Best Mac data recovery software recovers whatever you lost from Mac machines & storage devices. Professional server partition software for Windows Server system. BUY NOW FREE TRIAL. User-friendly iPhone transfer software for iOS devices. It also works as a professional iPhone manager that can help to transfer, add, delete and edit data. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is another one of the best data recovery Mac software applications. The developer has released three different versions: free, Pro and unlimited. The developer has released three different versions: free, Pro and unlimited. Installing a licensed copy of Windows on your Mac's internal hard drive by partitioning it and using Boot Camp is the best way to run Windows on your Mac. The main reason is performance. When you've got Windows directly on your internal drive, you don't have to jump through all of the additional communication lines the way you would using an.
Managing your hard-drive partitions effectively is an important aspect of owning a PC, as that allows people to segregate data based on categories. For instance, you can keep your multimedia files (movies, music etc.) in one partition, your work folders in another, while your programs etc. can be installed on your system drive. Also, if you're a power-user and use your PC to double or triple-boot into various operating systems, you already know that it's impossible without dividing your SSD or HDD into smaller partitions. That being the case, we've compiled a list of the best free partition software for Windows and Linux to help you manage your hard disk partitions effectively:
Best Free Partition Software in 2019
1. EaseUS Partition Master
EaseUS is one of the very best free partition software in the market today. It gives a host of options to the user, including, create, format, resize, move, split, merge, copy, wipe, check and explore. The reason it is at number one is because it not only works exactly as advertised, but also includes a number of extra features, like a partition recovery option that can recover lost or deleted partitions. It also allows users to convert from FAT to NTFS, primary to logical and vice-versa. The best part? It's all included in the free version.
I've personally used EaseUS Partition Manager myself to partition my hard drives and SSDs for several years, and have found the GUI to be extremely intuitive, and the program itself is also extremely easy to use for anybody with the slightest idea of what they want to do. While the free version offers a comprehensive set of features, you'll need to upgrade to the ‘Pro' version if you want to migrate your operating system to a new HDD or SSD. The program is available only on Windows, and is compatible with every version from XP to Windows 10.
Download: (Free, $39.95)
Platform: Windows
2. AOMEI Partition Assistant
AOMEI Partition Assistant is available as a free download without any restrictions, which means you can use it for both personal and commercial use. It offers a wide gamut of features and options for its users, including resize, merge, create, format, split, copy and recover partitions. You can also convert the file system from FAT to NTFS and vice-versa without losing any data in the drive volume(s) in question. The program also allows the MBR to be rebuilt from scratch.
As is to be expected with most of these so-called ‘freemium' software, some of its most important features of AOMEI Partition Assistant are hidden behind a paywall, including the ability to migrate the operating system to a different HDD or SSD and, convert between primary and logical partitions. The software can also be used to create a bootable Windows disc or flash drive. Called Windows PE Builder, it allows you to setup partitions even without having an operating system installed.
Download: (Free, $49.95)
Platform: Windows
3. MiniTool Partion Wizard V11.5
MiniTool Partition Wizard is yet another free partition manager program that is available for free but packs quite a punch in terms of its features. As you'd expect from most partition management programs, the free version of MiniTool can create, resize, move, delete, format, hide, unhide, split, merge, copy, clone and even recover deleted partitions. What's more, the program also allows users to rebuild the MBR table and convert file system from FAT to NTFS and vice-versa.
MiniTool is one of the fastest programs in its category and, supports RAID drives, external USB drives and even FireWire disks. The latest version of MinitTool, the V11.5 comes with the excellent new features including Data Recovery, Disk Benchmark, Space Analyzer, along with some bug fixes which makes it even better. The Disk Benchmark feature allows users to measure the read and write speeds under various disk access scenarios like sequential and random. The Space Analyzer feature is great for finding out what is taking up space on your system so you can delete unnecessary files to release some storage. Finally, the new V11.5 also adds support for two new languages; Korean and Italian.
The program is also compatible with Linux ext2/ext3 file types. There's also an optional 'enhanced data protection mode' that you can turn on while modifying your disk partitions so as to protect the data in those partitions in case of a power failure during an operation. Like EaseUS, MiniTool also offers the OS migration feature, but only in its Pro version (and above) that starts at $39.
Download: (Free, $39.00)
Platform: Windows
4. Paragon Partition Manager
Like most of the other programs on the list, Paragon Partition Manager also allows users users to create, format, resize, delete, hide and copy partitions. It also allows users to convert disk partition type from MBR to GPT and vice-versa. While the free version of Paragon Partition Master offers a comprehensive list of features, you'll need to buy the Pro version if you want additional features, like merge partitions, convert NTFS to FAT32, change cluster size and convert dynamic disk to basic.
Paragon Partition Magic also supports GPT/UEFI configurations, and works with Apple's HFS+ file system. While we haven't checked out the paid version of the software, the free version isn't really as feature-rich as some of the aforementioned options. Sure, it gets the job done swiftly and effectively, but unless you're willing to pay for the premium versions, you'll miss out on a few features that you will otherwise get in some of the other free programs on the list.
Download: (Free, $39.95)
Platform: Windows
5. GParted
GParted is a powerful, free and open-source (FOSS) partition editor for Linux-based systems, but can also be used on Macs or Windows PCs by booting from GParted Live. The software not only allows users to create, resize, delete, move and copy partitions on a hard disk, but also to create a partition table and enable or disable partition flags. As expected from a program meant to be run on Linux, GParted supports ext2, ext3 and ext4 alongside NTFS, FAT16, FAT32 and many other file systems.
In case you're apprehensive about using an app meant for Linux-based systems to manage your NTFS partitions, don't be. The program works very well with NTFS because of the Linux NTFS-3G NTFS filesystem driver that allows programs like GParted to work with Windows volumes without any data loss. Being a FOSS software, it is also completely free irrespective of your use case. However, if you're a total novice to disk management, you may find the UI not as intuitive as the commercial solutions mentioned in this list.
Download: (Free)
Platform: Linux
6. Macrorit Disk Partition Expert
Macrorit Disk Partition Expert is by far the easiest to use when compared to the rest of the programs on this list. While it offers users the usual features that are expected from standard disk management programs, it also comes with a few features that are a little less common. First off, it offers a portable version, so you can actually use it without having to install it on your PC. Secondly, the program first applies the changes virtually to let you see their effects before actually going through with the changes for real. You'll have to hit the ‘Commit' button to actually go through with the action once you're happy with what you see. Also, like MiniTool Partition Wizard, Macrorit also has 'power-off protection and data disaster recovery', which prevents loss of data in case of power outage during the partitioning/merging/deleting or any other process.
For all its innovative features, Macrorit lacks a few important features that can be found on some of the other software mentioned on this list. One of the most important features missing from the software is the ability to migrate the operating system. While it's not really a big deal if you're looking to use the free version of the program (because none of the others offer it in their free editions either), if you want a full-featured suite and are ready to pay for it, there are other, more feature-rich options available in the market, although, they do cost a bit more than this one.
Download: (Free, $29.99)
Platform: Windows
Bonus: Windows Disk Management
A lot of people don't realize this, but Windows already comes with a built-in disk management program called, well, 'Disk Management'. The tool can be accessed by using the ‘diskmgmt.msc' command or by searching for ‘Disk Management' on the Start Menu search panel, and, gives users quite a few options to manage hard disks and the volumes or partitions that they contain. Users can initialize disks, create volumes, assign drive letters and format drives with the utility. As is to be expected, it supports both FAT and NTFS file systems, and can extend, shrink, merge or even delete partitions.
Microsoft first introduced the disk management utility in Windows 2000, and it can be found in all subsequent Windows editions right up to Windows 10. While the initial versions of the program were quite limited in what they could do, Microsoft has added a few new features to the utility over the course of time, and it is now a quite capable disk management tool. However, it still lacks many of the essential features that most of the free third-party programs come with, but if you're looking for something really basic, chances are, the built-in Windows utility will be enough for your needs.
SEE ALSO: Best Free Backup Software for Windows
The Best Free Partition Software for Your Computer
As you can see from our list above, there's a whole host of programs to manage hard disk partitions, and most of them offer a very similar set of features. While the paid versions come with extra bells and whistles, the free editions should do just fine for most users. So, do you use any of the above software to manage your HDD or SSD partitions, or do you want to recommend something else that offers more features in its free version? Do let us know by leaving your thoughts in the comment section below because we love hearing from you.
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Partition management software programs let you create, delete, shrink, expand, split, or merge partitions on your hard drives or other storage devices.
You can certainly partition a hard drive in Windows without extra software, but you won't be able to do things like resize them or combine them without some extra help.
Safe, easy to use partition tools weren't always available, and even when you did find something you liked, it was expensive. These days, there are plenty of completely free disk partition software programs that even the novice tinkerer will love.
Whether you're expanding your Windows system partition, shrinking it to make room for an operating system dual-boot setup, or combining your two media partitions for those new UHD movie rips, these free disk partition tools will sure come in handy.
MiniTool Partition Wizard Free
What We Like
Supports lots of common disk partitioning tasks
Lets you extend the system partition without having to restart
Simulates changes before you save them
The program is really easy to use
Works well in all modern versions of Windows
What We Don't Like
Dealing with dynamic disks is not supported
Some features that look free are only available if you purchase the program
MiniTool Partition Wizard includes more partition management tools than most similar programs, even ones you might pay for.
Not only does the free MiniTool Partition Wizard support regular functions like formatting, deleting, moving, resizing, splitting, merging, and copying partitions, but it also can check the file system for errors, run a surface test, wipe partitions with various data sanitization methods, and align partitions.
In addition to the above, MiniTool Partition Wizard is able to move the operating system to a different hard drive as well as recover lost or deleted partitions. There's also a file recovery program, disk space analyzer, and benchmark tool built in.
Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP are the supported operating systems.
One thing I don't like about MiniTool Partition Wizard is that it doesn't support manipulating dynamic disks.
AOMEI Partition Assistant SE
What We Like
Includes an easy-to-use, step-by-step wizard
Changes you make are queued and not applied until you specifically apply all of them at once
Lots of useful features are included
Many of the options are readily available without having to sift through menus
Can run from a bootable program to work with a hard drive that doesn't have an OS installed
What We Don't Like
Some features are only available if you pay for them
Unable to convert between primary partitions and logical partitions
Can't convert dynamic disks to basis disks
AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard Edition has a lot more options that are out in the open (as well as hidden away in menus) than many other free partition software tools, but doesn't let that scare you away.
You can resize, merge, create, format, align, split, and recover partitions with AOMEI Partition Assistant, as well as copy whole disks and partitions.
Some of the partition management features with AOMEI's tool are limited and offered only in their paid, professional version. One such feature is the ability to convert between primary and logical partitions.
This program can be used in Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP.
You can also use AOMEI Partition Assistant to create a bootable Windows flash drive, move an operating system to an entirely different hard drive, and wipe all the data from a partition or drive.
Active@ Partition Manager
What We Like
It's really easy to use and understand
Some changes you make can be restored from a backup
Many common disk partitioning tasks are supported
What We Don't Like
Can't copy partitions
Extending the system partition might not work for you
Won't downsize locked volumes
Active@ Partition Manager can create new partitions out of unallocated space as well as manage existing partitions, like resizing and formatting them. Simple wizards make it easy to walk through some of these tasks.
No matter what kind of file system you're using, the free Active@ Partition Manager tool should be able to handle it, with support for all the common ones, like FAT, NTFS, HFS+, and EXT2/3/4.
Active@ Partition Manager includes other features, too, like imaging a whole drive for backup purposes, converting between MBR and GPT, creating FAT32 partitions as large as 1 TB, editing boot records, and rolling back changes by auto-backing up partition layouts.
When Active@ Partition Manager resizes a partition, you can define the custom size in either megabytes or sectors.
Unfortunately, Active@ Partition Manager can't resize locked volumes, which means it won't let you change the size of the system volume.
Active@ Partition Manager should work just fine with Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP, as well as Windows Server 2012, 2008, and 2003.
Active@ Partition Manager is also able to enlarge the system partition, but in our testing we find that it always results in a BSOD. There's more on this in the review.
EaseUS Partition Master Free Edition
MiniTool Partition Wizard includes more partition management tools than most similar programs, even ones you might pay for.
Not only does the free MiniTool Partition Wizard support regular functions like formatting, deleting, moving, resizing, splitting, merging, and copying partitions, but it also can check the file system for errors, run a surface test, wipe partitions with various data sanitization methods, and align partitions.
In addition to the above, MiniTool Partition Wizard is able to move the operating system to a different hard drive as well as recover lost or deleted partitions. There's also a file recovery program, disk space analyzer, and benchmark tool built in.
Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP are the supported operating systems.
One thing I don't like about MiniTool Partition Wizard is that it doesn't support manipulating dynamic disks.
AOMEI Partition Assistant SE
What We Like
Includes an easy-to-use, step-by-step wizard
Changes you make are queued and not applied until you specifically apply all of them at once
Lots of useful features are included
Many of the options are readily available without having to sift through menus
Can run from a bootable program to work with a hard drive that doesn't have an OS installed
What We Don't Like
Some features are only available if you pay for them
Unable to convert between primary partitions and logical partitions
Can't convert dynamic disks to basis disks
AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard Edition has a lot more options that are out in the open (as well as hidden away in menus) than many other free partition software tools, but doesn't let that scare you away.
You can resize, merge, create, format, align, split, and recover partitions with AOMEI Partition Assistant, as well as copy whole disks and partitions.
Some of the partition management features with AOMEI's tool are limited and offered only in their paid, professional version. One such feature is the ability to convert between primary and logical partitions.
This program can be used in Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP.
You can also use AOMEI Partition Assistant to create a bootable Windows flash drive, move an operating system to an entirely different hard drive, and wipe all the data from a partition or drive.
Active@ Partition Manager
What We Like
It's really easy to use and understand
Some changes you make can be restored from a backup
Many common disk partitioning tasks are supported
What We Don't Like
Can't copy partitions
Extending the system partition might not work for you
Won't downsize locked volumes
Active@ Partition Manager can create new partitions out of unallocated space as well as manage existing partitions, like resizing and formatting them. Simple wizards make it easy to walk through some of these tasks.
No matter what kind of file system you're using, the free Active@ Partition Manager tool should be able to handle it, with support for all the common ones, like FAT, NTFS, HFS+, and EXT2/3/4.
Active@ Partition Manager includes other features, too, like imaging a whole drive for backup purposes, converting between MBR and GPT, creating FAT32 partitions as large as 1 TB, editing boot records, and rolling back changes by auto-backing up partition layouts.
When Active@ Partition Manager resizes a partition, you can define the custom size in either megabytes or sectors.
Unfortunately, Active@ Partition Manager can't resize locked volumes, which means it won't let you change the size of the system volume.
Active@ Partition Manager should work just fine with Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP, as well as Windows Server 2012, 2008, and 2003.
Active@ Partition Manager is also able to enlarge the system partition, but in our testing we find that it always results in a BSOD. There's more on this in the review.
EaseUS Partition Master Free Edition
What We Like
Easy to understand with lots of useful options
Lets you protect the program with a password
Makes it easy to upgrade the system drive to a larger HDD
Several helpful options and functions
Changes are previewed before they're applied
The program updates often with improvements and new features
What We Don't Like
Doesn't work for commercial use; only personal
No support for managing dynamic volumes
You have to restart the computer to extend the system partition
Can't convert between MBR and GPT
Setup tries to install another program
Managing the size of a partition in EaseUS Partition Master is dead simple thanks to their easy to use slider that lets you drag left and right to shrink or expand a partition.
Changes you apply to a partition in EaseUS Partition Master aren't actually applied in real time. Modifications exist only virtually, which means you're only seeing a preview of what will happen if you save the changes, but nothing is actually set in stone yet. Changes don't take effect until you click the Execute button.
I particularly like this feature so things like expanding and copying partitions can be done in one swipe instead of having to reboot between each operation, thus saving tons of time. The list of pending operations is even shown on the side of the program so you can clearly see what will happen when you apply them.
You can also password protect EaseUS Partition Master, hide partitions, upgrade the system drive to a larger bootable drive, merge partitions, defragment a drive, and copy Windows to a different hard drive.
One thing I don't like about this program is that several features are only available in the full, paid version, but are still clickable. This means you might sometimes try to open something in the free version only to be prompted to buy the professional one.
EaseUS Partition Master works with Windows 10, back through Windows XP.
Partition Master's setup routine will install EaseUS Todo Backup Free and a couple other programs along with the Partition Master...unless you uncheck that option.
GParted
What We Like
Works no matter what operating system is installed (or even if there isn't one)
Every change can be applied nearly instantly without a reboot
Lets you hide partitions
Adjusting the size of a partition is really easy
Supports lots of file systems
What We Don't Like
Takes longer to start up because you have to boot to the software
Partitions are easy to miss because they're hidden in a menu
Takes much longer to download than most disk partitioning programs
No redo option (just an undo)
GParted runs entirely from a bootable disc or USB device, but it still has a full user interface like a regular program, so it's not at all difficult to use.
Editing a partition's size is easy because you can choose the exact size of the free space before and after the partition, using either a regular text box or a sliding bar to visually see the size increase or decrease.
A partition can be formatted in any one of several different file system formats, some of which include EXT2/3/4, NTFS, FAT16/32, and XFS.
Changes GParted makes to disks are queued up and then applied with one click. Because it runs outside the operating system, pending changes don't require a reboot, which means you can get things done that much quicker.
A small but particularly annoying issue with GParted is that it doesn't list all the available partitions on one screen like most other free disk partitioning programs. You have to open each disk separately from a drop down menu, which is actually easy to miss if you're not sure where to look.
GParted is around 300 MB, which is much larger than most of the other programs on our list, so it may take some time to download.
Cute Partition Manager
What We Like
Runs on any computer, with or without an OS
It's easy to delete and create partitions
Can format a drive to one of many file systems
The download size is really small
What We Don't Like
No graphical user interface
Takes a while to start using because you have to boot to the software
Must enter the exact size of the partition you want to make
Doesn't save changes automatically
No option to restart or exit the program
No longer updates
Like GParted, Cute Partition Manager doesn't run from within the OS. Instead, you must install it to a bootable device like a disc or a flash drive. This means you can use it even if you don't have an operating system installed at all.
Cute Partition Manager can be used to change the file system of a disk and create or delete partitions. Any changes you make are queued up and can be undone because they are only applied when you save them.
Cute Partition Manager is completely text-based. This means you can't use your mouse to select the different options — it's all done with the keyboard. Don't let this scare you off, though; there aren't that many menus and so it's not really a problem.
Macrorit Partition Expert
What We Like
Program interface makes it easy to use and understand what you're doing
Supports common and advanced features
Queues changes until you apply them all at once
Everything you're able to do is shown outright; no hidden menu options
There's a portable option
What We Don't Like
Doesn't support dynamic disks
Free for personal use only
Can't manipulate disks bigger than 32 TB
I love Macrorit Partition Expert's user interface because it's super clean and uncluttered, making it very easy to use. All the available operations are listed out on the side, and none of them are hidden away in menus.
Some of the actions you can perform to a disk with Macrorit Partition Expert include resize, move, delete, copy, format, and wipe a volume, as well as change the volume's label, convert between a primary and logical volume, and run a surface test.
Like most of the partition management software in this list, Macrorit Partition Expert doesn't actually make any changes to the partitions until you apply them with the Commit button.
One thing I don't like about Macrorit Partition Expert is that it doesn't support dynamic disks.
A portable version is also available from the Macrorit website.
Paragon Partition Manager Free
What We Like
Supports plenty of basic features
Walks you through a step-by-step wizard
Previews changes before committing to them
Supports common file systems
What We Don't Like
Missing features found in most disk partitioning tools
Not every feature is free to use; some require you to upgrade to the pro version
Not free for business usage; just personal
If walking through wizards helps you feel more comfortable making changes to partitions, then you'll like Paragon Partition Manager Free.
Whether you're creating a new partition or resizing, deleting, or formatting an existing one, this program has you move through a step by step process to do it.
Paragon Partition Manager Free supports common file systems like NTFS, FAT32, and HFS.
Unfortunately, a number of additional features are disabled in Paragon Partition Manager, available only in the pro version.
IM-Magic Partition Resizer
What We Like
Quick install
Lots of options
Accessing all the options from anywhere is easy
Shows a preview of what will happen after you save the changes
What We Don't Like
Some features only work if you upgrade to the paid version
Free for home/personal use only
IM-Magic Partition Resizer works very much like the tools mentioned above. It installs quickly and is super simple to use.
With this tool, you can move partitions, resize partitions (even the active one), copy partitions, as well as change the drive letter and label, check the partition for errors, delete and format partitions (even with a custom cluster size), convert NTFS to FAT32, hide partitions, and wipe all that data off of partitions.
All of those actions are extremely easy to find because you just have to right-click the device you want to manipulate. As you perform these actions, you'll see the program update in real time to reflect them so that you can see how it will look when everything has been applied.
Then, when you're happy with the results, just hit the big Apply Changes button to put everything into action. If you have to reboot for anything to take effect, IM-Magic Partition Resizer will tell you so.
You can also view the properties of any drive, to see its NT object name, GUID, file system, sector size, cluster size, partition number, physical sector number, total number of hidden sectors, and more.
The only downfall I can see with this program is that a few of the features require that you upgrade to a paid edition. For example, you can't make the bootable media program that they support unless you pay for it.
Tenorshare Partition Manager
What We Like
Really simple interface that's easy to use
Works with lots of file systems
Queues up the changes before applying them
Supports only basic partitioning features
What We Don't Like
Unable to manipulate the system partition
Hasn't been updated in a long time
Like a number of the partition software tools we've already mentioned, Tenorshare Partition Manager has a natural feel to resizing partitions through a slider bar setting.
Open Mac Partition On Windows
One thing I really like about Tenorshare Partition Manager is the interface they chose to use. The options are easily accessible from the top of the window instead of having to push through menus to find what you need like with most tools.
Several file system types can be viewed like EXT2/3/4, Reiser4/5, XFS, and JFS, but partitions can be formatted only in the NTFS or FAT32 file system.
Best Windows For Mac Partition Software
One thing I don't like about Tenorshare Partition Manager that sets it apart from nearly all of the programs from above is that it can not resize the partition that Windows is installed to, very often the thing you want to use a partition management program for!
