How can you find Disk Management in Windows 11?
To keep your computer running smoothly, you need to manage disk space properly. If you’re upgrading to Windows 11, it’s best to organize your storage in advance. As the Windows-built-in tool, Disk Management tools help you create, format, and move partitions as needed. But where to find it and how to effectively use it?
Here are two simple ways to open Disk Management in Windows 11: To open Disk Management using the Quick Access Menu, right-click the Start button or press Windows + X, then select Disk Management from the list. Another way is to use the Run command. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog, type diskmgmt.msc, and press Enter to launch Disk Management.
However, sometimes the Disk Management may not work properly. You might find that it doesn’t open at all or encounter errors like "Unable to Connect to Virtual Disk Service" or "Disk Management could not start Virtual Disk Service (VDS) on TECHNOYL." Other common issues include Disk Management taking too long to load, getting stuck on "Loading disk configuration," or not responding at all.
If you’re facing any of these problems in Windows 11, don’t worry, you can also choose to use its best alternative for Windows, AOMEI Partition Assistant.
AOMEI Partition Assistant: powerful Windows 11 disk manager
AOMEI Partition Assistant is a powerful and user-friendly disk management tool compatible with Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7. It ensures smooth disk management, so you won’t encounter issues like those with the built-in Disk Management tool. Whether you're a beginner or an expert, AOMEI Partition Assistant is perfect for managing your disks, thanks to its wide range of features and intuitive interface. Here are some of the top benefits of using this disk management tool for Windows 11:
Change between MBR and GPT Data Disks: You can convert MBR to GPT in Windows 11 without losing any data.
Fix Issues on Your Own: With AOMEI Partition Assistant, you can easily fix computer issues like D drive missing Windows 10 and Windows 11, system crashes, and so on.
Create and Delete Partitions: You can easily make new partitions from current ones or empty space, and you can quickly get rid of partitions that you don't want.
Easy Format: When you format folders, it's easy to change them to NTFS, FAT32, or exFAT file systems.
Resize/Move Partitions: You can easily make partitions bigger or smaller, and you can also change where they are located.
Merge Partitions: This feature lets you combine empty space with any partition, making it easier to expand without the need for continuous room.
Clone Disks or Partitions: It can easily move or back up data by cloning disks or partitions, such as moving from HDD to SSD, copying a section to another drive, moving only the operating system to SSD, or replacing a hard drive without reinstalling Windows.
Fix Boot Problems: AOMEI Partition Assistant repairs common boot issues like missing BCD, corrupted boot files, and inaccessible boot devices with just a few clicks.
AOMEI Partition Assistant is a powerful disk management tool that goes beyond what Disk Management can do on its own.
How to use the powerful disk manager in Windows 11
This article will show you in detail how to make partitions bigger in Windows 11 using the file manager. It will cover 2 different situations.
Case 1. Extend partition when there is non-contiguous unallocated space
In this case, the "Merge Partitions" feature in AOMEI Partition Assistant is a great solution. It allows you to combine two adjacent or continuous unallocated spaces into a single partition.
To use this feature, first, download and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant. Then, right-click on the partition you want to extend and select Advanced > Merge Partitions. This method helps optimize disk space without losing data.
Step 2. Tick the checkbox before the unallocated space and then click OK.
Step 3. Now you can preview the unallocated space that has been added to C drive. To save the change, please click Apply button in the top left corner.
Case 2. Extend partition when there is no unallocated space
If your OS drive needs more space but no unallocated space is available, its "Allocate Free Space" feature lets you transfer free space directly from another partition to extend it. This is a simple and effective way to manage your disk space without deleting or formatting partitions.
Step 1. Open this software, right-click a partition that has enough space (here is D partition), and then choose Allocate Free Space.
Step 2. Enter the size of free space you would like to add into another partition (here is C drive), and then click OK.
Step 3. Now you can preview that some free space has been allocated to C drive from D partition. Click Apply to save the changes. Then you will extend partition C.
Conclusion
If you just need to create or resize partitions, Windows 11 Disk Management is enough. However, for more advanced tasks, AOMEI Partition Assistant is a much better option. Since 2010, it has helped protect data worldwide and now has over 60 million users. While AOMEI Partition Assistant offers many powerful features, some advanced functions require a paid version. Despite this, it remains a top choice for users who need more than just basic disk management.
