Why Is Extending a FAT32 Partition Not Possible on Windows?

I recently discovered that I cannot extend FAT32 partitions on Windows 10, and I was curious why. Then, how can I extend my FAT32 partition in Windows?

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Roxanne· Answered on Apr 18, 2024

You cannot extend the FAT32 partition in Diskpart or Disk Management because the Windows built-in tools can only support the NTFS file system. Thus, you need to convert FAT32 to NTFS before extending the process, or you can retort to a versatile partition master that can extend most partitions in Windows - EaseUS Partition Master.

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Method 1. Run EaseUS Partition Master

If you don't want to convert the FAT32 to NTFS, EaseUS Partition Master can assist you in extending the FAT32 partition. Here is how to do that:

Important: Ensure that you have enough unallocated space on the target disk.

Step 1. Launch EaseUS Partition Master, locate the FAT32 Partition in the "Partition Master" window, and right-click it to click the "Resize/Move" function.

Step 2. Drag one of the disk's panels and increase its size. Click "OK" to confirm the action. 

Step 3. Click "Execute 1 Task" and press "Apply" to apply the execution.

Method 2. Convert FAT32 to NTFS

Another way is to change the partition file system from FAT32 to NTFS and extend this partition using Disk Management. Luckily, EaseUS Partition Master can make your conversion process smooth and quick with its "FAT32 to NTFS" function. Learn the steps below:

Step 1. Locate "Partition Manager," right-click the FAT32 partition, click "Advanced," and choose "NTFS to FAT."

Step 2. Select "Proceed" in the dialog and click "Apply" to begin the conversion.

Now, you can extend the new NTFS partition now. If you want to know more about converting FAT32 to NTFS, check the following article:

Read More: How to Convert NTFS to FAT32?

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