How to resize (expand and shrink) partitions without losing data

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Last Updated on April 22, 2024

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On this page, you can learn how to resize a partition without data loss in Windows 11/10/8/7 via built-in disk management and a third-party partition manager software. Both tools are good at extending or shrinking NTFS partitions. However, if your partition file system is not NTFS but FAT32, you can only download a third-party program to change the partition size.

Related Topics: NTFS vs FAT32

Can you resize partitions without losing data?

When it comes to resizing partitions, the first thing that comes to mind is data safety. Since resizing means either shrinking one partition or expanding another, it's hard to take the first step without understanding the risks. Hence, many people would ask, "Can I resize partitions without losing data?" and other common questions. You can check out the quick answers.

Question 1: Will resizing or moving a partition delete data?

Resizing and moving partitions are two different concepts. Moving a partition means changing its position forward or backward on the disk without deleting data. Is it safe to resize a Windows partition? Yes, resizing a partition can be further divided into extending and shrinking, both of which won't delete data.

Question 2: What does “tapering” mean?

Hard drive shrinking refers to reducing the size of a partition to create unallocated space for use elsewhere. Before a computer can use the space on a hard drive to store data, the drive must be divided into separate areas called partitions.

Question 3: Will I lose data if I shrink a volume?

Shrinking a volume does not cause data loss. If the volume contains files that cannot be moved (for example, a page file or a shadow copy storage area), the volume will shrink to the point where the unmovable files are located. In other words, used space that contains existing data cannot be shrunk.

This article focuses on resizing an NTFS partition. If you want to shrink C drive, please refer to this page for more details.

How to Shrink C Drive Without Losing Data [2024 Full Guide]

How do I shrink C drive in Windows 10? If you're looking for a detailed answer on how to shrink the C drive, you've come to the right place. On this page, you can get three free tools to successfully shrink C drive without compromising your data.

Next, we'll proceed with the detailed steps on how to resize an NTFS partition. Feel free to share this with others who might find it useful.

Solution 1: Resize Partition in Windows 7/8/10/11 Disk Management Without Data Loss

The built-in Windows Disk Management tool is pre-installed on all Windows operating systems and Windows servers, providing basic functionality to shrink or extend HDD, SSD, or USB external hard drive volumes. "Shrink Volume" is 100% safe and ensures your data remains unaffected. However, it's noteworthy that the "Extend Volume" option might or might not delete data, depending on whether there's unallocated space to the right of the partition you wish to expand.

Moreover, the Windows Disk Management utility only supports the NTFS file system. So this tutorial will only work for extending an NTFS partition.

To shrink a partition without losing data, follow this step-by-step guide:

Step 1. Press Windows + R to open the “Run” box, type diskmgmt.msc, and click OK to open “Disk Management.”

Step 2: Right-click the partition you want to shrink and select "Shrink Volume."

Step 3: In the "Compress Drive" window, you'll see the original size and how much space is available to shrink. Input the exact amount of space you want to shrink it by here, then click "Shrink." This will finish in a few seconds.

Return to the “Disk Management” screen, and you'll see that the partition is smaller, and there's now unallocated space.

Expanding a volume while preserving its data is a delicate operation.

If there is unallocated space to the right of the partition you want to resize, you can extend the volume directly. Otherwise, “Extend Volume” will be disabled in Disk Management, rendering it unavailable.

If there is no unallocated space, you'll need to delete the partition next to it to free up space. This will result in data loss, so back up your files beforehand.

If you don't want to delete the partition but must extend it, you can use the "Allocate Space" feature in Partition Master to directly add the free space to the target partition, such as moving space from Drive D to Drive C in Windows 11/10.

Solution 2: Utilize a free partition manager to resize partitions without data loss.

With the partition manager, you can resize, move, create, and merge partitions without losing data with just a few mouse clicks. This partition management software supports both NTFS and FAT file systems. In other words, it can not only resize NTFS partitions but also resize FAT32 partitions. Besides, the "Create Partition" tool built in the program helps you create NTFS/FAT partitions. Its "Convert to NTFS" feature can convert FAT (FAT12/FAT16/FAT32) to the NTFS file system. The "Merge Partition" feature can combine FAT/NTFS partitions into another NTFS partition.

Now, download Partition Master and follow the steps below to resize partitions without data loss easily.

How to Shrink a Partition in Windows 11/10/8/7 Without Losing Data?

Step 1: Locate and select the partition to shrink

In the Partition Manager section, right-click on the partition you want to shrink, and select Resize/Move.

Step 2: Resize to Shrink the Partition

Resize the partition by dragging the target partition's end position to the left with your mouse to compress the partition space.

You can also adjust the size bar to shrink the target partition. When you're done, click "OK" to continue.

Third step: Execute the operation.

Click the Run Task button and choose Apply to save all changes.

How to Extend Partition in Windows 11/10/8/7 Without Losing Data

Step 1: Locate the target partition

Please 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 panel right or left to add unallocated space to the current partition, then click "OK" to confirm.

Select another disk to allocate space from

Additional option: Get space from another disk

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

Next, under "Allocate space to," select the target partition you want to expand.

Resize/Move partition to get unallocated space from another drive

Step 3: Perform the operation to extend the partition

Just drag the partition you want to move into the unallocated space, and then click "OK".

Next up, just translate the sentence into American English:

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

Video Tutorial: Resize Partition in Windows 11/10/8/7

Well, you can also resize partitions flexibly on your computer by watching this video tutorial.

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Which method would you prefer to resize your partition?

In conclusion, you can shrink partition without data loss using either Partition Master or Windows Disk Management. However, if you want to extend a partition, consider this: both methods work if unallocated space is available on the right side of the target partition. If there's no unallocated space and you don't want to delete any partition, it's better to use Partition Master for data safety.