How to Format FAT

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Back up anything on the drive you want to save.

   If the drive has already seen some use, you'll want to back up any data on it that you want to keep.
   
   Formatting the drive will erase all of the data on it.
2. 2

   Step 2: Open the Computer/This PC window.

   This window displays all of the drives connected to your computer.
   
   There are several ways to open this:
   Open the Start menu and select "Computer," or double-click the Computer icon on your desktop.
   
   Click the Folder icon in your task bar.
   
   Press ⊞ Win+E. , This will open the Format window.
   
   If you don't see your USB drive listed here, press ⊞ Win+R and run "diskmgmt.msc" to open the Disk Management tool.
   
   If the drive or USB port is not physically malfunctioning, the drive should be listed here.
   
   Right-click on it and select "Format."
   
   There are several options to choose from.
   
   FAT32 will work for drives up to 32 GB in size.
   
   If your USB drive is larger than 32 GB, or you need to store files larger than 4 GB, consider selecting "exFAT" instead.
   
   It is compatible with many newer devices and supports USB drives and files of any size.
   
   If your drive is larger than 32 GB and you still want to format it with the FAT32 file system, see the next section. , If you've noticed slow speeds for the USB drive, or encounter errors when trying to copy files, perform a full format to look for and repair problems.
   
   This will take longer than a standard quick format. , The "Volume label" field allows you to enter a name for the drive.
   
   This label will appear when the drive is connected to devices. , You'll be prompted to confirm that you want to delete everything on the drive.
   
   For most drives, the format should only take a few moments.
   
   Performing a full format will take longer. , After the format, you should be able to see your newly-formatted drive in the Computer/This PC window.
   
   Try copying some files to it to ensure that everything went as it should.
3. 3

   Step 3: Right-click on your USB drive and select "Format."

4. 4

   Step 4: Select "FAT32" from the "File system" menu.

5. 5

   Step 5: Uncheck "Perform quick format" if the USB is performing poorly.

6. 6

   Step 6: Give the drive a label.

7. 7

   Step 7: Click "OK" to start the format process.

8. 8

   Step 8: Verify that your drive works.

Detailed Guide

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