Method 1: Format a USB Flash Drive Using File Explorer.

How to Format a USB Drive on Windows 7/8/10?.

Which File System Should I Choose for a USB Flash Drive?.

While you may not need to format your hard drives often, and may be satisfied with FAT32 or FAT, it helps to keep in mind that this option is always available if you need to reformat for any reason. Understand that you will lose all currently stored files upon reformatting.īy reformatting your flash drives, you’ll be able to keep your flash drives performing their best while making sure you have plenty of space and efficiency when using them. Then click Start and OK to get around the deletion warning. You may need to uncheck Quick Format in some cases. Simply right-click on the flash drive under My Computer on Windows or under Devices in the Finder on Mac, and choose “Format,” which should allow you to change the file format to the one you want. All you need is your flash drive and a computer. exFat combines elements of both FAT and NTFS by writing and reading larger files at faster speeds.įormatting is a relatively easy process in most cases. However, you should keep in mind this file format isn’t always great for flash drives, and is normally reserved for hard drives.įAT and FAT32 are used for almost every operating system, and they’re faster and don’t use as much memory. It’s also ideal for transferring files larger than 4GB because of its ability to create large partitions. NTFS uses less fragmentation, which means that it manages space more effectively than other allocations. The most common file systems include NTFS, FAT, FAT32, and exFAT. Methods of file allocation will determine how and where all files are stored on the flash drive. When formatting, it’s necessary to understand file allocation. You may also need to format a flash drive to update or add new software.

You can compress files so more space is usable on the custom flash drive.

Another benefit is that you can customize security settings such as user permission on certain files. First, it’s the most effective way to wipe data from the flash drive with speed and efficiency.

Formatting also helps erase all data previously stored on the flash drive, and may be used as a last ditch effort for troubleshooting when other methods fail.įlash drive formatting has numerous benefits. This ultimately optimizes the performance of your flash drive. It creates a filing system that organizes your data while freeing more space to allow for additional storage. Why Format a Flash Drive?įormatting a flash drive is the best way to prepare the USB drive for use by a computer. However, it can be beneficial to you to format your drive. Their use only entails plugging it into a port and transferring files for storage. Formatting is something that most flash drive users don’t even think about.

Formatting usb drive on mac