How to Fix Extend Volume Option Greyed Out on Windows 10

By
Issabela Garcia
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You’re trying to extend your C: drive because it’s almost full. You open Disk Management. Right-click the drive. And boom — the Extend Volume option is greyed out. Wait, what?! That can be super frustrating. But don’t worry! We’ll explain why this happens and how to fix it. It’s easier than you think!

Why Is “Extend Volume” Greyed Out?

Let’s break it down. Windows only allows you to extend a volume (like your C: drive) when there’s unallocated space next to it. That’s the secret!

Here are the top reasons why you can’t extend the volume:

  • No unallocated space on the disk
  • Unallocated space is not adjacent (right next to) the drive you want to extend
  • Wrong partition format: It must be NTFS, not FAT32

Now let’s look at how to fix it. Are you ready? Let’s go!

Step 1: Open Disk Management

Press Windows + X and select Disk Management. You will see all your drives there — both partitions and unallocated space.

Step 2: Check for Unallocated Space

Look to the right of the drive you want to extend (usually C:). If you don’t see a black-colored box labeled Unallocated, then there’s no space to extend into. That’s your problem.

So how do we get unallocated space? Two main ways:

  • Shrink another volume, like D:
  • Delete a volume you no longer need (BE CAREFUL: this deletes data!)

Step 3: Move or Create Unallocated Space Next to the Volume

If the unallocated space is on the right side of the C: drive, Windows will allow you to extend. If it’s not, you’ll need to move it. But Disk Management can’t do that trick. You’ll need help from a third-party tool.

Use Free Software to Move Space

Here are some reliable tools:

  • MiniTool Partition Wizard (free)
  • EaseUS Partition Master
  • AOMEI Partition Assistant

Install one of these. Open it. Then:

  1. Find the unallocated space
  2. Move it right next to the volume you want to expand
  3. Apply changes

After that, return to Disk Management. Right-click your drive. Poof! The Extend Volume option is now clickable!

Step 4: Extend the Volume

Time to expand that drive! Follow these steps:

  1. Right-click the drive (e.g., C:)
  2. Select Extend Volume
  3. The Wizard will open. Click Next
  4. Select how much space to add
  5. Click Finish

Congratulations! You just made your C: drive bigger!

Bonus Tips

  • Always backup important files before playing with partitions.
  • You can’t extend a FAT32 partition in Disk Management, only NTFS.
  • Using an SSD? Don’t defrag after extending. It’s not necessary.
  • If your PC uses MBR (not GPT), you might hit a 2TB limit per partition.

Still Not Working?

Sometimes, despite doing everything right, the option isn’t available. In that case, try these:

  • Run Disk Management as Administrator
  • Use Command Prompt with DiskPart
  • Double-check the partition format (must be NTFS)

To use DiskPart:

  1. Press Windows + X and select Command Prompt (Admin)
  2. Type diskpart and press Enter
  3. Type list volume
  4. Type select volume X (replace X with the correct number)
  5. Type extend

Wrap-Up

The greyed-out Extend Volume button isn’t a bug — it’s just a space problem. Find that missing piece, move it, and you’re golden!

Now you have more room for games, files, and puppy pictures. 🐶 Go you!