Convert Unallocated Space to Usable Space in Windows 11/10

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Tracy King 

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Linda 

Update Description: Updated on April 19, 2024

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Unallocated Space vs Free Space

Unallocated and free space are both parts of computer storage. In some cases, they're the same, but in others, they're different. Read on to learn all about it.

Unallocated space refers to the area on a hard drive or external storage device that has not been partitioned. As such, it is unusable, meaning you cannot use it for data storage, and no program can write data to this section of the disk.

"Unallocated Space" in Disk Management

You might have unallocated space under the following circumstances:

• After initializing the disk, you will see the entire disk displayed as Unallocated in Disk Management. • When you create partitions on a storage device, the remaining space is marked as Unallocated. • If you delete or shrink a partition, Windows marks the unused space as Unallocated. • Due to human errors or virus attacks, your hard drive, USB flash drive, or SD card may suddenly become Unallocated.

"Free space" could refer to the unallocated space shown in disk management, or it might mean the unused space available on an existing partition but not in use. The former is the same as the unallocated space mentioned above, which you can obtain by shrinking a logical drive on your computer. The latter is what you'd be converting to.

Two Ways to Convert Unallocated Space to Usable Space in Windows

You don't want to leave space on your hard drive or external storage device unallocated, wasting storage capacity. To utilize this unallocated space, you can either create a new partition or add it to an existing one. By doing so, you transform the unusable unallocated space into usable free space, preparing it for data storage.

Method 1: Create a New Partition

You can do this with Disk Management or a partitioning tool.

Option 1: Use the Tool Partition Master

Aside from being a disk management utility, you can use tools Partition Master when you need to create partitions, format partition/disk, resize and move partition, migrate OS, or convert disks (from GPT to MBR, basic to dynamic, vice versa).

Partition Master simplifies the process of turning unallocated space into usable space, compared to disk management.

Here's how to create a new volume:

Step 1: Launch Partition Master. Right-click on the “Unallocated” space on the hard drive or external storage device from the main interface and choose “Create”.

Step 2: Resize the new partition, set the file system (choose as appropriate), label, etc., and click OK to continue.

Step 3. Click the Run 1 Task button, and then create the new partition by clicking Apply.

Watch the following video tutorial to learn how to create partitions on an NTFS, FAT, or EXT file system.

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Option 2: Use Disk Management

Step 1: Right-click "This PC," and select "Manage" > "Disk Management."

Step 2: Right-click the unallocated space, and then select New Simple Volume.

Step 3: Follow the Wizard through its remaining steps.

Method 2: Expand an Existing Partition

Similarly, Partition Master and the Disk Management tool let you extend partitions to make use of unallocated space for more room.

Option 1: Use Partition Master Tool

The Disk Management tool provides a more intuitive experience when you extend a volume.

Step 1: Locate the target partition.

Enter the “Partition Manager” and find the target partition, then choose “Resize/Move”.

Select the partition you want to extend

Step 2: Extend the target partition

Drag the partition to the right or left to add unallocated space to the current partition, and then click “OK” to confirm.

Select another disk to allocate space from

Extra option: Get space from another drive

If there isn't enough unallocated space, right-click a large partition with enough room and select “Allocate Space.”

In the Allocate space to column, select the partition you want to extend.

Select another drive to allocate space

Step 3: Perform the operation to expand the partition

Drag the partition with the target OS to the unallocated space, and click “OK”.

Click Run Task, and then click Apply to save all changes.

The two methods differ slightly in how they convert unallocated space to free space. However, when it comes to merging partitions or resizing them, the difference is noticeable, and you will find the Partition Master tool quite convenient.

Option 2: Use Disk Management

Step 1: Right-click This PC and select Manage > Disk Management.

Step 2: Right-click the target partition and select "Delete Volume." Click "Yes" when prompted.

Step 3: Right-click the partition you want to extend and select "Extend Volume".

Step 4: In the Extend Volume Wizard, click Next.

Step 5: Choose the size of your partition, and click "Next." (Don't be confused by the "Select Disk" window; here, "Maximum Available" means the total unallocated space on the current disk.)

Step 6. Click "Next" > "Finish", and wait for the process to complete.

Resize/extend volume in Disk Management

Is unallocated space really useless?

Actually, unallocated space is not useless at all. You need it when you try to clone disk/partition/system. For instance, if you have ever cloned system or disk with a Windows backup software - Todo Backup, you will be required to make sure the target disk shows as Unallocated before cloning. Besides, you will receive an alert "Insufficient unallocated space on destination disk" if there is not enough unallocated space. To solve this problem, you can delete the existing partition on the target disk, or use a larger one.

Bottom line

In summary, it is necessary to convert unallocated space into free space to make it usable. Altering unallocated space into free space can be achieved effectively through partition creation or expansion. Depending on your needs, you can utilize tools like Disk Management or Partition Master to accomplish this objective.

For operations such as system cloning and disk cloning, sufficient unallocated space on the target disk is one of the conditions for a successful clone.

We hope this guide is helpful.

Frequently Asked Questions About Converting Unallocated Space to Free Space in UTF-8 Encoding

If you have more questions about converting unallocated space to usable space, follow the answers listed below:

1. How can I convert unallocated space into a primary partition?

In Windows, open Disk Management and check the type of your drive. If it's of the MBR type and the disk already contains 3 primary partitions, you'll need to convert the disk to GPT. Then create a primary partition on the disk. If it's of the GPT type, right-click on the Unallocated space on the drive and select "New Simple Volume" to create a primary partition.

2. How to Merge Unallocated Space for Free in Windows?

• Launch Partition Master, right click on the partition next to the unallocated space, and then click “Resize/Move”. • Drag the partition to the right or left so that the unallocated space is connected. • Click “Execute 1 Task(s)” to save the changes.

3. Is free space the same as unallocated space?

No, available space is not the same as unallocated space. Available space refers to the storage capacity on a partition or volume that is not currently used by data.

Unallocated space refers to the storage on a hard drive, SSD, USB drive, or external hard disk that is not used to create or expand partitions.