How to Format an External Hard Drive with Multiple Partitions and How to Merge External Hard Drive Partitions

Updated by

Linda 

Written by

Linda 

Last updated on April 22, 2024

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"How can I reformat a multi-partition external hard drive in Windows 10? I have an existing drive used for backups, which currently has 3 partitions. Can anyone guide me on how to format an external hard drive with multiple partitions into a single NTFS partition?"

Two Ways to Format an External Hard Drive with Multiple Partitions

Most of the time, Windows desktop or laptop users tend to partition hard drive into several volumes. With several independent disk partitions, users can manage various data categories easily and clearly. However, not everyone is used to creating multiple sections on a hard drive. Some users have reached out to us, hoping to combine partitions into one, while others even want to format an external hard drive with multiple partitions so that only one partition remains for special use.

No matter how many times you've tried to format the entire disk at once in Windows, you've surely failed. Built-in Windows tools, including File Explorer and Windows Disk Management, only let you format individual partitions to a usable file system. To format a multi-partition external drive, you'll need to do more work. There are generally two ways to go about it.

• #1. Delete all existing partitions and create a new simple volume (erasing data)
• #2. Merge all partitions on the external hard drive into one (preserving data)

Note that both ways will format all partitions on the external hard drive. As for the powerful tool you can use, Windows Disk Management can well perform Method 1 - delete partition and create new one. While a third-party partition manager - AOMEI Partition Assistant can actually perform Method 1 and Method 2 more efficiently.

#1. Format the External Hard Drive with a Multiboot Utility

AOMEI Partition Assistant is a comprehensive disk and partition manager tool, whose basic functions can fully replace Windows Disk Management, including formatting hard drive, deleting partitions, creating new partitions, etc. In other words, when you need to format an external hard drive with multiple partitions, you can also use AOMEI Partition Assistant in the same way! Keep reading to solve the "how to format partitioned hard drive" issue.

Option 1: Delete all partitions and create new ones

One exciting thing about using a disk management tool is that you don't have to repeat the deletion process on each partition because it has a feature called “Delete All Partitions” that can delete two, three, or more existing partitions on a hard drive or external HDD in one go!

There are only two steps to format all partitions on an external hard drive with Partition Master:

Phrase 1: Erase all partitions on an external hard drive with one click.

< strong > Step 1. Launch AOMEI Partition Assistant and then click "Partition Manager".

Before deleting any partitions on the disk, make sure you have backed up important data.

Step 2: Choose to delete a partition on the hard drive or delete all partitions.

• Delete a single partition: Right-click the partition you want to delete and select "Delete."
• Delete all partitions: Right-click the hard drive from which you want to delete all partitions, then select "Delete All."

Step 3: Click "OK" to confirm the removal.

Step 4: Click Run the xx task, and then click Apply to save your changes.

0:00 - 0:26 Remove a single volume; 0:27 - 0:53 Remove all partitions.

Method 2: Create new partitions in NTFS, FAT32, etc. here.

Step 1. Launch Partition Master. On the main interface, right-click unallocated space on the hard drive or external storage device and then choose "Create".

Step 2. Adjust the size of the new partition, the file system (select the filesystem as needed), label, etc., and click OK to proceed.

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

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

Option 2: How to Merge External Hard Drive Partitions

As you know, Partition Manager Software is a great tool that can well format the external hard drive with multiple partitions into one. Most importantly, no data loss will occur during the process!

Step 1: Select the target partition

Right-click the partition that you want to merge more space into and keep, and select “Merge.”

Step 2: Select the adjacent partitions to merge

Merge with the adjacent partition.

Click "OK" to proceed.

Step 3: Perform the operation to merge partitions

1. Click the "Perform Tasks" button at the top, then click "Apply." 2. The program will merge the drives and add the contents of the second partition to the first.

Select the partitions to merge

If your external drive has three or more partitions, you can “merge” two at a time into one. Repeat the same process to merge all partitions into your final partition.

Video Tutorial: How to Merge External Hard Drive Partitions

This video will show you how to merge partitions on an external hard drive using Windows tools. If you prefer a text-based tutorial, click here.

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#2. Format an External Hard Drive with Multiple Partitions using Disk Management

If you're alright with using built-in tools and don't have any important data to protect, Windows Disk Management can help you delete each partition and data on it, and then create new partitions by formatting the unallocated space on your external hard drive.

Step 1: Connect the external hard drive to your Windows computer.

Step 2: Press "Win + R" to open the Run utility, then type diskmgmt.msc in the blank space and click "OK" to launch the Disk Management tool.

Step 3. Right-click on each partition of the external drive and select “Delete Volume.”

4. After deleting all partitions, right-click the external hard drive again and select “New Simple Volume.” Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.

As you can see, this method will wipe all data from the external hard drive. Therefore, if you have a large amount of important data to keep, it's not recommended to try this method. Instead, we suggest you try using a third-party partitioning tool to merge multiple partitions into one.

"Frequently Asked Questions on 'Format External Hard Drive and Merge External Hard Drive Partitions'"

1. Is it safe to format all partitions?

Yes, you can safely format all partitions once you have backed up your important data.

2. Can I merge two disk partitions?

If your external hard drive is hindered by multiple partitions, yes, you can choose to combine two disk partitions using professional software or Windows Disk Management.

How do I merge multiple partitions into one?

You can use a partition manager to merge partitions on an external hard drive. Download and run the software, then click on the partition you want to merge and select the “Merge” option from the list.