How to Partition a Hard Drive in Windows 2026
Partitioning a hard drive separates your physical storage into independent sections, each with its own drive letter and file system. This tutorial covers the complete process of partitioning a hard drive in Windows 10 and Windows 11 using the built-in Disk Management tool. No additional software download is required for basic partitioning tasks.
Quick Answer
How do I partition a hard drive in Windows?
Open Disk Management (Win+R, type diskmgmt.msc). If the disk is new, initialize it when prompted. Right-click unallocated space and select New Simple Volume. Follow the wizard to set size, drive letter, and file system. For an existing disk, shrink a partition first to create unallocated space.
Partitioning a New Hard Drive
Connect and Initialize the Drive
Connect the new drive to your computer. Open Disk Management (Win+R, diskmgmt.msc). A dialog will prompt you to initialize the disk. Select GPT for modern systems or MBR for legacy compatibility, then click OK.
Create the First Partition
Right-click the unallocated space on the new disk and select New Simple Volume. The wizard opens to guide you through partition creation.
Set the Partition Size
Enter the size in megabytes for your first partition. To use the entire disk as one partition, accept the maximum size. To create multiple partitions, enter a smaller value.
Assign a Drive Letter
Select a drive letter from the dropdown menu. Windows suggests the next available letter automatically.
Format the Partition
Choose NTFS for Windows data drives. Set the allocation unit size to Default. Enter a volume label to name your partition. Check Quick Format and click Finish.
Create Additional Partitions
Repeat steps 2 through 5 for any remaining unallocated space. Each partition can have a different size, drive letter, and volume label.
Partitioning an Existing Drive
If your drive is already in use with a single partition, you must first shrink the existing partition to create unallocated space. This process is non-destructive and preserves all existing files on the original partition.
Shrink the Existing Partition
In Disk Management, right-click the partition you want to split and select Shrink Volume. Windows calculates the available space. Enter how much space to free up in megabytes and click Shrink.
Create a New Partition from Free Space
Right-click the newly created unallocated space and select New Simple Volume. Follow the wizard to assign a size, drive letter, and format the new partition.
Recommended Partition Layout
| Partition | Size | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| C: (System) | 120–256 GB | Windows OS and programs |
| D: (Data) | Remaining space | Documents, photos, videos |