If you are using a Windows 10 laptop or PC, you have two different partition styles which can be used in your system to divide your disk drive, the GUID Partition Table (GPT) and the Master Boot Record (MBR). You have to use a partition when you divide your main storage drive into multiple other drives to split the storage capacity. And two partition styles can be found in any system. In this article, you will learn how to check MBR or GPT in Windows 10 system. We will also discuss MBR vs. GPT differences and which is better for SSD. First, let’s learn how to check if you have MBR or GPT partition in your Windows 10 PC/laptop.
How to Check MBR or GPT in Windows 10
First, let’s know what a partition in Windows is. So, a partition is a division of your hard disk drive (HDD) or solid-state drive (SSD) which allows you to divide your storage drive into multiple drives. When you buy a new PC or laptop, you get only one drive, but with a partition, you can split that drive into multiple other drives with your desired storage limit for each drive you make. There are two types of partition styles, Master Boot Record (MBR) and GUID Partition Table (GPT). MBR is older, and GPT is a newer style.
How to Check MBR or GPT in Windows 10?
To know what partition is used in your system, let’s look at some methods on how to check MBR or GPT in Windows 10.
Method 1: Using Disk Management Tool
1. Go to the Start menu on your Windows 10 laptop or PC.
2. In the search bar, type Disk Management and click on Open.
3. Right-click the target disk and select the Properties option.
4. From the Properties popup, click on the Volumes tab from the top.
5. You will see the Partition style field where it will mention if your HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid State Drive) is formatted using GUID Partition Table (GPT) or Master Boot Record (MBR) style.
Also Read: How to Check Motherboard Model in Windows 10
Method 2: Using Command Prompt
To learn how to check MBR or GPT in Windows 10 using Command Prompt, follow these steps:
1. Open the Start menu on your Windows PC/laptop.
2. Search for Command Prompt in the search bar.
3. Click on Open to open the Command Prompt window.
4. Then, type the following command in the open command window and press the Enter key.
diskpart
5. Now, type the following command and press Enter.
list disk
6A. The Gpt column will appear, and if the (*) character can be seen under it, which means the drive is using a GPT partition.
6B. If the (*) character is not present under the Gpt column, the drive is using MBR partition.
Method 3: Using PowerShell
Another method you can use to know how to check MBR or GPT in Windows 10 is by using PowerShell, just follow these below-mentioned steps:
1. Open PowerShell from the Start menu.
2. Now, type the following command in the PowerShell command window and press Enter.
get-disk
3. You will see the Partition Style column, and under it will be mentioned if the drive uses MBR or GPT partition.
Therefore, using these three methods with the detailed steps mentioned, you will know how to check MBR or GPT in Windows 10.
Also Read: 12 Best HDD Cloning Software
What is the Difference Between MBR vs GPT?
You know that MBR and GPT are partition styles used for the division of your storage drive. Now, let’s look at some of the main differences between MBR vs. GPT, there are many differences, but we will discuss only the major ones here.
| MBR | GPT |
| MBR is older | GPT is a newer partition style |
| Maximum capacity of 2 terabytes | Maximum capacity of 9.7 zetabytes
(1 zetabyte = 1 billion terabytes) |
| Maximum of 26 partitions | Allows up to 128 partitions |
| Paired with older Legacy BIOS systems | Found on new UEFI systems |
| Compatible with various Windows versions, mostly the older ones. | Best compatibility with new operating systems. |
Which is Better MBR or GPT for SSD?
We discussed the differences between MBR vs. GPT in the previous section. So, if you are using a Windows 11 operating system and have SSD storage, the best partition style you can use is the GPT (GUID Partition Table). As compared to MBR, GPT offers a partition of up to 1 zettabytes of storage,
Whereas in MBR, the maximum capacity is up to 2 terabytes. And when it comes to compatibility with SSD, GPT is the most suitable one as it is a newer partition style and is easily compatible with Windows 11. In contrast, the MBR is older and is compatible with older operating systems.
So, which is better, MBR or GPT, for SSD? The answer will always be GPT.
Which is Faster Between MBR or GPT?
MBR and GPT are partition styles used to divide your HDD or SSD. MBR and GPT don’t do anything when you compare them on speed because they only specify a partition style. GPT has advantages over MBR, but speed is not an option when comparing both.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. How to check partition styles using PowerShell in Windows?
Ans. You can follow the above-mentioned steps in this article to check if your system uses MBR or GPT partition style.
Q2. What should I choose between MBR or GPT?
Ans. If you are using an operating system with Windows 10 and lower versions, then the best compatible option will be MBR. But if you are using Windows 11 and the UEFI system, which usually comes in newly launched laptops and PCs, then GPT will be the best choice. As GPT offers better management and security.
Q3. What happens if I convert MBR to GPT?
Ans. If you convert GPT to MBR or MBR to GPT, all the data and files stored in your drive will be deleted. So, we advise you to back up or transfer all your data and files to a different drive or a storage device.
Recommended:
Since you have gone through this article, you have learned how to check MBR or GPT in Windows 10. With the various methods and detailed steps mentioned in the article, you can now easily check if your Windows 10 system uses MBR or GPT style partition. We have also discussed the differences between MBR vs. GPT, which should help you determine which is better and which is more compatible with your operating system. So, if you have any more queries or suggestions, leave a comment in the comment section down below.
