Discover various methods to access and utilize Windows Disk Management for drive partitioning, formatting, and more Open Disk Management Additional Ways Frequently Asked Questions You can open Disk Management from the Computer Management utility on any Windows version. Use the command "diskmgmt.msc" in the Run box or Command Prompt to start Disk Management. Create a desktop shortcut to access Disk Management quickly for easy management of drives. You'll need to open the Disk Management tool to partition a hard drive , format a hard drive, change a drive letter, or perform other disk-related tasks. You won't find a shortcut to Disk Management in the Windows Start menu or Apps screen because it's not a program in the same sense that most other software is. You can access Disk Management in any version of Windows, from Windows XP through Windows 11 . How to Open Disk Management in Windows The most common and operating-system-independent way to open Disk Management is through the Computer Management utility, described below. Open Control Panel . In most versions of Windows, Control Panel is most readily available from its shortcut on the Start menu or Apps screen. Open Control Panel . In most versions of Windows, Control Panel is most readily available from its shortcut on the Start menu or Apps screen. Select System and Security . If you're viewing the Large icons or Small icons view of the Control Panel, you won't see this link. In that case, select Windows Tools or Administrative Tools and skip to Step 4. System and Security is only found in Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7. In Vista, the equivalent link is System and Maintenance , and in XP, it's called Performance and Maintenance . See What Version of Windows Do I Have? if you're not sure. Select System and Security . If you're viewing the Large icons or Small icons view of the Control Panel, you won't see this link. In that case, select Windows Tools or Administrative Tools and skip to Step 4. System and Security is only found in Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7. In Vista, the equivalent link is System and Maintenance , and in XP, it's called Performance and Maintenance . See What Version of Windows Do I Have? if you're not sure. Select Windows Tools (Windows 11) or Administrative Tools . It's located near the bottom of the window, so you might need to scroll down to see it. This window is called System and Maintenance or Performance and Maintenance in Vista and XP, respectively. Select Windows Tools (Windows 11) or Administrative Tools . It's located near the bottom of the window, so you might need to scroll down to see it. This window is called System and Maintenance or Performance and Maintenance in Vista and XP, respectively. In the window that's now open, double-tap or double-click Computer Management . In the window that's now open, double-tap or double-click Computer Management . Choose Disk Management on the left side of the window. It's located under Storage . If you don't see it listed, you might need to select the plus or arrow icon to the left of the Storage icon. Disk Management may take several seconds or more to load, but it will eventually appear on the right side of the Computer Management window. Choose Disk Management on the left side of the window. It's located under Storage . If you don't see it listed, you might need to select the plus or arrow icon to the left of the Storage icon.

Disk Management may take several seconds or more to load, but it will eventually appear on the right side of the Computer Management window. You can now partition a hard drive , format a hard drive , change a drive's letter , or perform other tasks in Windows' disk manager tool. Most free disk partitioning software tools can also handle these hard drive tasks. Other Ways to Open Disk Management You can also type a simple command in any version of Windows to open Disk Management. This method might be much faster for you if you're used to running commands in the Run dialog box or Command Prompt . Simply execute diskmgmt.msc from either of those command line interfaces . See How to Open Disk Management From the Command Prompt for more detailed instructions. To immediately launch the tool, you can also make your own shortcut to Disk Management right on your desktop. Right-click or tap and hold any empty space on the desktop. Right-click or tap and hold any empty space on the desktop. Go to New > Shortcut . Go to New > Shortcut . Type diskmgmt.msc and then press Next . Type diskmgmt.msc and then press Next . Customize the name if you want, and then select Finish . Customize the name if you want, and then select Finish . If you're running Windows 10 or Windows 8, and you have a keyboard or a mouse, Disk Management is one of many quick-access options on the super-useful Power User Menu . Just right-click the Start button or try the Win+X combination on your keyboard. If Explorer won't even run, meaning that you can't use the desktop to make a shortcut, access the Start button, or open Command Prompt, Task Manager might be your only option. To open Disk Management with Task Manager, first open Task Manager ( Ctrl+Shift+Esc is one easy method), then go to Run new task at the top (Windows 11) or File > Run new task (select More details first if you don't see the File menu). You will see something that looks like the Run dialog box; enter the diskmgmt.msc command there, to open the program. Frequently Asked Questions How do you open Disk Management as an administrator? Make sure you're logged in as an administrator before you open Disk Management. Go to Start > Settings > Accounts . If you're not logged in as an admin, switch to that account or select Change account type to designate a new administrator account. Make sure you're logged in as an administrator before you open Disk Management. Go to Start > Settings > Accounts . If you're not logged in as an admin, switch to that account or select Change account type to designate a new administrator account. How do you assign a drive letter to an external hard drive using Disk Management? Open Disk Management as an administrator and select the drive you want to change. Right-click and select Change Drive Letter and Paths > Change , then pick a new drive letter and choose OK > Yes . Keep in mind that you can't change the drive letter of the partition that contains the Windows operating system, which is usually the C drive. Open Disk Management as an administrator and select the drive you want to change. Right-click and select Change Drive Letter and Paths > Change , then pick a new drive letter and choose OK > Yes . Keep in mind that you can't change the drive letter of the partition that contains the Windows operating system, which is usually the C drive. Software & Apps Related Articles