How to Format M.2 SSD? [Easy Instructions]

How to format M.2 SSD? Users have to format a new M.2 SSD before storing data on it. This article will address the steps to install and format M 2 SSD.

Quick Navigation - Format M.2 SSD in 5 Ways

Ready to Format M.2 SSD?
How to Format M.2 SSD on a PC
Format M.2 SSD on Mac
Bonus Tip: How to Install M.2 SSD Windows 10
How to Format M.2 SSD FAQs

In this article, you can learn how to format an M.2 SSD in 5 ways. And we also explain which format to choose, why to format an SSD, and if it's safe to format an M.2 SSD. If you want to learn about the background of formatting an M.2 SSD, click here to learn why. Now, let's have an overview of how to format an M.2 SSD:

Well, we're going to learn the ways to format an M.2 SSD from the simplest to the most difficult one.

How to Format M.2 SSD on a PC

We put the easy and free solution on the #1 location. To quickly format a new or used M.2 SSD, EaseUS Partition Master will complete the formatting with the following 4 methods.

Warning: Formatting will erase all data! Please re-check it one more time.

Method 1. Format M.2 SSD with EaseUS Partition Master

EaseUS Partition Master is a professional partition manager that can be used to format SSDs. It is easy to use and has a user-friendly interface. The program can format SSDs in NTFS, FAT32, or EXT2/3/4 file systems. In addition, EaseUS Partition Master can also be used to create bootable USB drives for operating systems.

Step 1. Right-click the hard drive partition and choose the "Format" option.

Step 2. In the new window, set the Partition label, File system, and Cluster size for the partition, then click "OK".

Step 3. You can see a warning window, click "Yes" to continue.

Step 4. Click the "Execute 1 Task(s)" button, then click "Apply" to start formatting the hard drive partition.

Also Read on: How to Format M.2 SSD in Windows 10

Method 2. How to Format New M.2 SSD with Disk Management

Thus using third-party software is not your choice. You'll need to format the M.2 SSD in Disk Management. 

Note: If you want to clean an existing drive, skip the "initialize" steps and go directly to the "format" part.

1. To access Disk Management, right-click the Windows icon and select "Disk Management" from the list.

2. Then, your drive will act as unallocated space. Right-click and select "New Simple Volume".

3. On the New Simple Volume wizard, click "Next", change the volume size and click "Next".

4. Assign the drive letter and click "Next".

5. Select File system and click "Next". Once the format is finished, you should confirm the message.

6. Click "Finish" to close Disk Management.

Back to easy method?

Method 3. How to Format M.2 SSD in CMD

If you want to format your M.2 SSD with CMD, you need to follow a few simple steps. By the way, you can click the following buttons to tell others how to format M.2 SSD in CMD.

1. Open the Command Prompt by clicking on the Start menu and typing "cmd" into the search bar.

2. Once the Command Prompt window opens, type "diskpart" and press Enter. This will open the DiskPart utility, which allows you to manage disks and partitions from the command line.

3. Type the following commands:

list disk
select disk X
clean
create partition primary
format fs=ntfs quick
assign

x stands for your drive letter.

4. Once the format is complete, you can close the Command Prompt window and continue using your M.2 SSD as usual. Back to easy method?

💡Do you need to format USB?

Method 4. How to Format M 2 SSD in BIOS

1. Restart your computer and enter BIOS(Press F2, F10, or DEL.)

2. Move to the Security tab and click the Hard Drive Utilities.

3. Choose Secure Erase.

4. Select the drive you want to format.

5. Click "Continue" and start formatting.

Back to easy method?

Format M.2 SSD on Mac

M.2 SSDs are becoming increasingly popular as storage devices due to their small size and fast data transfer speeds. If you've recently purchased an M.2 SSD for your Mac, you may wonder how to format it correctly. This guide will walk you through formatting an M.2 SSD on a Mac, so you can start using it as soon as possible.

1. You will need to use the Disk Utility application to format an M.2 SSD on a Mac.

2. To launch Disk Utility, open the Applications folder, click on the Utilities folder, and double-click on Disk Utility.

3. Once Disk Utility is open, select the M.2 SSD that you want to format from the list of drives on the left side of the window.

4. Then, click on the "Erase" button at the top of the window. In the "Name" field, enter a name for your drive, then select the "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)" format from the "Format" drop-down menu.

5. Finally, click the "Erase" button to format your M.2 SSD. Once the format process is complete, you'll be able to use your new drive!

We have learned how to format an M.2 SSD on Windows and Macs. If you are a beginner, EaseUS Partition Master is the best choice, since it is rather easy to use. If you own much computing experience, CMD can help you format an SSD efficiently. When your PC can't boot properly, BIOS helps you out. If you are a Mac user, follow the guide above.

Besides you can learn more information about the background in the following content.

Introduction on Format M.2 SSD

🎯Why?

Why do you want to format your M.2 SSD? For example, if you're planning to sell or give it away, you'll want to format it first to erase all of your data from the drive. You should also format your M.2 SSD if it needs to be fixed - this can sometimes fix performance issues. Finally, if upgrading the firmware on your M.2 SSD, you'll need to format it first. 

In summary, there are several reasons why you might need to format an M.2 SSD: 

- To choose a file system (NTFS or FAT32) 

- To make the drive compatible with a specific operating system 

- To erase personal data before selling or giving away the drive 

- To fix performance issues 

- To upgrade the firmware

🎯Safe? 

If you format your M.2 SSD, all data stored on the drive will be erased. Because of this, it's essential to back up any data you want to keep before formatting the drive. Keep in mind that format M.2 SSD will erase any data currently on the drive, so make sure to back up anything you want to keep first!

Read on: What to Backup Before Formatting PC

🎯Which format to choose?

When you format an M.2 SSD, you choose a file system format that tells the computer how to store and organize files on the drive. The most common file systems are NTFS and FAT32. If you format your drive with NTFS, you'll be able to store and access files larger than 4 GB. However, NTFS is not compatible with all operating systems. If you format your drive with FAT32, it will be compatible with all operating systems, but you'll only be able to store files up to 4 GB. It would help if you formatted your M.2 SSD using the file system compatible with the operating system you plan to use. 

Bonus Tip: How to Install M.2 SSD Windows 10

Follow the instructions below to install a hard drive on Windows. These steps assume that your M.2 SSD is compatible with your computer.

1. Turn off your computer and unplug all cables.

2. Open the case and locate the empty bay where you will install the hard drive.

3. Depending on the type of case, there may be a plastic cover that needs to be removed to access the bay. If so, remove the cover and set it aside.

4. Remove any screws that are holding the hard drive in place. If there are no screws, the hard drive is probably held in place by metal rails. In this case, slide the drive out of the rails.

5. Carefully insert the new hard drive into the bay, ensuring it is properly seated and secured. 

6. Replace any screws or metal rails that were holding the old hard drive in place.

7. Close the case and reconnect all cables to your computer.

8. Turn on your computer and wait for it to boot up.

If you want to know how to install Windows 10 on M.2 SSD, click the link:

How to Format M.2 SSD FAQs

Do you have other questions? See more:

Should I format m.2 SSD before installing Windows?

The answer to this question depends on personal preference. Some people format their m.2 SSD before installing Windows, while others do not. If you format your m.2 SSD before installing Windows, you will have a clean slate to work with. This means that you can choose the file system, partition scheme, and allocation size that you want.

However, it also means that you will need to reinstall all of your programs and data. If you do not format your m.2 SSD before installing Windows, the setup process will format it for you automatically. This can be convenient, but it also means that you will have less control over the final configuration.

How do I format and install a new M 2 SSD?

Installing a new M 2 SSD can be a simple process, as long as you format and install it correctly.

First, you'll need to format the new SSD using a disk utility. Next, physically install the SSD on your computer.

Once it's installed, boot up your computer and open the disk utility again. Select the new SSD as your boot drive, and then follow the prompts to format and install it. Finally, copy over any data or programs that you want to keep on the new drive.

Can you format NVMe SSD?

Yes, you can format an NVMe SSD. This can be done on Windows.

To format an NVMe SSD in Windows, you will need to use the disk management tool. This tool can be found in the control panel. Once you have launched the disk management tool, you will need to select the NVMe SSD that you want to format and then choose the format option.