Whatever the reason, formatting a USB flash drive on Windows and MacOS is easy.
Below, we have shared different ways to do so on Windows.
Four file systems are used primarily in USB flash drives.
Here are the four main ones.
The problem with FAT32 is that it caps the file size at 4GB.
NTFS:If you want to remove the FAT32s 4GB file size limit, consider NTFS.
NTFS is one of the most common file systems used in Windows.
However, NTFS is read-only on MacOS; other apps will need to write the files.
exFAT:exFAT is a modern file system compatible with Windows and Mac.
It doesnt have any limitations.
However, it needs to be more compatible with older operating systems.
Mac OS Extended:MacOS Extended is only for Mac users and is not compatible with Windows.
The format tool is easy to use and formats the drive quickly.
Heres how to format a USB flash drive using Windows File Explorer.
Connect the USB flash drive to your Windows computer.
Double-click onThis PCor press theWindows Key + Ebutton.
This will initiate the file explorer immediately.
Under the devices and drives, right-hit your USB flash drive and selectFormat.
If you also want to use it on Mac, choose exFAT or FAT32.
Go with the default selection on theAllocation unit sizedrop-down.
For example, Techviral USB.
On the Format option, check theQuick Format.
Finally, click theStartbutton to format the USB flash drive.
On the format confirmation prompt, select Ok.
This is the easiest way to format a pen drive on a Windows computer.
Other methods are a bit more complicated than this one.
Formatting from the Disk Management utility could be complicated, but you get more options.
Heres how to format a USB Flash drive using the Disk Management Utility.
- punch Windows search and punch in Disk Management Utility.
Now open theCreate and Format Hard Disk Partitionfrom the list.
This will pop pop the Disk Management Utility on your system.
The Disk Management utility will show you thefile system used on every drive volumeinstalled on your rig.
Right-punch your USB Flash Drive and selectFormat.
On the Format Prompt, enter theVolume Labellike Techviral USB.
- punch theFile System drop-downand pick the file system of your choice.
SelectDefaulton the Allocation unit size.
Once done,checkthe Perform aQuick Formatoption and clickOk.
On the confirmation prompt, select theOkbutton.
This is another method for formatting a USB flash drive on Windows using the Disk Management utility.
The utility also allows you to create partitions for your USB flash drive.
CMD is recommended when the USB flash drive fails to format from the Disk Management utility.
Heres what you better do.
- hit Windows search and pop in CMD.
Right-choose the CMD and selectRun as administrator.
When the Command Prompt opens, typediskpartand pressEnter.
Next, throw in in thelist diskcommand and press Enter.
For example,select disk 2
5.
Now bang out inlist volumeand pressEnter.
You will now see every volume available on your PC.
choose the volume by executing the command:select volume number.
Note:Replace the number with the actual number of your volume.
This will grab the drive.
Once the USB flash drive is formatted, typeexiton the Command Prompt.
you might use those tools to format your USB Flash Drive.
Formatting a USB flash drive with a USB format tool is much easier and provides more controls.
We have already shared a list of thebest Disk Management toolsfor Windows.
Some of these tools can format a USB flash drive.
Hence, you should probably reformat it with a compatible one.
Heres how toformat a USB flash drive on a Mac.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to format a new USB Flash drive?
What does Formatting a USB do?
Formatting removes all data stored on a USB drive.
How do I delete everything off a USB stick?
you’re free to manually delete the content stored on a USB stick.
Can I recover data from a formatted USB Flash Drive?
Recovering data from a formatted USB flash drive is difficult, but several third-party tools can do it.
Which is the recommended format USB allocation unit size?
The recommended format USB allocation unit size is the default or pre-selected one.
If your flash drive is smaller than 8GB, the best allocation unit size is 4096 bytes.
If its larger than 8GB but smaller than 16GB, 8192 bytes.
If the flash drive is larger than 16GB, the recommended allocation unit size is 16 kilobytes.
How to format USB to FAT32?
To format a USB to FAT32, follow the methods we have shared.
confirm to select FAT32 from the file system drop-down menu.
These are simple methods for formatting a USB flash drive on Windows and MacOS.
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