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Format fat32 Windows 10. Format fat32 Windows 10

How to use format fs=fat32 quick Correctly and its FAQs

Format fs=fat32 quick not working? How to use format fs=fat32 quick command when there is error like format fs=fat32 quick the parameter is incorrect, too big, size not correct, or other error and what does format quick fs=fat32 lable= system mean?

Here this article would show you how to use diskpart format fs=fat32 correctly and its alternatives to do the format job when cmd format does not work for your hard disk, external hard drive, thumb drive or memory card.

What does format fs=fat32 quick mean?

Here is the defination for the command line.

  • Format means to make it a new one by changing its file system;
  • fs means file system;
  • fat32 means a file system that can be used in Windows computers among fat32, fat, ntfs, exfat etc. which are all Windows file systems for storage devices;
  • quick means quick format.

Steps to use format fs=fat32 quick diskpart command

If its a pen drive or memory card, it’s easy to use it for formatting.

Way # 1. Open cmd, and type ‘diskpart’ to get it started. And then do the following cmd that shows in the following photo. (It’s for an external hard drive, internal hard drive, USB flash drive or memory card)

There is another different way that you may get the job done and its for external hard disk or internal hard drive and get their file system changed as a whole disk.

Preparation: open cmd and type diskpart to start.

  • list disk
  • select disk
  • attributes disk clear readonly
  • clean
  • create partition primary
  • format fs=fat32 (or you may also use format fs=fat32 quick)

Format drive ntfs? Try this: format fs=ntfs quick

Way #1 VS #2 : List volume would list all volume information on the computer, list disk would only list disk, memory card, flash drive when a disk may contains more than 2 partitions which are not displayed. (USB flash drive, memory card are recognized as a disk)

For example: disk 0 contains 3 partitions E, F, G, if you type list volume, E F G would appear in the list, if you type list disk, E F G won’t appear.

Format Failed? Try some easier way to get the job done, and here are at least 8 ways.

Format file system fat32 in disk management (Efficient when format fs fat32 not working)

Video. how to format disk under disk management

FAQS

Qestion : What does Format fs=fat quick mean

Answer: It means to format drive fat instead of fat32 when some storage devices only recognize fat file system, such as some early mobile phones that sees fat file system. You may use format fs=fat to get the device formatted to fat file system.

FAT32 VS FAT: fat32 is a later developed file system than FAT, which are all supported in Windows computers.

Qestion : format fs=fat32 stuck at 0 percent

When format fs=fat32 stuck at 0 percent, there are probably logical damages or bad blocks on the disk or the computer may freeze for some reason.

Solution: reboot your computer and restart the format command. Or use free formatters: 8 free ways to format disk/USB

Qestion : format fs=fat32 the parameter is incorrect

When the parameter is incorrect, it means you have typed the wrong command line or there is unnessary space in between such as fs = fat32 should be written as fs=fat32 no space.

Failed? Try free format tools to format drive instead of cmd : 8 free ways to format disk/USB

Qestion : format fs=fat32 taking a long time

It may hangs up in the middle if your storage device is damaged or the computer runs slowly. If your disk is large such as over 250gb, or even larger, it may take several hours to finish the formatting.

Solution: wait if the process still continues with changing percentage, if it hangs up there, find a better computer to do the job, or use free formatters to do the job.

Note: if the formatting does not finish and you cancelled it, the disk or USB drive or SD card would become raw. Never mind, just go ahead with another way to get it formatted.

Qestion : format fs=fat32 with powershell steps

Solution: the steps to use powershell format fs format32 are just as follows.

  • Open PowerShell by searching for it in the start menu.
  • In the PowerShell window, execute the below command while replacing Drive_Letter with the actual drive letter.

Format /FS:FAT32 Drive_Letter:

For example, when your USB drive is H on your computer, use ‘format /fs:fat32 H:’ in powershell to format USB fat32.

Or you may use free disk format tools to get drive formatted even when they cannot be formatted by regular ways.

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How to Format exFAT to FAT32: A Step-by-Step Guide

FAT32Format offers a range of advantages over other formatting tools. It supports drives up to 2TB in size and can be used to format numerous types of media including USB flash drives, hard disks and memory cards. The software features an intuitive graphical user interface, making it simple to use even for those with limited technical knowledge.

What Is Exfat?

ExFAT is a file system developed by Microsoft as an enhanced version of FAT32. It was created to provide better compatibility with external devices such as flash drives and digital cameras, while also increasing the capacity of storage available. It supports larger files than FAT32, and is used more often on newer systems such as Windows 10.

ExFAT is more efficient than FAT32 in terms of speed, but it comes with the disadvantage of not being compatible with some older devices. Additionally, because it’s a proprietary format, only certain operating systems are able to access it. As such, exFAT isn’t as widely used as FAT32 or other formats like NTFS and HFS.

If you need to use exFAT on a device that doesn’t support it natively, you can easily convert the file system from exFAT to FAT32 using a third-party tool like FAT32Format.

What Is Fat32?

FAT32 is a file system used on many storage devices, including hard drives, memory cards, and USB flash drives. It stands for File Allocation Table 32 and was first released in 1996 by Microsoft. FAT32 allows larger volumes of data to be stored than the older FAT16 format, allowing for larger file sizes on average. It also has better compatibility with other operating systems, making it easier to transfer files from one device to another.

When formatting a drive or device, FAT32 is a popular option because of its compatibility and large file size allowance. It can also be used with almost any type of media, including CDs and DVDs. The only downside of using FAT32 is that it does not support features such as NTFS security permissions or disk quotas.

For those needing to format an exFAT drive to FAT32, this process can usually be done through the Windows Disk Management utility or with third-party software applications such as FAT32Format. Backing up all data on the drive before beginning the formatting process is recommended in order to prevent any data loss during the process.

How to Check the Current Format of a Drive

To ensure that you are formatting the correct drive, it is important to check the current format of your drive before proceeding. To do this, you need to:

Open the File Explorer window on your computer and then select the drive for which you want to check its format.

Right-click on the drive and select ‘Properties’ from the list of options. A new window will appear with all the details about your drive, including its file system. If it says ‘exFAT’ or ‘NTFS’, then it means that your current format is not FAT32.

What is FAT32Format?

FAT32Format, developed by RidgeCrop, is a GUI (Graphic User Interface) version of the utility originally created by Microsoft, a tool designed to help you format disks to the FAT32 file system. It can be used to format hard drives, memory cards, and USB drives into the FAT32 file system. The FAT32 file system has been widely used in personal computers since its introduction, as it provides a reliable and efficient way of storing data on hard drives.

The FAT32Format utility allows users to specify the size of the partition they wish to create, as well as other parameters such as the volume label, allocation unit size and cluster size. It also supports long filenames, which allows for more descriptive naming conventions when organizing files on a disk. Additionally, it supports large partitions up to a maximum of 32GB in size.

Benefits Of Using Fat32format

FAT32Format offers a number of advantages for users. It is flexible and can be used on almost any operating system, including Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP. It also has a compatible file size limit of up to 32GB for each file or folder, making it easier to store larger files or folders. FAT32Format does not require the user to perform complex partitioning operations when formatting an external hard drive as its default settings are sufficient for most users.

Due to its ease of use and compatibility with different operating systems, FAT32 is a popular choice among users who need a reliable data storage solution. Additionally, its large file size limit makes it ideal for storing very large files such as videos or uncompressed images without needing additional software or hardware support.

Downloading And Installing Fat32format

FAT32Format is available as an executable program. The utility will guide users through the process of formatting their drives to FAT32 by providing a set of options that need to be selected in order for the drive to be formatted correctly. The user should select their desired settings, such as cluster size and volume label, before clicking “Start” to begin formatting.

When FAT32Format has finished formatting the drive, a message will appear indicating whether or not it was successful. If successful, the drive can now be used for storing data and programs compatible with FAT32. In some cases, it may also be necessary to change certain settings in order for programs to recognize the new file system format.

Configuring Settings In Fat32format

When first opening FAT32Format, a popup window will appear with several options that can be adjusted to suit the user’s needs. It is important to select the correct drive letter from the drop-down menu and choose whether or not the quick format option should be enabled. Quick Formatting allows for reformatting of a drive without overwriting its data, but should only be used if it is known that all data has been backed up. For further safety, it is also recommended to enable both check boxes for ‘Verify after write’ and ‘Disable quick format’.

The ‘Cluster size’ setting determines how much data can be stored on each sector of the disk; higher cluster sizes can reduce fragmentation but also decrease available space. The default cluster size is usually adequate, but if more granular control of file storage is required this setting can be adjusted accordingly. Additionally, selecting an appropriate volume label can help with organization. After completing all changes, click ‘Start’ to begin formatting the drive according to these specifications.

Formatting A Drive With Fat32format

Once installed, launch FAT32Format and:

Select the drive letter of the drive to be formatted. Before proceeding with the formatting process, it is important to ensure that all data on the drive has been backed up as all data will be lost during this process.

Select the volume label and cluster size. Typically, the default values are sufficient and should not be changed unless necessary.

Once setup, click Start. A confirmation prompt will appear; if everything is correct, click OK to begin formatting the drive. The time taken for completion depends on the size of the drive being formatted; however, it usually only takes a few seconds to a few minutes.

Once completed, a confirmation message will appear indicating the success or failure of the process.

Verifying The Formatting Process

Once the formatting process is complete, verify the FAT32 format by opening the File Explorer window on your computer and then selecting the drive for which you want to check its format. Right-click on the drive and select Properties from the list of options. A new window will appear with all the details about your drive, including its file system. If it says ‘exFAT’ or ‘NTFS’, then it means that your current format is not FAT32. However, if it says ‘FAT32’ then you can proceed with using your drive.

Tips For Optimizing Performance With Fat32format

FAT32Format is a powerful tool for formatting hard drives, flash drives, memory cards, and other types of external storage devices. To ensure optimal performance when using FAT32Format, it is important to follow certain guidelines.

  • Download the latest version of FAt32Format. This helps ensure you have the most up-to-date features available and that the formatting process can be completed as quickly as possible.
  • Remember to back up any data stored on the device before attempting any formatting operations with FAT32Format. This guarantees that all information remains safe.
  • Consult with your device manufacturer to determine whether or not specific formatting options are compatible with their hardware before running FAT32Format.

By following these simple tips, you will help ensure an efficient and successful experiencing while using FAT32Format

FAQs

Is Fat32format Compatible With Mac OS?

Unfortunately no. FAT32Format is a Windows-only program, and not compatible with Mac OS. Mac OS users do not have to use FAT32format as they can simply format their drive through the Mac OS.

What Is The Difference Between Fat32format And Other Similar Software?

FAT32Format is a software program designed to format hard drives into the FAT32 file system. This differs from other similar software as it offers an additional feature known as quick format, which allows users to format the drive without performing a full format. Additionally, FAT32Format supports larger disk sizes than other software, allowing up to 2TB of storage with Windows 95/98/ME and 8TB with Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7.

Another difference between FAT32Format and other programs is its ability to detect bad sectors on the drive and mark them so that they are not used during formatting. This helps prevent data corruption caused by these bad sectors and can improve the overall performance of the drive. In addition, FAT32Format provides users with detailed logs of all operations performed, such as errors found or skipped sectors, which can be viewed at any time.

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How to Fix Windows 11 Format FAT32 not Available

You can learn what’s FAT32 and why FAT32 option not available. You can also learn how to back the disk before formatting and how to fix the problem. Keep reading and scroll down for more details.

By @Clytze Last Updated March 30, 2023

What is FAT32?

FAT32 is a disk format, it’s also known as a file allocation table, and it’s the operating system’s (OS) way of keeping track of cluster allocations, which is how filesystems allocate disk space for everything. In simple terms, you can clearly know how the files are organized. When you format a drive, FAT32 is one of the options. 32 refers to the number of bits the filesystem uses to store the addresses of these files. FAT32 has the following characteristics.

  • Compatible with a large number of devices.
  • Work across platforms or operating systems.
  • The maximum file size is 4GB and the partition size is 8TB.
  • Not as efficient as NTFS, and less secure.

Why FAT32 Option not Available?

When you need to format a drive, many devices only recognize FAT32 and not exFAT/NTFS. Therefore, many users want to format their hard drives as FAT32. In general, you can easily and successfully format it as a FAT32 file system in Disk Management. But sometimes you may find that the FAT32 option is not available in Disk Management. So why does this happen?

This is usually due to your partition being larger than 32GB. Because the default Windows formatting options only allow FAT32 partitions on drives that are 32GB or less. In other words, Windows‘ built-in formatting tools like Disk Management, File Explorer, or DiskPart won’t allow you to format a 64GB SD card as FAT32. And that’s why there is no FAT32 format option in Windows 11 or other versions.

Backup Your Disk before Formatting

Before you start to fix the problem that Windows 11 formatted FAT32 is not available, in order to prevent data loss after formatting z, it is recommended that you back up your disk data in advance before starting to format. You need to choose a safe and reliable backup software, such as AOMEI Backupper Standard, which not only helps you back up disks for free, but also provides various backup functions to fully protect your data. It is suitable for many kinds of Windows OS, including Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/XP/Vista, etc.

  • Incremental backup: You can choose the incremental backup method to perform your backup tasks. Incremental backup will only back up the changed part, so this method will help you save backup time and storage space
  • 2 backup services: It supports Microsoft’s VSS and AOMEI’s backup services, so it can ensure that your backup tasks will not be interrupted in the middle.
  • Different paths: You can backup your disk to different destinations, such as local disk, external disk, HDD, SSD, USB drive, NAS, etc.

You can download and install this professional backup software, and then start backing up the disk that you want formatted according to the graphic tutorial below. If you are a Windows Server user, you can choose the AOMEI Backupper Server version.

Step 1. Open AOMEI Backupper Standard. Open the software, click Backup Disk Backup.

Step 2. Click Add Disk to choose the disk that you want formatted.

Step 3. You need to select the destination for your disk backup and then click Start Backup.

  • Schedule Backup: You can set the fixed intervals to run the disk backup task automatically such as daily, weekly, monthly event trigger or USB plug in. The last two are available in the Pro version.
  • Backup Scheme: You can select 3 different backup methods (Full/Incremental/Differential). You can also enable automatic backup cleanup feature to save disk space. Differential backup and cleanup features are available in the professional version or higher versions.

How to Fix Windows 11 Format FAT32 not Available

After backing up the data, you can start to format FAT32. The specific steps will be described in detail next. You can start by following the graphic steps below.

Step 1. Press Windows R key to open the Run window. In the Run box, type “cmd” and press Enter.

Step 2. In the cmd window, type “diskpart” and press Enter. The diskpart tool will be opened.

Step 3. Enter “list disk” and press Enter.

Step 4. Enter “select disk #”, where # is the number of your selected disk. Then, press Enter.

Step 5. Enter “list partition” and press Enter.

Step 6. Enter “select partition ” and press Enter.

Step 7. Enter “format fs=fat32” and press Enter.

Summary

This article explains what FAT32 is and why the FAT32 option is not available. After understanding these, you can learn how to backup data before formatting the disk and how to perform formatting FAT32 in the article. The safe and reliable backup software AOMEI Backupper Standard not only helps you back up disks for free, but also provides various backup functions to fully protect your data.

In addition, as a professional backup software, it also provides functions such as system backup, partition backup and file backup. You can choose according to your needs. You can download this software now to explore more.

How to format a USB flash drive on Windows 10

You can format a USB flash drive to delete its contents or resolve problems quickly, and here’s how on Windows 10.

On Windows 10, the ability to format a USB flash drive can be helpful in many scenarios. For instance, sometimes, you may need to reformat a removable storage device to ensure it does not contain malicious code. Or when the thumb drive is not accessible because of data corruption, you received a flash drive using a file system incompatible with your platform, or you plan to get rid of the storage device and want to make sure you are not leaving behind any personal information.

Regardless of the reason, Windows 10 includes several tools to format all kinds of storage (such as USB flash drives) using File Explorer, Disk Management, Command Prompt, and PowerShell.

This guide will walk you through the steps to format a USB flash drive to quickly erase its contents or fix problems when the device isn’t recognized.

How to format USB flash drive from File Explorer

To format a USB flash drive from File Explorer on Windows 10, use these steps:

  • Open File Explorer.
  • Click on This PC from the left pane.
  • Under the “Devices and drives” section, right-click the flash drive and select the Format option.
  • Use the “File system” drop-down menu and select the NTFS option.
  • Quick tip: If you plan to use the removable storage on Windows 10 and macOS systems, you may want to select the “exFAT” option for compatibility. However, if you think you might use the device on a Linux machine, “FAT32” is the best option, even though you will be limited to 4GB file sizes.
  • Use the default selection in the “Allocation unit size” drop-down menu.
  • In the “Volume label” field, confirm a drive name that will appear in File Explorer. For example, workUSB.
  • Under the “Format options” section, select the Quick format option.
  • Quick note: The “Quick format” option only deletes the file system table and the root folder, but the data may still be recoverable. If you do not check the setting, a full format operation will be performed, and it will scan for bad sectors and write zeros in all sectors deleting the data. As a result, this process can take a long time, depending on the drive size.
  • Click the Start button.
  • Click the Yes button.

Once you complete the steps, the flash drive will be ready to store documents, pictures, videos, and other files.

How to format USB flash drive from Disk Management

On Disk Management, you have at least two ways to format a USB flash drive. You can format the storage to rebuild the file system table and erase the content, or you can delete the partition that comes in handy to fix storage problems.

Format flash drive

To use Disk Management to format a USB drive on Windows 10, use these steps:

  • Open Start.
  • Search for “Create and format hard disk partitions” and click the top result to open the Disk Management app.
  • Right-click the removable drive and select the Format option.
  • In the “Volume label” field, confirm a name to identify the storage in File Explorer.
  • Use the “File system” drop-down menu and select the NTFS option. (You can also choose the “FAT32” or “exFAT” option.)
  • Use the Default option in the “Allocation unit size” drop-down menu.
  • Check the “Perform a quick format” option.
  • (Optional) Check the “Enable file and folder compression” option.
  • Click the OK button.

After you complete the steps, the drive will be erased and reformatted to store data again.

Clean and format flash drive

When the USB drive is experiencing problems, it’s best to clean it and start again from scratch with a new partition and file system.

To clean and format a USB flash drive on Windows 10, use these steps:

  • Open Start.
  • Search for “Create and format hard disk partitions” and click the top result to open the Disk Management tool.
  • Right-click the removable storage and select the Delete volume option.
  • Click the Yes button.
  • Right-click the “Unallocated” space and choose the “New Simple Volume” option.
  • Click the Next button.
  • Click the Next button again to use all the available space.
  • Select the “Assign the following drive letter” option.
  • Use the drop-down menu to select one of the available letters.
  • Quick tip: If you assign a letter manually, it is best to select a letter in reverse order (Z, Y, X, and so on).
  • Click the Next button.
  • Select the “Format this volume with the following settings” option.
  • Use the File system drop-down menu and select the NTFS option.
  • Quick note: Using this method, you can only use “NTFS” or “FAT32.” If you need to format the drive using “exFAT,” you will need to use Command Prompt or PowerShell.
  • Use the Default option for the “Allocation unit size” setting.
  • Type a label in the “Volume label” field to quickly identify the flash drive on File Explorer.
  • Check the “Perform a quick format” option. (If you clear the setting, a full format will take place that can take some time, depending on the storage size.)
  • (Optional) Check the “Enable file and folder compression” option.
  • Click the Next button.
  • Click the Finish button.

Once you complete the steps, the process will create a new partition and set up the file system, fixing common problems with the flash drive, including data corruption.

How to Format exFAT to FAT32 on Windows 10

How to format USB flash drive from PowerShell

PowerShell is another tool that allows you to format a USB flash drive to delete its contents. In addition, the command-line tool can be used to clean and format the storage to resolve corruption and other problems.

Format flash drive using PowerShell

To format a USB flash drive using PowerShell commands on Windows 10, use these steps:

  • Open Start.
  • Search for PowerShell, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
  • Type the following command to perform a quick format on the flash drive and press Enter: Format-Volume.DriveLetter DRIVE-LETTER.FileSystem FILE-SYSTEM.NewFileSystemLabel DRIVE-NAME

In the command, replace DRIVE-LETTER with the correct letter reflecting the drive you want to format, FILE-SYSTEM for FAT32, exFAT, or NTFS, and DRIVE-NAME with the name you want the device to appear in File Explorer.

This example performs a quick format of the “F” drive with the NTFS file system: Format-Volume.DriveLetter F.FileSystem NTFS.NewFileSystemLabel workUSB

  • (Optional) Type the following command to perform a full format of the USB flash drive and press Enter: Format-Volume.DriveLetter DRIVE-LETTER.FileSystem FILE-SYSTEM.Full.Force

In the command, replace DRIVE-LETTER with the correct letter reflecting the drive you want to format and FILE-SYSTEM for FAT32, exFAT, or NTFS, depending on the file system you want to use. If you do not know and are on Windows 10, you should use NTFS. The Full option tells the command to perform a full format, and the.Force option specifies the override switch.

This example performs a full format of the “F” drive: Format-Volume.DriveLetter F.FileSystem NTFS.Full.Force

After you complete the steps, PowerShell will format the storage with the settings you specified.

Clean and format flash drive using PowerShell

To clean and format a removable drive with PowerShell commands, use these steps:

  • Open Start.
  • Search for PowerShell, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
  • Type the following command to view the flash drive you want to fix and press Enter: Get-Disk
  • Type the following command to delete the volume and press Enter: Get-Disk DISK-NUMBER | Clear-Disk.RemoveData

In the command, change DISK-NUMBER for the correct number for the flash drive you are formatting.

This example selects and cleans disk number 2: Get-Disk 2 | Clear-Disk.RemoveData

  • Type Y to confirm the action and press Enter.
  • Type the following command to create a new partition and press Enter: New-Partition.DiskNumber DISK-NUMBER.UseMaximumSize

In the command, change DISK-NUMBER to the correct number for the storage you are formatting.

This example creates a new partition using the entire space available on drive number 2: New-Partition.DiskNumber 2.UseMaximumSize

  • Type the following command to perform a quick format and assign a drive label, and press Enter: Get-Partition.DiskNumber DISK-NUMBER | Format-Volume.FileSystem FILE-SYSTEM.NewFileSystemLabel DRIVE-NAME

In the command, change DISK-NUMBER for the number that identifies the storage in the system, FILE-SYSTEM for “NTFS,” “FAT32,” or “exFAT,” and DRIVE-NAME with the name you want the device to appear in File Explorer.

This example selects, and formats drive number 2 using the NTFS file system: Get-Partition.DiskNumber 2 | Format-Volume.FileSystem NTFS.NewFileSystemLabel workUSB

  • Type the following command to assign a new letter to the drive and press Enter: Get-Partition.DiskNumber DISK-NUMBER | Set-Partition.NewDriveLetter DRIVE-LETTER

In the command, replace DISK-NUMBER for the number that identifies the storage in the system and DRIVE-LETTER with the letter you want the device to appear in File Explorer.

format, fat32, windows

This example sets “E” as the drive letter for disk number 2: Get-Partition.DiskNumber 2 | Set-Partition.NewDriveLetter E

After you complete the steps, PowerShell will delete the data on the removable USB storage to fix problems, including corruption, write protection, and unrecognized drives. Then it will create a new partition and configure a file system to store files.

How to format USB flash drive from Command Prompt

You can use the Command Prompt to clean the drive and start fresh with a new partition and file system table.

Format flash drive using command-line

To perform a quick or full format on a USB flash drive with Command Prompt on Windows 10, use these steps:

  • Open Start.
  • Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
  • Type the following command to perform a quick format of the USB flash drive and press Enter: format VOLUME: /v:FLASHDRIVE-LABEL /fs:FILE-SYSTEM /q

In the command, make sure to replace the VOLUME with the correct drive letter of the storage, FLASHDRIVE-LABEL with the name you want the drive to appear in File Explorer, FILE-SYSTEM with one of the available file systems, including “FAT32,” “exFAT,” or “NTFS.”

This example performs a quick format of the E drive: format E: /v:workUSB /fs:NTFS /q

  • Press Enter again to continue.
  • (Optional) Type the following command to perform a full format of the USB flash drive and press Enter: format VOLUME: /v:FLASHDRIVE-LABEL /fs:FILE-SYSTEM

This example performs a full format of the E drive: format E: /v:”workUSB” /fs:NTFS

After completing the steps, the thumb drive will be formatted with the specified settings.

Clean and format flash drive using command-line

To clean and format a flash drive with commands on Windows 10, use these steps:

  • Open Start.
  • Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
  • Type the following command to launch the DiskPart tool and press Enter: diskpart
  • Type the following command to view a list of the available drives and press Enter: list disk
  • Type the following command to select the flash drive you want to delete and press Enter: select disk DISK-NUMBER

In the command, replace DISK-NUMBER with the number for the drive you are trying to format.

This example selects the flash drive listed as disk number 2: select disk 2

  • Type the following command to delete all the partitions on the storage and press Enter: clean
  • Type the following command to create a primary partition and press Enter: create partition primary
  • Type the following command to perform a quick format and press Enter: format fs=FILE-SYSTEM label=DRIVE-NAME quick

In the command, make sure to replace FILE-SYSTEM for your preferred file system, including “FAT32,” “exFAT,” or “NTFS.” Also, replace DRIVE-NAME with the name you want to give the device. If you do not specify the “quick” option, then a full format will be performed.

This example quickly formats the removable storage using the NTFS file system and applies the “workUSB” name: format fs=NTFS label=workUSB quick

How to Format USB Drive Larger Than 32GB to FAT32

  • Type the following command to assign a drive letter and press Enter: assign

Quick note: You can append “letter=E” in the command to assign (in this case) “E” as the drive letter. Otherwise, the system will assign a letter automatically.

  • Type the following command to close DiskPart and press Enter: exit

Once you complete the steps, the DiskPart tool will remove any information from the USB flash drive. It will create a new partition and configure a compatible file system to store files from your Windows 10, macOS, or Linux machine (depending on your configuration).

resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources:

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