How to create a new d drive in windows 10 on my laptop

Things to keep in mind when creating a new D drive in Windows 10 or Windows 11.

1. Backup Important Data First

Although shrinking and creating partitions is usually safe, there’s always a risk of data loss if something goes wrong (power failure, tool error, etc.). It’s wise to back up your files before making any changes.

2. Check Available Space on C: Drive

Make sure your C: drive has enough free space to shrink and create a new partition. If there's not enough space, you may need to delete unnecessary files or move data to external storage first.

3. Unmovable System Files Can Limit Shrink Size

Windows might not allow you to shrink C: beyond a certain point because of unmovable system files (like hibernation or pagefile). 

4. Don't Modify Hidden System Partitions

Your drive may contain hidden recovery or EFI partitions used by Windows for startup and repair. Avoid deleting or shrinking those—only modify the main C: partition unless you know what you're doing.

6. Choose NTFS File System

When formatting the new partition, choose NTFS (not FAT32 or exFAT) since it's the default file system for Windows and supports larger files, permissions, and better security features.