How to Move Unallocated Space/Partition

By John, Updated on: July 2, 2020

This article introduces how to move Unallocated space to C drive, and how to move Unallocated space to the left/right or end of disk.

Applies to: Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012 (R2), Small Business Server 2011, Windows Server 2008 (R2) and Windows Server 2003 (R2).

Unallocated space is part of disk space that is not belong to any volume. Beside creating new volume, it can be moved and combine to other partitions. Windows native Disk Management and diskpart command tool cannot move Unallocated space or move any partition. Therefore, to accomplish this task, you need third party software.

While moving Unallocated space, all files in associated contiguous partition must be moved to new locations, too, so there's potential data loss risk if some error happens. You'd better back up first and run safe partition software. Among these software, NIUBI Partition Editor has unique 1-Second Rollback, Virtual Mode and Cancel-at-will technologies to protect your system and data. In addition, it is much faster because of the unique file-moving algorithm. It has free edition for Windows 10/8/7/Vista/XP home computer users.

In this article, I'll show you detailed steps how to move Unallocated space to the left/right or end of a disk, and what to do if you want to move Unallocated space from one disk to another.

1. How to move Unallocated space to the left

Windows Disk Management and diskpart command can only merge Unallocated space to the left contiguous NTFS partition. Unallocated space can't be added into the right contiguous or any non-adjacent partition. The typical example is that Extend Volume greyed out in Disk Management after shrinking D. If there's a tool that is able to move Unallocated space to the left side of D, then Extend Volume will be enabled for C drive.

Download NIUBI Partition Editor and you'll see all disks with partition structure and other information. There's 20GB Unallocated space on the right side of drive D:

NPE

Follow the step to move Unallocated space to the left side of D drive:

Right click D: drive and select "Resize/Move Volume", drag middle position towards right in the pop-up window.

Move drive D

Then Unallocated space is moved next to C drive.

Move Unallocated

Remember to click Apply on top left to confirm and execute, otherwise, this operation only work in virtual mode. The pending operations that are marked as Tick can be done in Windows without reboot.

2. How to move Unallocated space to C drive:

After moving Unallocated space to the left side of D, it can be combined into C: drive easy, follow the step:

Right click drive C: and select "Resize/Move Volume" again, drag right border towards right in the pop-up window.

Extend C drive

Then Unallocated space is moved into C drive.

Extend volume C

3. How to move Unallocated space to the right or end of disk

If you don't want to add Unallocated space to C: drive but want to merge with another data volume, it is similar. Follow the steps below.

How to move Unallocated space to the right of E:

Right click E: and select "Resize/Move Volume", drag middle position towards left in the pop-up window.

Drag to extend

How to extend E: drive with Unallocated space:

Right click E: and select "Resize/Move Volume", drag left border towards left in the pop-up window.

Extend drive E

In a word, when there's contiguous Unallocated space on either left or right side of a partition, right click this partition and run "Resize/Move Volume", drag the border towards the other side, then you can combine the contiguous Unallocated space. Drag the middle towards the other side, then you can move and exchange the position with Unallocated space.

Watch the video how to move and combine Unallocated space:

Video guide

4. Move Unallocated space from one disk to another

In some computers, C drive is full but there is no other volume or not enough free space on the same disk. Some people want to move Unallocated space to C drive from another separate disk. No software can do this, because a 256GB physical hard disk can't be decreased to 200GB or increased to 300GB.

In that case, you have to copy this disk to another larger one with NIUBI. Extra space in the larger disk will be shown as Unallocated, then you can combine to C drive and other partitions, follow the steps in the video:

Video guide

Conclusion: Windows native tools cannot move Unallocated space, you need to run 3rd-party safe partitioning software. Follow corresponding method above according to your down disk partition structure. Besides moving and extending partition, NIUBI Partition Editor helps do many other disk and partition operations.

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