When it comes to managing your computer’s hard drive, sometimes you may find yourself needing to split it into multiple partitions or combine them into one. This can be helpful for organization purposes or if you want to separate your operating system from your personal files. Luckily, the process of partitioning and merging hard drives is simple and can be achieved through a few easy steps. Below are some different methods you can use to partition or merge your hard drive on Windows 10.
Method 1: Using Windows Disk Management
One of the simplest ways to partition or merge your hard drive is by using Windows Disk Management. Here’s how:
- Press the Windows key + X, then select “Disk Management”.
- Locate the hard drive you want to partition or merge.
- Right-click on the hard drive and select “Shrink Volume” if you want to create a new partition. Enter the amount of space you want the new partition to have in MB (1 GB = 1024 MB).
- Right-click on the unallocated space and select “New Simple Volume”. Follow the prompts in the wizard to create and format the new partition.
- Right-click on the partition you want to merge with another and select “Delete Volume”. This will turn the partition into unallocated space.
- Right-click on the other partition you want to merge with and select “Extend Volume”. Follow the prompts in the wizard to expand the partition into the unallocated space.
Method 2: Using a Third-Party Partition Manager
If you are not comfortable using Windows Disk Management, there are several third-party partition managers available that can help you partition or merge your hard drive. One example is EaseUS Partition Master:
- Download and install EaseUS Partition Master.
- Open the program and select the hard drive you want to partition or merge.
- To create a new partition, right-click on the hard drive and select “Resize/Move”. Use the slider to adjust the size of the partition, then click “OK”.
- Right-click on the unallocated space and select “Create”. Follow the prompts in the wizard to create and format the new partition.
- To merge partitions, right-click on the partition you want to merge with another and select “Merge”. Select the partition you want to merge with and follow the prompts in the wizard to complete the merge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Will partitioning or merging my hard drive delete any of my files?
No. However, it is always a good idea to back up important files before making changes to your hard drive, just in case something goes wrong.
Q: Can I undo a partition or merge?
Yes. Windows Disk Management allows you to delete a partition or merge unallocated space with a partition. Third-party partition managers like EaseUS Partition Master also allow you to undo changes by clicking “Undo” or “Cancel” during the process.
Video Tutorial
If you prefer a video tutorial, here is a helpful guide on how to partition and merge your hard drive using Windows Disk Management:
