How to Delete a Partition in Windows 11

To delete a partition in Windows 11, right-click the Start button, open Disk Management, right-click the partition you want to remove, choose Delete Volume, and confirm with Yes. The space becomes “Unallocated,” and you can add it to another partition or create a new one. Deleting a partition erases everything on it, so back up first and double-check that you’ve picked the right drive.

Before you delete a partition

Back up the data. Deleting a volume removes access to every file on it.
Identify the right disk. Check the drive letter, label, size, and disk number. External drives and USB sticks also appear in the list.
Save your BitLocker recovery key if the drive is encrypted.
Leave system partitions alone. Don’t delete the EFI System Partition, the Recovery partition, or the partition with Windows (usually C:). Windows needs them to start and repair itself.

Method 1: Delete a partition in Disk Management

Right-click Start and choose Disk Management. (Or press Windows + R, type diskmgmt.msc, and press Enter.)
Find the partition in the lower panel. Confirm the disk number and size.
Close any open files or apps that use the partition.
Right-click the partition and choose Delete Volume.
Select Yes to confirm.

The partition turns into a black bar labeled Unallocated.

Method 2: Use Settings

Open Settings > System > Storage.
Select Advanced storage settings > Disks & volumes.
Select the volume, choose Properties, then Delete, and confirm.

Method 3: Use DiskPart (advanced)

DiskPart is useful when Disk Management won’t cooperate, but it acts immediately with no undo, so type carefully.

Right-click Start, choose Terminal (Admin), and run diskpart.
Run list disk and note the disk number.
Run select disk 1 (use your disk number).
Run list partition and note the partition number.
Run select partition 2 (use your partition number).
Run delete partition, then exit.

DiskPart refuses to delete protected partitions unless you add override. Only do that if you’re certain, such as when wiping a secondary drive that came from another PC.

Use the unallocated space

Add it to another partition: right-click the partition directly to the left of the unallocated space and choose Extend Volume. This only works when the free space sits immediately to the right. See how to merge two drives in Windows 11.
Create a new partition: right-click the unallocated space, choose New Simple Volume, and follow the wizard to pick a size, drive letter, and file system (NTFS for internal drives).

Troubleshooting

Delete Volume is grayed out: it’s a system, boot, EFI, or recovery partition, which Windows protects. Choose a different partition, or use DiskPart only if you understand the consequences.
“The volume is in use”: close File Explorer windows and apps using the drive, or restart and try again.
Extend Volume is grayed out: the unallocated space isn’t directly to the right of the partition you want to grow. A recovery partition in between is the usual reason.

Frequently asked questions

Can I recover a deleted partition?

Sometimes, with third-party recovery tools, but only if nothing new has been written to the space. Stop using the drive immediately if you deleted the wrong one.

Does deleting a partition free up space on C:?

Only if you then extend C: into the unallocated space, which requires the space to be right next to C:.

Kermit Matthews

Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.

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