How to Free Resize Bootcamp Partition without Reinstalling Windows?
Overview of BootCamp partition
A Bootcamp partition is a partition on a computer's hard drive that contains the operating system (OS) of the other computer, typically a Windows OS, while the other partition contains the OS of the primary computer, usually macOS. It's created when a computer is set up to run both operating systems. If you need to increase the size of the Bootcamp partition, you can do so by shrinking the size of the other partition or by deleting the other partition and then expanding the Bootcamp partition.
▶ What is BootCamp partition?
A Bootcamp partition is an NTFS partition that allows you to install and run Microsoft Windows on an Intel-based Macintosh computer. This is necessary if you want to use Windows-specific applications or simply want to have a different operating system on your Mac. To set this up, your Mac must have a Bootcamp partition, which is an NTFS partition specifically designed for installing Windows.
▶ What is BootCamp Assistant?
Boot Camp Assistant is a multi-Boot Camp Assistant is a software that enables users to install Microsoft Windows operating systems on Intel-based Macs. It facilitates non-destructive disk partitioning and the installation of Windows device drivers for Apple devices. Additionally, a Windows Control Panel widget is installed, allowing users to select the boot operating system.
BootCamp can assist in partitioning the Mac drive into two partitions, allowing Mac OS X to run on one partition and Windows OS on the other.
Why need to resize BootCamp Partition?
After creating an NTFS Bootcamp partition using BootCamp Assistant, you may find yourself running out of space on the partition quickly due to underestimated size, so it's necessary to increase the Bootcamp partition to make it bigger.
To resize the NTFS Bootcamp partition, you can use the Disk Utility to delete the current partition and create a new one with a larger size, but this will delete all data and require reinstalling Windows and other programs. Alternatively, you can use a third-party tool like EaseUS Partition Master to resize the partition without deleting data or reinstalling Windows. This allows users to resize the partition and keep their data intact, making it a more convenient option.
Best way to resize BootCamp partition without reinstalling Windows
You can't resize the Bootcamp partition using Disk Utility because it's an NTFS file system partition, making it a more complex process to expand or shrink.
If you're experiencing issues with Bootcamp, Apple's solution might involve backing up your data on the Bootcamp partition, removing it, and then creating a new Bootcamp partition with the desired size and reinstalling Windows. However, this approach is not ideal for most users.
If you need to resize your Bootcamp partition in Windows 11/10/8/7, you can use the free partition manager Qiling Disk Master Standard. This software allows you to resize the partition without losing data or deleting Windows, and can be used to either increase or decrease the size of the Bootcamp partition.
Before you do:
1. Back up your valuable files or documents to prevent data loss due to human error.
2. To free up unallocated space for the BootCamp partition, you can use Mac Disk Utility to release space from other Mac partitions, which is necessary for resizing the BootCamp partition.
3. Set the Bootcamp partition as the boot disk, and restart the Mac computer into the Windows environment.
Here, we show how to increase Bootcamp partition size.
Step 1. Free download Qiling Disk Master Standard, install it on your Windows, and launch it to enter its main interface.
Step 2. Right-click the Bootcamp partition and choose Resize/Move Partition. Or click Bootcamp partition and select Resize Partition in the left column.
Step 3. Drag the double-arrow rightward to increase Bootcamp partition size with an unallocated space as you want.
Tip: If you want to shrink the Bootcamp partition, drag the double-arrow leftward. This will reduce the size of the Bootcamp partition.
Step 4. Press Proceed to expand the Bootcamp partition.
Further reading: Easily run Windows on a Mac PC
Running two systems on the same disk can significantly impact disk performance, potentially causing both systems to run slowly due to shared disk resources.
If you choose Qiling Disk Master Professional, you can create a Windows To Go portable device to run Windows on other machines, allowing your Mac PC to also run Windows OS, with improved system performance as they are run separately on their own disks.
To sum up
The Qiling Disk Master Standard allows you to resize BootCamp partition without reinstalling Windows or losing data, and also securely resizes BitLocker partitions.
In the Professional edition, you can enjoy advanced functions such as extending system partition, splitting Windows partition, allocating free space, migrating OS to SSD, converting primary partition to logical, and more.
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