Partition tools9 of 26
Disks and system3 of 31
Safety and media0 of 15
Price and licence18 of 28
disk partition manager · Microsoft
Windows Disk Management
Built-in Windows tool that shrinks and extends NTFS volumes at no extra cost.
In short
- It is a built-in Windows tool, available in Windows 10 and Windows 115.
- Shrinking a volume relocates ordinary files and needs no reformat, but only for NTFS or unformatted volumes2.
- Extending needs unallocated space directly after the volume, on the same disk, and an NTFS or ReFS volume3.
- Changing a disk between MBR and GPT needs every volume deleted first4.
- Microsoft says disks larger than 2 TB must use GPT3,4.
Disk Management suits people who need a quick shrink or extend on an NTFS drive and want nothing to install2,3,5. It is built into Windows 10 and 11, and Microsoft's page lists no separate price5. The catch: it cannot move space past a neighbouring volume or convert MBR to GPT without deleting volumes, and Microsoft's task list names no cloning or recovery1,3,4.
Best for: People who only need to shrink a drive or add space next to it.
Where the points come from
Partition tools 9 of 26 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Resize and move partitions | YesShrink Volume relocates ordinary files without reformatting; Extend Volume adds adjacent free space to a volume2,3. | 8 / 8 |
| Merge partitions | Not publishedNot published on Microsoft's Disk Management pages1,3. | 0 / 4 |
| Give free space to another partition | NoExtend needs free space right after the volume; otherwise delete the in-between volume or use other software3. | 0 / 3 |
| Split a partition | Not publishedNot published as one operation; the pages describe shrinking a volume, then creating a new one in the freed space2,5. | 0 / 4 |
| Convert FAT32 to NTFS | Not publishedNot published on Microsoft's Disk Management pages1,2,3. | 0 / 3 |
| File systems named | NTFSShrink works on NTFS or raw volumes; extend works on NTFS and ReFS. FAT32 and exFAT are not named2,3. | 1 / 4 |
Disks and system 3 of 31 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Convert MBR and GPT without data loss | NoA disk can change style only with no partitions or volumes. MBR2GPT is a separate command-line tool and not counted4,6. | 0 / 8 |
| Migrate Windows to another drive | Not publishedNot published on Microsoft's Disk Management pages1. | 0 / 8 |
| Clone a whole disk | Not publishedNot published on Microsoft's Disk Management pages1. | 0 / 7 |
| Recover lost partitions | Not publishedNot published on Microsoft's Disk Management pages1. | 0 / 5 |
| Disks over 2 TB | YesMicrosoft says GPT disks can manage disks larger than 2 TB; a volume beyond 2 TB needs a GPT disk3,4. | 3 / 3 |
Safety and media 0 of 15 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Bootable disc or USB | Not publishedNot published on the Disk Management overview1. | 0 / 7 |
| Protection if an operation is interrupted | Not publishedNot published on Microsoft's shrink and extend pages2,3. | 0 / 5 |
| Open source | Not publishedNot published on Microsoft's Disk Management pages1,5. | 0 / 3 |
Price and licence 18 of 28 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Free edition | YesDisk Management is a built-in Windows tool and it can shrink and extend volumes2,3,5. | 8 / 8 |
| Cheapest paid edition | $0Built into Windows 10 and 11; Microsoft's page lists no separate edition or price5. | 10 / 10 |
| One-time licence | NoFree built-in tool with no licence sold separately, so it does not earn this line5. | 0 / 6 |
| Money-back period of 30 days or more | NoNo paid edition and no purchase page or refund period for Disk Management5. | 0 / 4 |
The rule behind each line: how we score disk partition managers.
Plans and prices
As the vendor lists them, before tax. Prices are in US dollars unless the plan shows euros; the points use US dollars, with euros converted at the ECB rate.
| Plan | Price as listed | Per month | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Included with Windows1 PC | Free5 | $0 | Built into Windows 10 and Windows 11 |
Strengths
- Built into Windows 10 and 11, so there is nothing to install5.
- Shrinking relocates ordinary files without reformatting the volume2.
- Extend Volume works on NTFS and ReFS volumes, using a wizard or PowerShell3.
- Microsoft documents limits for shrinking and extending, such as unmovable files that stop a shrink2,3.
Limits
- Extending fails if another volume sits between the volume and the free space3.
- Shrink works only on NTFS or unformatted volumes, and extend only on NTFS or ReFS; other file systems cannot be resized this way2,3.
- Converting a disk between MBR and GPT in Disk Management requires deleting all volumes first4.
- Microsoft's overview says some tasks need other tools, and its extend page suggests non-Microsoft software to move volumes1,3.
Other disk partition managers
- 1
EaseUS Partition MasterPeople who want one paid licence for two PCs with a rollback safeguard92/100$49.95/yrcheapest paid edition - 2
AOMEI Partition AssistantPeople who want a long refund window and a one-time licence for 2 PCs87/100$49.95/yrcheapest paid edition - 3
4DDiG Partition ManagerPeople who want one paid tool for resizing, migrating and converting disks78/100$40.95/yrcheapest paid edition - 4
NIUBI Partition EditorPeople who want a low one-time price and a rollback feature77/100$39/yrcheapest paid edition
Sources
- Overview of Disk Management, Microsoft Learn. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
- Shrink a Basic Volume, Microsoft Learn. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
- Extend a basic or dynamic volume in Windows and Windows Server, Microsoft Learn. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
- Convert a disk to GPT or MBR, Microsoft Learn. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
- Create and format a hard disk partition, Microsoft Support. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
- MBR2GPT, Microsoft Learn. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
Website: support.microsoft.com/windows · Markdown version · We are not affiliated with Microsoft.