How to Shrink a Partition in Windows 11/10

Updated by

Tracy King 

Written by

Linda 

Last updated on April 22, 2024

When you need to create a new volume or extend another one on the same disk, you'll have to shrink the partition. In most cases, you can shrink it directly without worrying about data loss. To address this issue, we provide three solutions to shrink volume in Windows 11/10.

Disk Partition Master
Disk Management
Disk Partition Utility (Diskpart)

3 Ways to Shrink Partition in Windows 11/10

Users typically shrink Windows 11/10 partitions using third-party software, Disk Management, or DiskPart. Any of these methods can help you shrink a Windows 11/10 partition. But which method is the best?

For the easiest way, Partition Manager tool is an “all-in-one” solution for you, which allows you to shrink volume flexibly, even non-contiguous space. While Disk Management and Diskpart still work well, using Diskpart may take more time than third-party software. Also, built-in tools of Windows have limitations. Stop here and pick up a meaningful tool!

Method 1: Shrink Windows 11/10 Partition with Partition Master Tool [Back to Table of Contents](#1)

If you want to shrink partitions in Windows 11/10 the easiest way possible, like dragging, Partition Master lets you avoid the hassle. Whether you want to shrink or expand a partition, you can simply drag the volume to the size you want without having to enter specific number values.

Step 1: Locate and select the partition that you want to shrink.

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

Step 2: Resize to Shrink the Partition

Resize the partition by dragging the endpoint of the target one with mouse to shrink its space.

You can also resize the partition box to shrink the target partition. When you're done, click “OK” to continue.

Third step: Perform the action.

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

AOMEI Partition Assistant is a professional partition manager that can extend or shrink Windows 11/10 partitions without data loss. It also features other disk management functions, such as merging partitions, formatting partitions, and converting an MBR disk to a GPT disk, among others.

Method 2: Shrink the Partition with Windows 11/10 Built-in Disk Management Tool

The built-in Disk Management tool in Windows 11/10 allows you to view and manage disk drives. It can shrink and extend volumes. However, it does not support shrinking to non-contiguous space.

Step 1: Right-click "This PC," select "Manage," and then choose "Disk Management" in the pop-up window.

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

Step 3: In the dialog, specify the amount of space to shrink, and click Shrink.

After you shrink the volume, you will have more free space on your drive that you can use to create a new volume or extend an existing partition as needed.

Shrink Partition with Disk Management in Windows 10

Method 3: Shrink Partition in Windows 11/10 with DiskPart

While using DiskPart to shrink Windows 11/10 volumes is practical, it's relatively more complex among the three methods. We've also detailed the steps here if you need them as an alternative.

Step 1: Click the "Start" button, then type cmd.

Step 2: Right-click on Command Prompt and select "Run as administrator." Click "Yes" when prompted to continue.

Step 3. To shrink the Windows 11/10 partition, type the following commands in order:

1. diskpart
2. list volume
3. select volume 1 (选择你要缩小的分区的卷号)
4. shrink desired=123464 (指定你希望缩小分区的兆字节数)

If you're wondering whether you can shrink C drive or how to shrink C drive, we've got a detailed guide on the topic. Click the link for more information.

How to Shrink C Drive without Losing Data [2023 Full Guide]

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

Select the optimal solution

As mentioned above, it's easier to use partitioning tools and Disk Management than DiskPart. However, Disk Management has limitations with resizing partitions. Thus, Partition Master tools can meet more users' needs.

Furthermore, after shrinking, you might need to create new partitions or extend existing ones. If you want to expand a partition with non-contiguous free space, you will have to use third-party tools, because Disk Management does not support this kind of operation.