--- title: Windows Disk Management canonical: https://saasranked.com/software/windows-disk-management/ category: Disk Partition Software points: 30 rank: 12 of 12 facts_checked: 2026-10-09 --- # Windows Disk Management Built-in Windows tool that shrinks and extends NTFS volumes at no extra cost. 30 points out of 100. #12 of 12 disk partition managers. Vendor: Microsoft. Website: https://support.microsoft.com/windows - It is a built-in Windows tool, available in Windows 10 and Windows 11 [5]. - Shrinking a volume relocates ordinary files and needs no reformat, but only for NTFS or unformatted volumes [2]. - Extending needs unallocated space directly after the volume, on the same disk, and an NTFS or ReFS volume [3]. - Changing a disk between MBR and GPT needs every volume deleted first [4]. - Microsoft says disks larger than 2 TB must use GPT [3][4]. Verdict: Disk Management suits people who need a quick shrink or extend on an NTFS drive and want nothing to install [2][3][5]. It is built into Windows 10 and 11, and Microsoft's page lists no separate price [5]. 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 recovery [1][3][4]. Best for: People who only need to shrink a drive or add space next to it. ## Points | Criterion | Line | Value | Points | Note | |---|---|---|---|---| | Partition tools | Resize and move partitions | Yes | 8/8 | Shrink Volume relocates ordinary files without reformatting; Extend Volume adds adjacent free space to a volume [2][3]. | | Partition tools | Merge partitions | Not published | 0/4 | Not published on Microsoft's Disk Management pages [1][3]. | | Partition tools | Give free space to another partition | No | 0/3 | Extend needs free space right after the volume; otherwise delete the in-between volume or use other software [3]. | | Partition tools | Split a partition | Not published | 0/4 | Not published as one operation; the pages describe shrinking a volume, then creating a new one in the freed space [2][5]. | | Partition tools | Convert FAT32 to NTFS | Not published | 0/3 | Not published on Microsoft's Disk Management pages [1][2][3]. | | Partition tools | File systems named | NTFS | 1/4 | Shrink works on NTFS or raw volumes; extend works on NTFS and ReFS. FAT32 and exFAT are not named [2][3]. | | Disks and system | Convert MBR and GPT without data loss | No | 0/8 | A disk can change style only with no partitions or volumes. MBR2GPT is a separate command-line tool and not counted [4][6]. | | Disks and system | Migrate Windows to another drive | Not published | 0/8 | Not published on Microsoft's Disk Management pages [1]. | | Disks and system | Clone a whole disk | Not published | 0/7 | Not published on Microsoft's Disk Management pages [1]. | | Disks and system | Recover lost partitions | Not published | 0/5 | Not published on Microsoft's Disk Management pages [1]. | | Disks and system | Disks over 2 TB | Yes | 3/3 | Microsoft says GPT disks can manage disks larger than 2 TB; a volume beyond 2 TB needs a GPT disk [3][4]. | | Safety and media | Bootable disc or USB | Not published | 0/7 | Not published on the Disk Management overview [1]. | | Safety and media | Protection if an operation is interrupted | Not published | 0/5 | Not published on Microsoft's shrink and extend pages [2][3]. | | Safety and media | Open source | Not published | 0/3 | Not published on Microsoft's Disk Management pages [1][5]. | | Price and licence | Free edition | Yes | 8/8 | Disk Management is a built-in Windows tool and it can shrink and extend volumes [2][3][5]. | | Price and licence | Cheapest paid edition | $0 | 10/10 | Built into Windows 10 and 11; Microsoft's page lists no separate edition or price [5]. | | Price and licence | One-time licence | No | 0/6 | Free built-in tool with no licence sold separately, so it does not earn this line [5]. | | Price and licence | Money-back period of 30 days or more | No | 0/4 | No paid edition and no purchase page or refund period for Disk Management [5]. | ## Plans | Plan | Price | Per month (USD) | |---|---|---| | Included with Windows | Free [5] | $0 | ## Strengths - Built into Windows 10 and 11, so there is nothing to install [5]. - Shrinking relocates ordinary files without reformatting the volume [2]. - Extend Volume works on NTFS and ReFS volumes, using a wizard or PowerShell [3]. - Microsoft documents limits for shrinking and extending, such as unmovable files that stop a shrink [2][3]. ## Limits - Extending fails if another volume sits between the volume and the free space [3]. - Shrink works only on NTFS or unformatted volumes, and extend only on NTFS or ReFS; other file systems cannot be resized this way [2][3]. - Converting a disk between MBR and GPT in Disk Management requires deleting all volumes first [4]. - Microsoft's overview says some tasks need other tools, and its extend page suggests non-Microsoft software to move volumes [1][3]. ## Sources 1. [Overview of Disk Management](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/disk-management/overview-of-disk-management), Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-10-09 2. [Shrink a Basic Volume](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/disk-management/shrink-a-basic-volume), Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-10-09 3. [Extend a basic or dynamic volume in Windows and Windows Server](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/disk-management/extend-a-basic-volume), Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-10-09 4. [Convert a disk to GPT or MBR](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/disk-management/change-disk-partition-scheme), Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-10-09 5. [Create and format a hard disk partition](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/create-and-format-a-hard-disk-partition-bbb8e185-1bda-ecd1-3465-c9728f7d7d2e), Microsoft Support, accessed 2026-10-09 6. [MBR2GPT](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/mbr-to-gpt), Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-10-09