Forum Discussion
How to safely extend c drive in Windows 11 when the menu grayed out?
Hi everyone, On my Windows 11 PC, the C drive is 80 GB and the free space is very small. I have to manually delete the files in order to make more room for C drive. Now, I’m trying to extend C dr...
Don't waste time on the built-in Disk Management utility. The Extend Volume... option is grayed out.
If you really want to increase the C drive space without losing data, please follow this step-by-step guide instead:
https://www.howtogeeker.com/increase-c-drive-on-windows-pc
It can be annoying to run into a problem with insufficient space on your C drive, especially on Windows 11. I've been in a similar situation, and here are two solutions that can help you safely expand your C drive Windows 11/10 without losing data.
Solution 1: Check the partition location
- If the unallocated space is not to the right of your C drive, Windows' Disk Management tool won't allow you to extend the volume, which is why the "Extend Volume" option is grayed out. Solution:
- Open Disk Management (right-click the Start button and select "Disk Management").
- If the unallocated space is not right next to your C drive, you can try moving your D drive so that the unallocated space is closer to your C drive. However, this requires a third-party tool, such as Partition Wizard, because Disk Management can't move partitions.
Solution 2: Delete part of your D drive and create unallocated space
- If you have important data on your D drive, back it up first.
- In Disk Management, right-click your D drive and select "Shrink Volume" to free up the unallocated space.
- After shrinking, if the unallocated space is next to the C drive, right-click on the C drive and select "Extend Volume" to increase the space of the C drive.
