, as shown in this video tutorial.
Note that this software also enables you to manage disk partition sizes with flexible options. For instance, you can use the Partition Master tool to easily extend C drive in Windows 11 with just a few clicks. Feel free to share this fantastic tool online and help more friends manage their disk drives effortlessly.
Intended audience: Experienced users who want to manually extend, shrink, or resize volumes in Windows 11/10/8/7.
The built-in Disk Management on Windows 11/10 has the shrink and extend volume features. For experienced Windows users familiar with how to use Disk Management, resizing partitions using this tool is a breeze.
Here are the steps to adjust partition size using Disk Management:
< strong > Shrink a volume in Windows 11/10 Disk Management:
Step 1: Press Windows + X and select “Disk Management” from the list.
Step 2. Right-click the partition you want to shrink, and select "Shrink Volume."
Step 3. In the new window, specify how much space you want to free up and click on “Shrink” to proceed.
Next up, just translate this into American English: ""
"Extending a partition in Disk Management on Windows 11/10"
Requirements: There must be unallocated space after the target partition. If there is not, shrink a partition that is adjacent to the target volume.
Step 1: Press Windows + X and choose “Disk Management” from the list.
Step 2: Right-click the partition you want to extend, and select "Extend Volume."
Step 3. In the Extend Volume Wizard, click Next.
4. Adjust the space for the target volume to extend. Click “Finish” to confirm.
That's it! You've successfully resized the Windows 11/10 partition. You can also repeat the process above, right-click on a volume, and select “Format,” “Delete Volume,” “Change Drive Letter and Paths…” to perform more operations on the Windows 11/10 partition. As you can see, Disk Management is a powerful built-in tool in Windows; share this article to let more people know how to use it.
Applies To: Disk partition resizing, shrinking or expanding operations in Windows 11/10 for system administrators.
Most users will rarely see the Windows Command Prompt, unless they know how to access it. It's an administrative tool that IT managers use to tweak computer settings. Among other things, it can be used to resize partitions, including expanding or shrinking them, deleting them, formatting them, and cleaning up your hard drive.
If you're up for the challenge of shrinking a partition this way, there's a full guide here.
Resize a Volume Smaller in Windows 11/10 Using Diskpart
Step 1. Press Windows + R to open the "Run" box.
Step 2: Type diskpart, and press Enter.
Step 3. Type the following commands and hit Enter after each one:
Step 4: Type exit, then press Enter to quit and close Diskpart.
"Using Diskpart to Extend a Volume in Windows 10 with utf-8 encoding"
Limitations: There must be enough unallocated space following the target partition. If not, shrink the partition that follows the target volume.
Step 1: Press the Windows key + R to open the "Run" dialog box.
Step 2: Type diskpart and press Enter.
Step 3. Enter the following commands, pressing Enter after each one:
4. Type exit to leave Diskpart.
Aside from that, you can also use Diskpart to format partitions, delete volumes, and even wipe entire hard drives from the command line.
If you're looking for a portable partition manager software, the following article will provide you with some reviews to help you choose the best one.
Top 4 Best Portable Partition Resizers: Pros and Cons
This article collects and compares 4 well-known portable partition managers. If you haven't found the right one, check this out. It might help you determine the most suitable tool.
On this page, we have gathered the top 3 partition resize tools for Windows 11/10/8/7 users to apply to disk partition management. Among the above three tools, Partition Master is the best option for beginners.
Disk Management is intended for advanced users. As for Diskpart, we don't recommend you try it if you're not an admin. It's difficult to use and not user-friendly. Any mistakes can have serious consequences.
If you have more questions about resizing Windows 11/10 partitions, check the FAQ section below.
**1. Can Partition Wizard resize partitions in Windows 11/10?**
Unsupported. Partition Magic runs on Microsoft Windows 98, Me, NT, and 2000, but it is not compatible with Norton Partition Magic on Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2012, Windows 8, and Windows 11/10.
< strong > 2. What is shrinkage?
The "shrink" operation attempts to reduce the size of a partition to create unallocated space that you can use for various purposes. You can add the unallocated space to another partition that needs more room, or simply create a new partition with a drive letter on the unallocated space.
3. Will a shrink operation delete data?
As mentioned above, the purpose of shrinking a volume is to create unallocated space without affecting existing data. Whether you use Disk Management, AOMEI Partition Assistant utility, or the DiskPart command, data loss should not occur basically.
< strong > 4. Can't shrink partitions; no room left
If the disk volume you're trying to shrink contains immovable files that are located in the middle of the hard drive, you might encounter this error.
"The volume can't be shrunk to that location."
When you shrink a volume, some files (such as the page file or shadow copy storage areas) cannot be automatically relocated, so you cannot reduce the allocation below where an immovable file resides.