To view partitions in Windows 10, right-click Start and select Disk Management. The bottom half shows each disk as a bar, split into its partitions. This includes hidden partitions that don’t appear in File Explorer.
Applies to: Windows 10. Checked against Microsoft Learn on September 27, 2026.
View partitions in Disk Management
- Right-click Start and select Disk Management. See how to open Disk Management in Windows 10 for other ways.
- Look at the bottom half. Each disk (Disk 0, Disk 1 and so on) has a row, and each box in the row is a partition.
- The top half lists the same partitions with their size, free space and file system.
Just looking doesn’t change anything. Don’t select options like Delete Volume or Format unless you mean to, because they erase data.
What the partitions are
- EFI System Partition: About 100 MB. It holds the files that start Windows.
- Windows (C:): Where Windows, your apps and your files are.
- Recovery Partition: Holds the tools Windows uses to repair itself.
- Unallocated: Space that isn’t part of any partition yet.
Windows also makes a small reserved partition of about 16 MB. Disk Management doesn’t show it, but the tools below do.
View partitions with PowerShell
- Right-click Start and select Windows PowerShell (Admin).
- Run:
Get-Partition
It lists every partition on every disk, with its drive letter, size and type.
View partitions with DiskPart
- Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
- Type
diskpartand press Enter. - Type
list diskand press Enter to see your disks. - Type
select disk 0and press Enter. Use the number of the disk you want. - Type
list partitionand press Enter. - Type
exitto close DiskPart.
These commands only show information. Other DiskPart commands, like clean, erase disks without asking, so only use the ones above.
See free space on each partition
In PowerShell, run Get-Volume. It lists every volume with its drive letter, file system, total size and remaining space, including partitions that have no letter. This is quicker than opening each drive in File Explorer.
Check whether the disk is GPT or MBR
In Disk Management, right-click the disk name on the left, such as Disk 0, select Properties, and open the Volumes tab. Partition style shows GPT or MBR. Windows 11 needs a GPT system disk, so this is worth knowing before an upgrade.
Troubleshooting
- A disk shows “Unknown, Not Initialized”. It’s a new drive with no partitions yet. Right-click it and select Initialize Disk, choosing GPT, then create a volume.
- A partition shows as RAW. Windows can’t read its file system. Don’t format it if it holds files you need. Try recovering the files first, then format.
- You see an “OEM Partition” or extra recovery partitions. These come from your PC maker or older Windows versions. Leave them alone unless you have recovery media and know what they’re for.
- The sizes don’t match the drive label. Windows counts 1 GB as 1,073,741,824 bytes while makers use 1,000,000,000, so a “1 TB” drive shows about 931 GB.
Frequently asked questions
Why can’t I see a partition in File Explorer?
File Explorer only shows partitions with a drive letter. You can add one in Disk Management. See how to change a drive letter in Windows 10.
How do I make a new partition?
See how to partition a hard drive in Windows 10.
Can I join two partitions into one?
Yes. See how to merge partitions in Windows 10.
Is it safe to delete the recovery partition?
Only if you have another way to repair or reinstall Windows, such as a recovery USB drive. Without it, you lose the built-in repair tools. The space gained is usually under 1 GB.
How many partitions should my disk have?
A typical Windows 10 system disk has four: the EFI System Partition, a small reserved partition, the Windows partition and a recovery partition. You don’t need more unless you want to separate your files.
To give a partition a drive letter, see how to mount a drive in Windows 10.
To remove a partition you no longer need, see how to delete a partition in Windows 10.
Microsoft’s references are Overview of Disk Management and Get-Partition. More help is on our Windows Help & Guides page.
Related: how to delete a recovery partition in Windows 11.
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.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.