Windows will automatically assign available letters to connected internal or external hard drives. Letters from A through Z are used to identify and name storage devices that are attached to Windows. By default, A and B have always been assigned to floppy disk drives. However, you probably will never see a computer with a slot for a floppy disk today. In this case, you can assign either A or B to another storage device that is connected to your computer. Letter (C) is assigned to the System main drive (Local Disk (C:)) where Windows operating system is installed. In computers with multiple drives, the letter D is assigned to the second hard drive or a CD/DVD drive, if a second drive isn’t available. Letters, E, F G, and so forth are assigned based on devices connected with the first device being assigned the next unassigned letter in the alphabet. Below is how to change a drive or volume letter in Windows 11.
How to change volume or drive letter in Windows 11
As described above, Windows will automatically assign available letters to connected internal or external hard drives. Letters from A through Z are used to identify and name storage devices that are attached to Windows. If you don’t like the drive letter assigned to a drive, or if you’ve got a drive that doesn’t yet have a drive letter, you can use Windows Settings app or Disk Management tool to change it. There are multiple ways to change a drive label. One such method is to use the Disk Management tool in Windows. You’ll need to open Disk Management with administrator permissions or equivalent. To do so, select and hold (or right-click) the Start button to launch the Power Users task Menu, and then select Disk Management. In Disk Management, select and hold (or right-click) the volume for which you want to change or add a drive letter, and then select Change Drive Letter and Paths. To change the drive letter, select Change. To add a drive letter if the drive doesn’t already have one, select Add. Select the new drive letter, select OK, and then select Yes when prompted about how programs that rely on the drive letter might not run correctly.
How to change volume or drive letter via Windows Settings app
Yet another way one can change a drive letter in Windows 11 is via its Settings app. To do that, select Start and select Windows Settings app. Windows 11 has a centralized location for the majority of its settings. From system configurations to creating new users and updating Windows, all can be done from its System Settings pane. To get to System Settings, you can use the Windows key + I shortcut or click on Start ==> Settings as shown in the image below: Alternatively, you can use the search box on the taskbar and search for Settings. Then select to open it. Windows Settings pane should look similar to the image below. On the Windows Settings app, click the System on the left, then select the Storage tile on the right pane as highlighted in the image below. On the System > Storage settings pane, select the Advanced storage settings tile to expand. Next, select Disk & volumes tile as highlighted below. On System => Storage => Disk & volumes settings pane, select the drive you want to change its letter to expand. Then click the Properties button for the drive. On the Properties window, under Volume Data, click on the Change drive letter button. On the pop-up window, select a new drive letter from the list available and click OK. That should do it! Conclusion: This post showed you how to change a drive or volume letter in Windows 11. If you find any error above or have something to share, please use the comment form below.
