3 ways to extend volume in Windows 10

Many people have installed or upgraded to Windows 10, from the feedback of Windows 10 users, there are many wonderful features and improvement. However, the same with previous versions, the common disk space issue still exist: the system C drive runs out of space and becomes full after running Windows 10 for a period of time. Low disk space issue could also occur in the volume for applications and backup.

No matter on system partition or data volume, the fastest way to solve this problem is by extending volume with Unallocated space or free space in other volumes. Reliable partition software can help you resize and extend partition without losing data. In this article I’ll introduce 3 ways to extend volume in Windows 10.

Overview:

Extend volume with DiskPart cmd
Extend partition with Window 10 Disk Management
Extend Windows 10 volume with software

1. Extend volume with DiskPart command

DiskPart is a text-mode command interpreter in Windows 10. This tool enables you to manage objects (disks, partitions, or volumes) by using scripts or direct input at a command prompt.

Steps to extend Windows 10 partition with DiskPart:

Step 1: Press Windows and R key on keyboard, type cmd and press Enter.

Command prompt window will be opened.

Step 2: Type diskpart and press Enter

Step 3: Type list volume and you’ll see all partitions but NO Unallocated space.

Step 4: Type select volume 1 to give focus to the system C: drive.

Step 5: Type extend to proceed extending.

Note: only when there is adjacent Unallocated space on the right side, you can extend C drive, otherwise, you cannot extend Windows 10 volume with DiskPart.

If you extend C drive again, you’ll receive error message ‘There is not enough usable free space on specified disk(s) to extend the volume.‘

To better understand about this, I suggest open Disk Management (right click Windows on bottom left corner and select Disk Management).

From Windows 10 Disk Management, you’ll see clearly the disk partition layout, and whether there is adjacent Unallocated space.

2. Extend partition with Window 10 Disk Management

Better than Diskpart command line, Disk Management is graphical interface, so it is easier to most of computer users. However, the same with Diskpart, only when there is adjacent Unallocated space on the right side, you can extend a volume.

Steps to extend Windows 10 volume with Disk Management:

Step 1: Right click volume D and select Extend Volume.

Step 2: Extend Volume Wizard will be opened, simply click Next to continue.

Step 3: Select available disk and space, click Next to continue.

In a short time, volume D will be extended.

Cannot extend volume in Windows 10

As I said above, if there is no adjacent Unallocated space on the right side, you can’t extend volume in Windows 10, when you right click it, Extend Volume is grayed out.

The only option to expand C drive is by deleting volume D, however, it is not suggested, because:

All applications and services point to volume D stop working.
It cause data loss if you forget to back up or transfer the files.
You cannot get Unallocated space even if deleting D in some situation. (learn why)

Besides the limitations above, another point you should know: only NTFS can be extended, FAT32 and other types of partitions are not supported. The best way to extend partition in Windows 10 is running professional partition software such as NIUBI Partition Editor.

3. Extend Windows 10 volume with software

NIUBI Partition Editor provides basic partition management to create, delete, format partition, change drive letter, etc. Advanced management to resize/move existing partition without data loss, copy, hide, set active, convert, defrag, check partition and much more. It supports Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista and XP (both 32 and 64 bit). To resize and extend partition on Windows 10, you just need to click, drag and drop on the disk map.

The most important: NIUBI Partition Editor is the only software that integrated 1 Second Roll-Back technology to ensure 100% system and data intact. Furthermore, it is 30% to 300% faster than other tools because of its unique file-moving algorithm.

Steps to extend Windows 10 volume with NIUBI PE:

Step 1: Download NIUBI Partition Editor and right click the drive that you want to decrease (such as D) and then select Resize/Move Volume.

Drag left border rightwards to shrink it in the pop-up window.

Click OK and back to the main window, Unallocated space is generated behind C drive. (If you drag right border leftwards, Unallocated space will be generated on the right side of D)

Step 2: Right click C drive and select “Resize/Move Volume” again. In the pop-up window, drag the right border rightwards to combine the Unallocated space.