Delete Volume or Partition in Windows 10  

    Delete Volume or Partition in Windows 10

    Delete Volume or Partition in Windows 10

    How to Delete Volume or Partition in Windows 10
    Published by Category: Hardware & Drivers
    21 Aug 2020
    Designer Media Ltd

    How to Delete Volume or Partition in Windows 10


    In Windows, you can delete a volume or partition on a disk, except for a system or boot volume or partition.

    When you delete a volume or partition on a disk, it will become unallocated space on the disk. You could then extend another volume/partition on the same disk into this unallocated space to add the unallocated space to the volume/partition.

    This tutorial will show you different ways on how to delete a volume or partition on a disk in Windows 10.

    You must be signed in as an administrator to delete a volume or partition.


    When you delete a volume or partition, all data and configuration information for the volume/partition is also deleted.



    Contents

    • Option One: Delete Volume or Partition on Disk in Disk Management
    • Option Two: Delete Volume or Partition on Disk in Command Prompt
    • Option Three: Delete Volume or Partition on Disk in PowerShell
    • Option Four: Delete Volume or Partition on Disk in Settings






    OPTION ONE

    Delete Volume or Partition on Disk in Disk Management


    1 Open the Win+X menu, and click/tap on Disk Management (diskmgmt.msc).

    2 Right click or press and hold on the partition/volume (ex: "F") you want to delete, and click/tap on Delete Volume. (see screenshot below)

    Delete Volume or Partition in Windows 10-delete_volume_in_disk_management-1.jpg

    3 Click/tap on Yes to confirm. (see screenshot below)

    Delete Volume or Partition in Windows 10-delete_volume_in_disk_management-2.png

    4 The volume/partition will now be deleted, and show as Unallocated space on the disk. (see screenshot below)

    Delete Volume or Partition in Windows 10-delete_volume_in_disk_management-3.jpg






    OPTION TWO

    Delete Volume or Partition on Disk in Command Prompt


    1 Open an elevated command prompt or command prompt at boot.

    2 Type the commands below one at a time into the command prompt, and press Enter after each command. Make note of the volume number (ex: "5") of the drive letter (ex: "F") you want to delete. (see screenshot below)

    diskpart

    list volume

    Delete Volume or Partition in Windows 10-delete_volume_in_command_prompt-1.png

    3 Type the command below into the command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

    select volume <number>

    Substitute <number> in the top command above with the actual volume number (ex: "5") you want to delete from step 2 above.

    For example: select volume 5

    Delete Volume or Partition in Windows 10-delete_volume_in_command_prompt-2.png

    4 Type the command below into the command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

    delete volume

    Delete Volume or Partition in Windows 10-delete_volume_in_command_prompt-3.png

    5 The volume/partition will now be deleted, and show as Unallocated space on the disk. You can now close the command prompt if you like.






    OPTION THREE

    Delete Volume or Partition on Disk in PowerShell


    To see more usage options for the Remove-Partition command, see: Remove-Partition - Microsoft Docs


    1 Open an elevated PowerShell.

    2 Type the Get-Volume command into the elevated PowerShell, press Enter, and make note of the drive letter (ex: "F") of the partition/volume you want to delete. (see screenshot below)

    Delete Volume or Partition in Windows 10-delete_volume_in_powershell-1.jpg

    3 Type the command below into the elevated PowerShell, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

    Remove-Partition -DriveLetter "<Drive Letter>"

    Substitute <Drive Letter> in the command above with the actual drive letter (ex: "F") you want to delete from step 2 above.

    For example: Remove-Partition -DriveLetter "F"

    Delete Volume or Partition in Windows 10-delete_volume_in_powershell-2.png

    4 When prompted, type y to confirm, and press Enter. (see screenshot above)

    5 The volume/partition will now be deleted, and show as Unallocated space on the disk. You can now close the elevated PowerShell if you like.






    OPTION FOUR

    Delete Volume or Partition on Disk in Settings


    This option is only available starting with Windows 10 build 20197.


    1 Open Settings, and click/tap on the System icon.

    2 Click/tap on Storage on the left side, and click/tap on the Manage Disks and Volumes link on the right side. (see screenshot below)

    Delete Volume or Partition in Windows 10-settings_manage_disks_and_volumes-1.jpg

    3 Expand open the disk (ex: "Disk 2") that contains the volume you want to delete. (see screenshot below)

    Delete Volume or Partition in Windows 10-settings_manage_disks_and_volumes-2.png

    4 Click/tap on the volume or partition (ex: drive "F") you want to delete, and click/tap on Properties. (see screenshot below)

    Delete Volume or Partition in Windows 10-settings_manage_disks_and_volumes-3.png

    5 Click/tap on the Delete button under the Format section. (see screenshot below)

    Delete Volume or Partition in Windows 10-delete_volume_or_partition_in_settings-1.png

    6 Click/tap on Delete volume to confirm. (see screenshot below)

    Delete Volume or Partition in Windows 10-delete_volume_or_partition_in_settings-2.png

    7 The volume/partition will now be deleted, and show as Unallocated space on the disk (ex: "Disk 2"). (see screenshot below)

    Delete Volume or Partition in Windows 10-delete_volume_or_partition_in_settings-3.png

    8 You can now close Settings if you like.


    That's it,
    Shawn






  1. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
       #1

    Tutorial updated to add option 4 to delete a volume or partition in Settings.
      My Computers


  2. Posts : 11,062
    Windows 10 Pro version 22H2 0n one desktop and running Window 11 Pro 22H2 on unsupported desktop
       #2

    Hello Shawn I have an external drive that I wish to have as an unallocated disk so that I can clone my C: drive to but am going round the trees looking for a way to do this through diskpart.

    I have tried cleaning it formatting it and then it is asking for a volume and this is where I am getting lost ideas please??
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #3

    ICIT2LOL said:
    Hello Shawn I have an external drive that I wish to have as an unallocated disk so that I can clone my C: drive to but am going round the trees looking for a way to do this through diskpart.

    I have tried cleaning it formatting it and then it is asking for a volume and this is where I am getting lost ideas please??
    Hello John,

    You could use the clean command with diskpart like in the tutorial below to wipe the drive and leave it as unallocated.

    Erase Disk using Diskpart Clean Command in Windows 10
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 11,062
    Windows 10 Pro version 22H2 0n one desktop and running Window 11 Pro 22H2 on unsupported desktop
       #4

    Thanks Shawn I have done that and it did not come up as unallocated but I did manage to get a backup done using the Windows backup imaging feature.

    Mind you it is an old drive and perhaps a bit past using for backing up my data.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 41,366
    windows 10 professional version 1607 build 14393.969 64 bit
       #5

    Please open a new thread and run:

    DiskParInfo.bat

    Tuneup.bat
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 11,062
    Windows 10 Pro version 22H2 0n one desktop and running Window 11 Pro 22H2 on unsupported desktop
       #6

    Its OK Zbook I will try a new drive as I cannot be bothered with trying to resurrect this older one but thanks for your recommendations.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 18,421
    Windows 11 Pro
       #7

    ICIT2LOL said:
    Thanks Shawn I have done that and it did not come up as unallocated but I did manage to get a backup done using the Windows backup imaging feature.

    Mind you it is an old drive and perhaps a bit past using for backing up my data.
    If the clean command succeeded and you selected the correct drive to run it on, then the disk is unallocated until you perform another operation on it. You stated earlier you tried cleaning it formatting it and then....

    Well, "formatting it" implies creating a partition on it so it would no longer be unallocated.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 11,062
    Windows 10 Pro version 22H2 0n one desktop and running Window 11 Pro 22H2 on unsupported desktop
       #8

    Thanks Navy I think I have got the gist of it now but in any case I think I shall put another drive in the machine for backup seems to be the simpler way to do it.
      My Computer


 

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