Want to merge unallocated space in Windows 10 to make full use of the disk space or solve low disk space issue? This post will show you two cases: how to merge two unallocated spaces (3 situations) and how to add unallocated space to C drive in Windows 10 without losing data.
Why Need to Merge Unallocated Space
Generally speaking, you can benefit from the unallocated space on the hard drive in two situations.
As time goes on, there are large amounts of data stored on your hard drive in Windows 10. Although this latest operating system is popular, you still can't ignore low disk space issue, especially on system partition C. If there is unallocated space, to merge unallocated space with C drive could be a good choice.
In addition, if there are two unallocated spaces which are not adjacent, to combine them could also be wise for better disk space usage.
Today in this post, we will introduce you to some information about how to make full use of free disk space in these two cases. Keep reading, please.
How to Merge Unallocated Space
Case 1: Merge Two Unallocated Spaces
As the first part shows, it is most likely that there are two unallocated spaces on the hard drive in Windows 10. Now, let's see how to merge two unallocated spaces to make full use of disk space in Windows 10 in three different situations.
Situation 1: Merge Two Non-Adjacent Unallocated Spaces on the Same Disk
Two circumstances you can choose to combine two unallocated spaces:
1. You have saved a large amount of data on your disk but the data are various. And you want to store them in different categories, for example, movies in a partition and work documents in another partition.
Then there is already one partition for work files, you want to create a new large partition for movies with two non-adjacent unallocated spaces. To merge them into one unallocated space and then create a large partition should be done.
2. Besides, your partition is almost full, but this drive is between 2 unallocated spaces. When right-clicking the drive, you may find Extend Volume only allows you to merge with the unallocated space on the right side. But your purpose is to merge these two unallocated spaces with the partition to extend partition.
Let's look at a screenshot of the disk layout in Disk Management:
From the figure, you see there are two unallocated spaces which are far away from each other. If you want to merge them into one, Windows 10 Disk Management can't merge unallocated space. In this case, to use a piece of third-party is worthy of being recommended.
Here, we suggest using MiniTool Partition Wizard to combine two unallocated spaces. This partition manager enables you to move/resize partition, extend partition, format/delete/copy partition, and supports many basic and advanced partition management operations on basic disks as well as dynamic disks in Windows 10/8/7/XP/Vista.
Before combining two unallocated spaces, you need to download and install our software to your computer. Just get MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Edition to have a try.
Step 1: Launch MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Edition, and then you will go to the main interface. Here many features about partition and disk management are listed.
Please right-click on D drive to select Move/Resize or select D drive to click Move/Resize Partition from the Change Partition menu to interchange the position of partition D and its neighboring unallocated space in Windows 10.
Step 2: Then please move the entire partition towards the left side to leave the unallocated space behind the target partition. In this window, Using Enhanced Data Protecting Mode is checked by default which ensures data safety when suddenly power outage appears in Windows 10.
Step 3: Select E partition, and then click Move/Resize Partition to interchange the position of E and its adjacent unallocated space.
Step 4: Then in this interface, drag the partition handle to the left side or right side to combine these 2 unallocated spaces. Then, click OK to go back to the main interface again.
Step 5: Now you are able to see the original 2 unallocated spaces have been merged to one, but this is just a preview effect. And at last, you need to click the Apply button on the top left corner to make all changes effective in Windows 10.
Situation 2: Merge Unallocated Space Windows 10 on a Disk Larger than 2TB
In addition, there is another situation: if you use a hard drive which is larger than 2TB, it is most likely that your disk is divided into two unallocated spaces. Why? This is due to the limitation of MBR disk.
Before using a hard drive, Windows will prompt you to initialize it to MBR or GPT and you probably choose MBR as the partition style. In fact, MBR only supports up to 2TB disk. If your disk is larger than 2TB, the rest disk space will show "unallocated" in Windows Disk Management. Look at the figure as follows to learn this situation in Windows 10:
From the screenshot, you can see your 3TB disk contains two unallocated spaces. In this case, you need to merge them together so as to use all disk space on this hard drive. Do you know how to achieve this aim? Actually, it is very simple, and you only need to convert this MBR disk to GPT disk.
Use Windows 10 Disk Management
When it comes to the conversion between MBR and GPT disk, you will consider using Windows 10 Disk Management to perform this change. However, this free tool is not working.
From the following picture, you know it doesn't allow you to directly do this conversion since the Convert to GPT Disk feature is gray. This tool requires you to delete all partitions and then you can finish the change. However, all your data will get lost. So this way is not a good solution.
Run MiniTool Partition Wizard
Fortunately, you can also use MiniTool Partition Wizard to merge unallocated space by converting MBR to GPT disk without losing data.
Do as the following guidance shows:
Step 1: Launch MiniTool Partition Wizard in Windows 10, and then in the main interface, you can see this 3TB disk shows only one unallocated space.
Please right-click on this target hard drive, and then select the Convert MBR Disk to GPT Disk feature from the pop-up menu. Or after selecting the disk, click this function from the Convert Disk menu.
Step 2: Then click Apply in the last to execute this change. Then after opening Windows 10 Disk Management, the two unallocated space has been combined into one.
Now you can use Disk Management to create a new NTFS or FAT32 partition by right-clicking on this unallocated space to use New Simple Volume.
You can also use MiniTool Partition Wizard to create a new partition with the unallocated space. This free partition manager allows you to create a partition with file system including FAT, FAT32, exFAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4 and Linux Swap.
Situation 3: Merge Unallocated Spaces on Two Different Hard Disks
Besides, you probably experience that two unallocated spaces are on two different hard disks.
If you want to combine them to create a larger partition, what should you do? In fact, it is simple. Look at the guidance below:
Step 1: Right-click disk 1 and then select Convert to Dynamic Disk with Disk Management in Windows 10. Please repeat this operation to change disk 2 to dynamic disk.
Step 2: Then create a spanned volume that can occupy the whole unallocated spaces on two hard drives. Right-click one unallocated space, and then select the New Spanned Volume feature. Then click Next. Next, select and add unallocated space on another disk, assign a drive letter for the volume, format it to NTFS/FAT32, and finally click Finish.
Now dynamic volume L has been created on two unallocated spaces.
In the above three situations, we introduce you to detailed solutions about how to merge two unallocated spaces in Windows 10. If you also have such a need, please choose an appropriate method according to your actual situation.
Case 2: Add Unallocated Space to Partition Windows 10
In addition to combining two non-adjacent unallocated spaces into one for a large partition, you probably want to know how to merge unallocated space with partition, especially to C drive when system partition is running out of space.
How to merge free space into primary partition by using Disk Management? Actually, you can only extend C drive with the unallocated space which must be closely followed by. If the unallocated space is far away from C drive, how to move unallocated space to C drive?
Fortunately, MiniTool Partition Wizard also enables you to do this work effectively with its Extend Partition feature. This function enables you to increase partition size by taking disk space from other partitions or unallocated space.
Step 1: Run the Free Edition of MiniTool Partition Wizard to the main interface. Select partition C, and then click Extend Partition function under the Change Partition menu in the action panel.
Step 2: Then please choose to take free space from the unallocated space. By dragging the slider, you can decide how much free space you want to take. Here we suggest you to drag it towards right side to occupy the entire unallocated space. Then click OK to go back to Partition Wizard main interface.
Step 3: Now you preview the unallocated space has been moved to C drive. Finally, make this change effective by hitting "Apply" button.
Bottom Line
In this post, we introduce why you need to merge unallocated space and the particular ways in two cases about how to merge two non-adjacent unallocated spaces, combine two unallocated spaces on a larger than 2TB disk and how to add unallocated space to C drive in Windows 10.
With the help of MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Edition, you are able to combine two unallocated spaces into one for a bigger partition or expand system partition with ease. If you are interested in our software, please don't hesitate to download it for a free try. Besides, welcome to leave a comment below or email us via [email protected].
Merge Unallocated Space FAQ
About The Author
Position: Columnist
Vera is an editor of the MiniTool Team since 2016 who has more than 5 years’ writing experiences in the field of technical articles. Her articles mainly focus on disk & partition management, PC data recovery, video conversion, as well as PC backup & restore, helping users to solve some errors and issues when using their computers. In her spare times, she likes shopping, playing games and reading some articles.
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