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Before Windows 11 Format AFT32 | Important‼️HOT
#1. Format a Drive Larger than 32GB to FAT32 via FAT32 Formatter🔥HOT
#2. Format a Drive Larger than 32GB to FAT32 via DiskpartHOT
#3. Format a Drive to FAT32 via File Explorer DirectlyHOT
#4. Format a Drive to FAT32 with Disk ManagementHOT
What is FAT32HOT
ConclusionHOT
FAQs about the FAT32 File SystemHOT
About the Author
Hot Topics
How to format to FAT32 Windows 11? If your targeted storage device is no more than 32GB, you can run Windows File Explorer or Disk Management to format it to FAT32. Otherwise, you can use EaseUS Partition Master or the Diskpart command-line tool to format FAT32 Windows 11 larger than 32GB. Here are the specific steps for each way.
🧨Use EaseUS Partition Master: Connect the USB drive or SD card to your Windows 11 > launch EaseUS Partition Master to load disk information > right-click on your targeted drive you want to format > select Format > choose FAT32 > click OK > click Yes > click Execute 1 Task(s) > click Apply.
🧨Run Diskpart: Connect the USB drive or SD card to your Windows 11 > type cmd in the search bar > click Run as administrator to open it > type diskpart > press Enter > type list disk > type select disk # (replace # with your real drive number) > type clean > type create primary partition > type select partition 1 > type format fs=fat32 quick > type exit.
🧨Use File Explorer: Connect your targeted drive to your Windows 11 > press Win + E to open File Explorer > right-click on your recognized drive > select Format > choose FAT32 > click OK to start formatting.
🧨Run Disk Management: Connect your targeted drive to your Windows 11 > press Win + X > click Disk Management to open it > right-click on the partition you want to format > select Format > choose FAT32 > click OK.
"How do I format a 400GB USB drive in FAT32 in Windows 11? I saw an article that said Microsoft has the ability to do so. Yet, I still can't. It only shows NTFS or XFAT. I need FAT32 for my vehicle. It's the only format that works." If you also meet a similar issue, this tutorial from EaseUS can help you out.
In this article, you'll learn:
Please share this post to help more users format FAT32 Windows 11!
Before Windows 11 Format AFT32 | Important‼️
Before starting to format to FAT32, the following tips deserve your attention because they are essential to a successful format.
- Please back up important data or make a file backup of your targeted USB or SD card because this disk formatting process will erase all the existing data saved on your USB or SD card.
- The maximum file size of FAT32 is 4GB.
#1. Format a Drive Larger than 32GB to FAT32 via FAT32 Formatter🔥
As stated earlier, Windows 11's built-in tools do not directly support formatting drives greater than 32GB to FAT32. Luckily, EaseUS Partition Master does. This comprehensive partition manager can help you efficiently manage all kinds of operations related to disks/partitions. For example, you can format 64GB SD card to FAT32 or format 1TB hard drive to FAT32 using it.
Other features:
- Convert FAT32 to NTFS in Windows 10/11
- Resize, move, or merge partitions
- MBR/GPT Disk Converter
Step 1. Launch EaseUS Partition Master, right-click the partition you intend to format and choose "Format".
Step 2. In the new window, enter the Partition label if you prefer to rename it, choose the FAT32/EXT2/EXT3/EXT4 file system, and set the cluster size according to your needs, then click "OK".
Step 3. Then you will see a warning window, click "Yes" in it to continue.
Step 4. Click the "Execute 1 Task(s)" button in the top-left corner to review the changes, then click "Apply" to start formatting the partition to FAT32/EXT2/EXT3/EXT4.
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#2. Format a Drive Larger than 32GB to FAT32 via Diskpart
Is there another way to format FAT32 Windows 11 larger than 32GB? Of course, there is. You can use the Diskpart command-line utility. Moreover, compared with EaseUS Partition Master, Diskpart is not user-friendly for non-tech users to adopt.
- Tip
- Please check the disk number of your targeted storage device before following the steps below. Let's show how to check the disk number of a USB drive. ▶️ Connect your USB to the PC > press Win + X > select Disk Management to open it > locate the disk that contains your USB > get the corresponding disk number. As shown below, the disk number is 2.
The following steps depict how to format to FAT32 Windows 11 via Diskpart.
Step 1. Type cmd in the search bar > select Run as administrator to open it.
Step 2. Type DISKPART in the Command Prompt window > press Enter.
Step 3. Type the following command lines > press Enter after each line.
- list disk
- select disk 2
- list volume
- select volume 10
- format fs=ntfs quick
- exit
#3. Format a Drive to FAT32 via File Explorer Directly
If the size of your targeted storage device is no more than 32GB, you can use File Explorer to format it directly. Please refer to the following steps.
Step 1. Connect the drive you want to format > press Win + E to open File Explorer > right-click on it > select Format.
Step 2. In the File system tab, choose FAT32 > tick the Quick Format box > click Start to begin disk formatting.
📖Read Also: How to Format SDXC to FAT32, How to Format SD Card on Windows 10
#4. Format a Drive to FAT32 with Disk Management
Besides File Explorer, Disk Management is another helpful utility. This Windows advanced storage tool aims to help users manage storage disks and partitions, including formatting, creating, or deleting partitions.
Step 1. Connect your targeted storage device to your PC > press Win + X > select Computer Management to open it.
Step 2. In the Computer Management window, click Disk Management.
Step 3. Right-click on your connected drive > select Format > set FAT32 as the new file system > tick the Perform a quick format box > click OK.
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What is FAT32
Microsoft introduced FAT32 during the launch of Windows 95 to support larger-sized hard disk storage and partition sizes.
FAT32 (File Allocation Table 32) is a file system format used to manage files on storage devices such as flash drives, memory cards, and external hard drives. It is notable for its compatibility with Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- ❓File System: FAT32 is a method of organizing files on a storage device so that they may be readily accessed and retrieved.
- 💻Compatibility: It is extensively interoperable with numerous operating systems and devices, making it ideal for situations requiring cross-platform compatibility.
- ‼️File Size Limit: FAT32 has a maximum file size limit of 4GB, which may be a constraint for larger files.
- 💾Memory Cards and Flash Drives: It is widely used on memory cards and flash drives due to its compatibility and ease of use.
- ▶️Alternatives: While FAT32 is a solid choice for general compatibility, exFAT or NTFS provide faster performance and higher file size support.
Conclusion
How to Format to FAT32 Windows 11? With a helpful method, formatting a partition or drive to FAT32 is relatively easy on Windows. All in all, you can select a suitable way based on the size of your targeted storage device and computer skills. For instance, if you're a newcomer and intend to format FAT32 Windows 11 larger than 32GB, EaseUS Partition Master could be your second-to-none choice!
FAQs about the FAT32 File System
This section also lists several topics about the FAT32 file system. Please check them out below.
1. Why is Windows 11 not showing FAT32 format option?
Because the partition you want to format is larger than 32GB. The default Windows format option only allows for FAT32 partitions on devices with 32GB or less capacity. In other words, Windows' built-in formatting tools, such as Disk Management and File Explorer, will not allow you to format a 64GB SD card as FAT32.
2. Why is FAT32 not showing up as option?
If the FAT32 option does not appear in Disk Management or the FAT32 format option is not available, it is possible that the disk has exceeded Windows' FAT32 volume size restriction of 32 GB. In such circumstances, Windows may only provide formatting options suitable for larger volumes, such as exFAT or NTFS.
3. Does Windows 11 use FAT32 or exFAT?
Why do Windows 11 format exFAT? The exFAT is a popular file system that overcomes the constraints of its predecessor, FAT32, particularly in terms of file size and storage capacity (it can store data up to several terabytes in size). ExFAT also provides enhanced cross-platform interoperability.
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How Can We Help You
About the Author
"I hope my articles can help solve your technical problems. If you are interested in other articles, you can check the articles at the bottom of this page. Similarly, you can also check my Twitter to get additional help."
Written by Tracy King
Tracy became a member of the EaseUS content team in 2013. Being a technical writer for over 10 years, she is enthusiastic about sharing tips to assist readers in resolving complex issues in disk management, file transfer, PC & Mac performance optimization, etc., like an expert.
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