Everything You Need to Know About exFAT, FAT32, and NTFS

Quick navigation:

• What is a File System?
• Differences Between exFAT, FAT32, and NTFS
• How to Convert Between exFAT, FAT32, and NTFS

When you insert a new USB flash drive or external hard disk into a Windows computer, a window pops up asking you to format the device and offering three file-system options: NTFS, FAT32, and exFAT.

Many users are unfamiliar with these three file formats and simply follow the prompts when they appear. Windows doesn't offer much in the way of explanation, either. Don't worry – we'll cover everything you need to know here.

What is a file system?

First, let's understand what a file system is. A file system is the way a system stores and organizes files. The differences between various file systems relate to how data is stored on a hard drive. Additionally, they vary in terms of filenames, file permissions, and other attributes.

Windows supports three different file systems: NTFS, FAT32, and exFAT. In recent years, NTFS has been the most widely used modern file system, with the vast majority of built-in Windows computer hard drives formatted with NTFS. FAT32 has a longer history than NTFS but does not support some modern file formats; however, it has better compatibility with various operating system platforms such as Linux, Mac, and Android. exFAT serves as an alternative to FAT32 and is supported by many devices and operating systems, though it is not yet as widely used in practice.

How to Format a Write-Protected USB/Flash Drive?

Here, you can find solutions to remove write protection from USB, pen drive, SD card, external hard drive, etc., and then easily format the device.

# Differences Between exFAT, FAT32, and NTFS

It is now time to explain the differences among these three file formats.

NTFS: NTFS stands for “New Technology File System,” which is the default new file system that Microsoft created for HDDs and SSDs, and it gained popularity after Windows 2000. NTFS excels in security, usability, and stability. Nowadays, it is the most widely used file system, supporting up to 256 TB on MBR hard drives and up to 128 EB on GPT hard drives. On a computer, it's recommended to choose NTFS when partitioning a hard drive. However, it's not advisable to use NTFS on USB flash drives as it significantly shortens their lifespan.

FAT32: FAT32 stands for File Allocation Table 32. It was first introduced in Windows 95 to replace the old FAT16 file system. Normally, all USB flash drives come with the FAT32 file system. The biggest advantage of FAT32 is its compatibility, which can be applied to any operating system. But the main drawback is that it only supports a maximum single file transfer of 4 GB. If you try to transfer a file larger than 4GB, you will receive an error message "The file is too large for the destination file system."

exFAT: exFAT stands for "Extended File Allocation Table." It is a new file system created by Microsoft to replace FAT32. The main difference between FAT32 and exFAT is that exFAT supports the transfer of files larger than 4 GB. It works well on both Windows and Mac computers and has better compatibility than NTFS. The major downside is that it lacks a journaling feature, meaning it doesn't record changes made to the disk.

## How to Convert between exFAT, FAT32, and NTFS for Free

Since each file system has its downsides, users might want to convert one to another from time to time. Are there any tools that can help with the conversion between file systems? Yes! One recommendation is tools Partition Master Free.

As its name suggests, Partition Master Free is a partition management tool designed for users. It supports resizing partitions, moving partitions, merging partitions, and creating partitions. It also allows users to fix some simple issues by themselves, such as insufficient disk space, checking disk errors, and unable to extend volume.

To convert between exFAT, FAT32, and NTFS, it only takes a few clicks in “Partition Master Free.” Download this free tool now and follow our guide on how to change one file system to another. In this example, we'll show you how to convert FAT32 to NTFS.

Part 1: Convert FAT32 to NTFS

Step 1. Install and run Partition Master on your computer.

Step 2. In Disk Manager, right-click on a FAT32 partition and select Advanced, then Convert to FAT.

<Step 3> Click on “Proceed” in the dialog box that appears.

Click “Apply” to begin the conversion process. Wait for it to finish.

Part 2: Convert exFAT to FAT32

If you'd like to convert exFAT to FAT32, you can format the device to use FAT32 with the following guide.

Step 1. Launch tools Partition Master, right click the partition you want to format and choose "Format".

Step 2: In the new window, type in a volume label, choose the FAT32/EXT2/EXT3/EXT4 file system, set the cluster size as you need, and click “OK”.

Step 3: A warning message will appear. Click “Yes” to proceed.

Step 4. Click on the 'Run 1 Task' button in the top left corner to check your changes and then click 'Apply' to start formatting the partition to FAT32/EXT2/EXT3/EXT4.

Bottom line

Some users may ask which one between exFAT, FAT32, and NTFS is the best. Actually, there is no ultimate choice. If you need to format HDD or SSD, NTFS is recommended. If you have just bought a USB flash drive, it's better to format it as FAT32 or exFAT. The main difference between FAT32 and exFAT lies in whether they support files larger than 4GB. Each of these file systems has its own strengths, and using them flexibly can help you manage partitions and disks better.