To mount a drive in Windows 10, right-click Start and select Disk Management. Right-click the drive, select Change Drive Letter and Paths, and select Add. Then give it a drive letter, or mount it in an empty folder so it shows up as a folder.
Applies to: Windows 10. Checked against Microsoft Learn on September 27, 2026.
Before you start
Plug the drive in first. If it’s a new drive that doesn’t show in Disk Management, it may need to be set up. See how to open Disk Management in Windows 10 and how to view partitions in Windows 10.
Mount a drive with a drive letter
- Right-click Start and select Disk Management.
- Right-click the drive’s partition and select Change Drive Letter and Paths.
- Select Add, choose Assign the following drive letter, and pick a letter.
- Select OK. The drive now shows in File Explorer.
To change a letter that’s already there, see how to change a drive letter in Windows 10.
Mount a drive in a folder
This makes the drive show up as a folder, like C:\Data, instead of a new letter. The folder must be empty and on an NTFS drive.
- Create an empty folder, such as C:\Data.
- In Disk Management, right-click the drive and select Change Drive Letter and Paths, then Add.
- Choose Mount in the following empty NTFS folder and select Browse to pick the folder.
- Select OK.
Unmount a drive
In Disk Management, right-click the drive, select Change Drive Letter and Paths, select the letter or folder, and select Remove. The files stay on the drive. They just aren’t shown until you mount it again.
You can also run mountvol in an admin Command Prompt to see and remove mount points.
Frequently asked questions
How do I mount an ISO file?
That’s different from a drive. See how to mount an ISO file in Windows 10.
How do I remove a USB drive safely?
See how to safely eject an external hard drive in Windows 10.
Microsoft’s references are Assign a mount point folder path to a drive and mountvol. More help is on our Windows Help & Guides page.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
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