[User Manual] How to Convert a Disk from MBR to GPT in Windows 10 Using DiskPart

By

Linda 

Written by

Tracy King 

Last updated on April 22, 2024

With increasing hard drive capacities, the Master Boot Record (MBR) partition style has become insufficient for users, as it doesn't support disks larger than 2 TB. As an alternative, the GUID Partition Table (GPT) has emerged as the preferred choice in recent years. It supports unlimited disk storage and allows for the creation of up to 128 primary partitions.

Many MBR disk users want to convert their disks to GPT, and the built-in DiskPart tool in Windows can help users accomplish this task. This article will show you how to convert a disk to GPT with DiskPart.

Notes and Preparation

1. Back up your disk. Converting to the GPT partition style can erase your data.

You can use DiskPart to convert only a basic MBR disk with no partitions or volumes to a GPT disk. If there are any partitions or volumes, back up your data and delete all partitions or volumes before converting.

Method 1: Format the Disk to GPT Using DiskPart [Easier Alternative] [Note: "Easier" might need to be adjusted based on context for a more accurate translation.]

DiskPart can help you convert from MBR to GPT, but the operation is too complicated for many users. Besides, if you're not familiar with it, entering the wrong command lines may lead to unexpected and severe consequences. That's why we recommend trying a simpler method and turning to a third-party partition management tool - AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional.

Whether you need to convert MBR to GPT or GPT to MBR, this tool can help you achieve it with its disk conversion feature in a simple way, without formatting. Plus, it causes no data loss issues on your disk.

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Here, you can download the partition master tool and follow the guide to format the disk to GPT in a simpler way.

Step 1: Download and run Partition Master on your computer.

Step 2. Go to 'Disk Converter,' select 'Convert MBR to GPT,' and hit 'Next' to proceed.

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Step 3: Select the MBR disk that you want to convert to GPT, and then click "Convert" to start the conversion.

The main purpose of the Partition Master tool is to make partition management easier and more convenient. Here are some advanced features of Partition Master that you might also like:

• Resize Partition. Resize partition to adjust the size as you need.
• Combine Partitions. Merge two small partitions into one big one.
• Clone partition. You can clone partition and operating system.

Note: After converting the disk from MBR to GPT with Partition Master, you still need to restart your computer and change the boot mode to UEFI.

Method 2: How to Format to GPT Using DiskPart [Back to Table of Contents](#2)

DiskPart is an inbuilt utility in Windows that performs disk partitioning operations through command line. Don't worry if you're new to this – just type in the commands one by one as per our guide, and you'll be able to format to GPT successfully on your own. Here's how to do it.

Step 1: Press the Windows and R keys at the same time. Type cmd in the Run window, then click OK.

Step 2. Type diskpart at the command prompt, and then press Enter.

Step 3. Type list disk and press Enter. This will display all available disks and assign them numbers like 0, 1, 2, and so on. If you have only one disk, it will be Disk 0.

4. Type select disk # (replace # with the disk number) and press Enter. DiskPart will confirm that you've selected the target disk.

Step 5. Type clean and press Enter. This command will delete all partitions and volumes on the selected disk, as well as all data on it.

Step 6. Type convert gpt, then hit Enter. Wait for the Command Prompt to tell you that DiskPart successfully converted the selected disk to GPT.

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Extra hint:

Aside from converting the disk to GPT, Diskpart can also assist you in creating, formatting, deleting, cleaning, and even erasing disk partitions. For a step-by-step guide, you may refer to this tutorial for assistance.

What is Diskpart? How to Master and Use Diskpart on Windows

Follow this guide to learn more about the specific functions of Diskpart and the Diskpart commands that can be used to manage disk drives. You can also find some tips to fix Diskpart errors like a pro.

Bonus Tip: Switch from Legacy to UEFI after Converting MBR to GPT

After converting the operating system disk from MBR to GPT, you need to change the boot mode in BIOS to UEFI. Here's how to do it.

Step 1: Turn off your computer and then turn it back on.

Step 2: Press the F2 key repeatedly until the BIOS Setup Utility screen appears.

Step 3. Under the Boot tab, use the Up and Down Arrow keys to select UEFI Mode, then press Enter.

Step 4. Press F10 to save your changes and exit the screen.

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Bottom line

In short, you can use the built-in DiskPart utility in Windows to format the disk with the GPT style. Alternatively, you can opt for a simpler option – the Partition Master tool – to help you get the job done.

Whichever method you choose, remember to change the boot mode to UEFI after conversion.

Frequently Asked Questions on Using DiskPart to Format a Drive as GPT

Here, we also collect some frequently asked questions about using DiskPart to format a disk to GPT. If you have the same doubts, please keep reading and find the answers:

1. How to format GPT disk?

1. Open Disk Management, and then right-click on the GPT partition. 2. Select "Format," check "Perform quick format," and then click "OK."

How to Convert MBR to GPT with DiskPart?

1. Launch DiskPart. 2. Type **list disk** and press Enter. 3. Type **select disk #** and press Enter, replacing '#' with the number of the MBR disk. 4. Type **clean** and press Enter. 5. Type **convert gpt** and press Enter.

3. How to convert a disk to GPT format?

• Launch AOMEI Partition Assistant, then go to "Disk Conversion". • Click on "Convert MBR to GPT", then click "Next". • Select the target MBR disk and click "Convert".