How To Shrink Windows Partition Using GParted

Bywsadmin

If you want to have a dual boot system or if you want to segregate your data from the software, you will need another drive or free up space in your current drive.  In this article,  we will go show you how to free up space in your current drive.  You will need a usb drive with GParted Live.  Before you begin,  always backup your data.  

STEP 1: Download GParted Live

  1. Visit the official site:
    https://gparted.org/download.php
  2. Download the GParted Live ISO (e.g., gparted-live-1.6.0-1-amd64.iso).

STEP 2: Create Bootable GParted USB (Using Rufus)

  1. Download and open Rufus.
  2. Insert your USB stick.
  3. Under Device, choose your USB drive.
  4. Under Boot selection, choose the downloaded GParted ISO.
  5. Leave the file system as FAT32 and click Start.
  6. If asked about ISO or DD mode, choose ISO mode.

STEP 3: Boot Into GParted Live

  1. Restart your computer.
  2. Enter your BIOS/UEFI settings (usually by pressing F2, Del, F12, or Esc right after turning on).
  3. Set your USB as the primary boot device, or select it via the boot menu.
  4. Boot into GParted Live.

STEP 4: Use GParted to Shrink Windows Partition

  1. When GParted boots, choose GParted Live (Default Settings).
  2. Wait until it loads into the GUI.
  3. GParted will display your hard drive layout (usually /dev/sda).

    Identify the Windows Partition:

  • It will likely be labeled as ntfs and named something like /dev/sda1 or /dev/sda2.
  • It will often be the largest partition, and may have the label System, OS, or Windows.
  1. Right-click the partition you want to shrink (e.g., /dev/sda2) → choose Resize/Move.
  2. In the window that appears:
    • Use the slider or type in a new smaller size in the “New size” box.
    • Leave free space after if you’re preparing for another partition.
  3. Click Resize/Move.
  4. Now you’ll see a pending operation listed below. Click the green checkmark (“Apply All Operations”) in the toolbar to apply the changes.
  5. Wait for the process to finish. It may take some time depending on partition size.

STEP 5: Reboot Into Windows

  1. Close GParted and remove the USB drive.
  2. Reboot your PC.
  3. Windows will check the disk for consistency (automatically).
  4. Your partition should now be smaller, and you’ll have unallocated space on the drive.

Warnings:

  • DO NOT shrink system partitions too much—Windows needs free space to operate (leave at least 10–20 GB free).
  • GParted is safe but powerful—always double-check the partition you’re modifying.

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