#FORMAT USB FOR WINDOWS TOOL HOW TO#

It not only exceeds the 4 GB file size limit, but also can be used in Windows, Linux kernel, and other operating systems. Right-click the USB drive and select 'Properties', then you will find the file system type.Īpart from FAT32 file system, there are alternatives available for USB drives, for example:ĮxFAT is also an ideal option for USB flash drives, memory cards and other USB disks. You just need to plug it to a Windows PC and then open the File Explorer (Double-click the 'This PC' to open File Explorer). How do I know if my USB drive is FAT32? It is easy to know the file system format for a USB drive. The maximum size of a single file on a FAT32 partition is 4GB minus 1byte (4,294,967,295 bytes). FAT32 file system made its debut alongside Windows 95 OSR2 (Microsoft Disk Operating System 7.1) in 1996, and it is now also compatible with Linux and MacOS. It is widely used on devices like USB flash drives, memory cards, and other removable drives to organize and manage data. FAT32 is more advanced than FAT16 and FAT12. It is often used when you want to securely wipe USB drive data or repair errors.įAT stands for File Allocation Table, and FAT32 means the 32-bit version of the FAT file system. The full format is much slower than the quick format, for the scanning of errors and overwriting data takes time. The quick format is often used when you want to quickly free up disk space (make the drive appear empty), prepare the USB drive for reuse, repair errors in file system, or change file system format.įull format: The full format is also called slow format or low-level format, for the process not only erases file system, but also performs a thorough scan of the entire USB drive to erase every sector and permanently wipe data.

Thus, there is a good chance to recover formatted files.

The process is very fast, for it does not overwrite each sector on the USB drive. Quick format: The quick format deletes the file allocation table, the root folder, and existing files. There are two options when you format a USB drive in Windows File Explorer or Disk Management: In short, by way of formatting a USB drive, you can change the file system type (e.g., exFAT to FAT32), repair corrupted file system, and remove all existing data quickly. Thus, the USB drive will appear as empty and ready to store data. During the formatting procedure, a new file system will be created, and existing files on the USB drive will be deleted as well.

#FORMAT USB FOR WINDOWS TOOL HOW TO#

Further reading: How to recover lost data after accidentally formatting a USB drive?įormatting a USB drive is the process of getting the device ready to store and manage data.

How do I format a 64 GB or 128 GB USB drive as FAT32 on Mac?.

How do I format a 64 GB, 128 GB or larger USB drive to FAT32 in Windows 10/11?.

Format usb for windows tool