Windows is unable to shrink C drive. Why? And how do you fix this error? This article helps you remove this error from your PC and helps you learn the reason behind this error.
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Many users report that they can't shrink the C drive and get a message saying, "You cannot shrink a volume beyond the point where any unmovable files are located." EaseUS tries to fix this error and explains other reasons behind it. Let's start.
According to the reasons above, in this part, we will provide you with an effective solution to solve this error. In fact, the most direct and effective solution is to use a free third-party tool, which allows you to shrink the C partition without any settings or changes.
When you can't shrink your C drive because of files you can't move or file system issues, don't worry. Third-party free software can help you partition your hard drive to overcome Microsoft technology's limitations. EaseUS Partition Master Free is reliable and can shrink the C partition/volume without disabling unmovable files.
Download this free tool to help shrink the C drive now.
Step 1: Locate and select target partition to shrink
Go to the Partition Manager section, right-click on the partition that you want to shrink and select "Resize/Move".
Step 2: Adjust to shrink partition
Use your mouse to drag the end of the target partition to shrink partition space.
You can also adjust the partition size box to shrink the target partition. Once done, click "OK" to continue.
Step 3: Execute operation
Click the "Execute Task" button and "Apply" to keep all changes.
You can shrink the C drive to get more free space by using EaseUS Partition Master. However, this tool can do much more than shrink a volume. It can:
You can download this tool and follow the links above to try how to achieve your goals.
Disk Management will show that the size of the compressed space on the C drive is limited by Hibernation, Page files, system protections, and other non-movable files. These files cannot be moved automatically by the Windows 11/10 built-in tool Disk Management, so you need to disable the non-movable files manually. Here's how:
Disable Hibernation File:
Step 1. Run Command Prompt as administrator."
Step 2. Type the commands powercfg /hibernate off
This command will clear the hiberfil.sys from the C drive.
Disable System Protection:
Step 1. Press the Window icon and the R key, type SystemProperitiesProtecion.exe in the Run box, and press "Enter."
Step 2. Click C drive and select Disable system protection > Apply >Yes.
Step 3. Restart your PC.
Moving these files can be difficult if you are not familiar with the process. So, turning to Fix 1 is an easier choice.
You can check the video (From Muradi Tutorial on YouTube) to get more information:
Disable Paging File:
Step 1. Type systempropertiesadvanced.exe in the Run dialog. (To open the Run window, right-click on the Windows icon and choose "Run.")
Step 2. Click the "Advanced" option. Under the Performance section, choose "Settings," click the "Advanced" option, then click the "Change" button.
Step 3. Select "No paging file" and click "Set."
Don't forget to share this guide with users who want to shrink their C drives:
You can't shrink the C drive if the C drive is in the FAT32 format, so converting FAT32 to NTFS is also a quick fix for this error. EaseUS Partition Master can efficiently help you turn FAT32 into NTFS without formatting, and it will cause no data loss during this process.
Step 1. Install and launch EaseUS Partition Master on your computer.
Step 2. Go to the Disk Converter tab, select "FAT => NTFS" and click "Next."
Step 3. Select the partition that you want to convert to NTFS and then click on "Convert." (Tick the "Show More" option in the panel's upper right corner to display the hidden partitions.)
Step 4. Wait until the operation process is finished.
You may also like the following:
To fix the shrink volume issue in Windows 11, 10, 8, or 7, you can also defragment and check the disk for errors. It's worth noting that to fix this issue, you'll need to log into your Windows account with an administrator account.
Guide 1. Defrag C Drive
First, follow the guide to defrag the C drive now.
Step 1. Click Start > File Explorer > This PC.
Step 2. Right-click "Local Disk (C:)." Select Properties > Tools, and click "Optimize" under the "Optimize and Defrag Drive" section.
Step 3. Select C drive in the Optimize Drives window and click "Analyze."
Finally, wait for this process to be finished.
Guide 2. Check Disk Errors
After Guide 1, it is time to check the disk errors on the C drive. Let's start with the following:
Step 1. Right-click on the C drive and choose Property > Tool > Check.
Step 2. This will check the file system errors on the C drive. Just wait for it to be done.
EaseUS Partition Master can also check file system errors and do the surface test on your disk. If you need, turn to this tool and follow the links to learn more:
Sometimes, Windows can't shrink volume due to a lot of factors. Many users say, "I can't shrink my c drive Windows 11." Here, in order to resolve this issue effectively, we must understand what is causing the unable to shrink C drive error. Here are the main reasons why you cannot shrink a partition on a Windows PC:
All these reasons can lead to an "unable to shrink the C drive volume" error. Next, we will fix this error, so continue to read.
When Windows 11/10 Disk Management cannot shrink the C drive due to unremovable files, insufficient space, file system corruption, etc., you can disable these files and reduce the size, but using EaseUS Partition Master is an easier choice.
This tool has a simple and user-friendly interface that is easy to operate even if you are an inexperienced computer user. In just three simple steps, you can shrink the C drive and get unallocated space to create new partitions or extend partitions.
Shrinking the C drive can get more unallocated space, so here I list some other questions and answers you may want to know. Check them out here:
1. Why is "shrink volume" greyed out?
If the selected volume/partition does not have enough free space, the Shrink option will be greyed out. Or the partition you are operating is not a file system other than NTFS. For example, if the C partition cannot be shrunk, it may be because there are unmovable files on the C partition. Thus, you can ensure enough contiguous free space to operate or convert the partition to the NTFS file system. You can delete some useless files or uninstall unnecessary programs to free up space or shrink other partitions to get free space.
2. How to shrink the C drive on Windows 10/11?
Many tools like Disk Management and Diskpart can help shrink the C drive, but EaseUS Partition Master is a wiser choice since it is easier to use and break many limits of Microsoft. Here is how:
Step 1. Launch EaseUS Partition Master and right-click the C drive.
Step 2. Choose Resize/Move and then choose to determine how much capacity you want to shrink.
Step 3. Click OK > Execute Operation > Apply.
3. Why is C drive suddenly full?
What is taking up space on my C drive? Generally, this is because your hard drive does not have enough disk space to store large amounts of data. If you're annoyed by the problem of your C drive being full, you might have too many applications or files on it.
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