How To Assign A Drive Letter In Windows 10

On Windows 10, when connecting a removable storage device or an internal hard drive, the organization detects and assigns a drive letter automatically to make information technology usable. Nevertheless, when reconnecting an external drive (such every bit a USB flash drive or SD or microSD cards), the system can cease up assigning a unlike letter, which can be annoying.

If you desire to see the same drive letter on a particular device, you can manually assign a permanent letter to any bulldoze connected to your computer, and on Windows 10, you lot can do this in at least three unlike means, using Disk Direction, Command Prompt, or PowerShell.

Using this approach volition prevent Windows 10 from assigning a new letter or trying to fix a letter already in use, which tin crusade conflicts. Also, it helps to select a bulldoze alphabetic character that makes more sense to you.

In this Windows x guide, we walk y'all through several methods to manually assign a permanent letter of the alphabet to a drive, as long as you're connecting the bulldoze to the same device and the letter isn't already in utilise.

How to assign a drive letter using Deejay Management
How to assign a drive letter of the alphabet using Command Prompt
How to assign a bulldoze letter using PowerShell

How to assign a drive letter using Deejay Management

To manage drive messages with the Disk Management tool, use these steps:

Open up Start.
Search for Create and format hard disk partitions and click the top result to open the Deejay Management feel.
Right-click the bulldoze and select the Change Drive Letter and Paths option.
Click the Change button.
Select the Assign the post-obit drive letter option.
Utilize the drib-down menu to assign a new drive letter of the alphabet.

Quick tip: To avert the arrangement trying to assign the aforementioned letter to another drive, it'south a good idea to first adding letters in backward social club. For example, instead of using D, E or F, information technology better to get-go with Z, Y or X when assigning a new letter.
Click the OK push.
Click the OK push button again.

Once you complete these steps, the drive will permanently retain the assigned letter of the alphabet, even after reconnecting information technology. Yet, if yous connect the bulldoze to another device, it may receive a unlike letter.

How to assign a drive letter of the alphabet using Control Prompt

While the easiest manner to assign a new drive letter is to use Deejay Management, you lot tin can also use DiskPart in Control Prompt to perform the same task.

To assign a drive letter using Command Prompt, use these steps:

Open up Start.
Search for Command Prompt, correct-click the result, and then select the Run as administrator pick.
Type the following command to outset DiskPart and printing Enter:

diskpart
Type the following control to list all the available volumes and press Enter:

list volume
Blazon the post-obit control to select the volume (drive) to assign a new letter and press Enter:

select volume three

In the command, make sure to change "3" to the number that represents the bulldoze on your device.
Type the following command to assign a new drive letter of the alphabet, and printing Enter:

assign letter=Z

The control assigns the letter "Z" to the bulldoze assuming it'due south available. However, you need to brand sure to change the letter for the 1 that you want to employ.

After completing these steps, similar to Deejay Management, every fourth dimension you reconnect the storage to the same device, Windows ten should assign the same letter automatically.

How to assign a drive letter using PowerShell

Alternatively, you lot tin can also use PowerShell to change a drive letter of the alphabet on Windows 10 using these steps:

Open Start.
Search for PowerShell, right-click the result, and then select the Run as administrator option.
Type the following command to list the available drives and press Enter:

Get-Disk
Type the following command to assign a permanent letter to the drive and printing Enter:

Go-Partition -DiskNumber 1 | Set-Partition -NewDriveLetter Z

In the control, brand sure to change "1" to the number that represents the bulldoze that you want to modify, and change "Z" for the new letter of the alphabet that you want to use.

In one case you complete the steps, the drive will exist accessible through File Explorer using the letter that you assigned, and Windows 10 won't try to change it.

Updated March seven, 2019: We revised this guide to make sure it's electric current with the latest version of Windows 10.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows x, visit the following resources:

Windows 10 on Windows Fundamental – All you demand to know
Windows x help, tips, and tricks
Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

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