How to Successfully Format SD Card to FAT32? [2024]

Remain calm if you encounter the same problem: Windows prevents you from formatting 64GB or larger SD cards to FAT32. Follow this guide, and you'll find a comprehensive and straightforward tutorial to easily format your SD card and other storage devices to FAT32 in a simple 1-2-3 process. Let's begin.

How to Format SD Card to FAT32 Instantly (64GB, 128GB)

Applies to: Format 64GB, 128GB, 256GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, or even larger SD card to FAT32.

Rather than spending time and energy testing the various SD card formatting tools online, we recommend giving Partition Master a try.

Unlike the Windows built-in utilities, tools like Partition Master overcome the partition size limitation of FAT32 on Windows PCs and storage devices. This means you can directly format your 64GB, 128GB, or even larger SD cards to FAT32 without sacrificing storage capacity or impacting the SD card's read/write speed.

Aside from FAT32, this software also supports formatting your device to NTFS, ReFS, FAT16, Ext2, Ext3, and more. Connect your SD card to your computer and easily format your 32GB/64GB/128GB SD card to FAT32.

Step 1. Launch AOMEI Partition Assistant, right-click the partition you intend to format and choose "Format".

Step 2. In the new window, enter the Partition label, select the FAT32/EXT2/EXT3/EXT4 file system, and set the cluster size as needed, then click "OK".

Step 3. A warning window will appear; click "Yes" to proceed.

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.

Once the formatting is done, you can safely remove your SD card and use it on other devices for gaming or photography purposes. It will also work seamlessly on both Windows and Mac computers without any issues.

If you prefer to resize or partition the SD card, you can follow How to Partition a Hard Drive in Windows 10 for help.

Please note that this SD card formatter tool can also help you format other types of large storage devices, including:

Video Tutorial: Format SD Card to FAT32 in 4 Ways

Here's a video tutorial on how to format the SD Card to FAT32. Note that the only way to format large storage devices larger than 64GB is still with tools like Partition Master.

01:30 Method 1: Format the drive in File Explorer
02:13 Method 2: Format the drive in Disk Management
02:46 Method 3: Format the drive using DiskPart
03:49 Method 4: Use Partition Master tools to Format Drive

Why Can't Format SD Card to FAT32 in Windows 10/8/7?

Sorry, I am an AI and cannot see the image you posted. However, based on the text provided, the translation would be: "Unable to format 64GB SD card to FAT32" This seems to be a caption for an image that depicts an error message or situation where someone is unable to format a 64GB Secure Digital (SD) card to the FAT32 file system.

Often, the issue is that your SD card is too large for the FAT32 file system format limit on Windows (which is 32 GB).

Similar to USB drives, SD cards with 32GB or less storage are formatted with the FAT32 file system by default. On the other hand, exFAT is the default file system for larger SD cards, typically those with 64GB or 128GB capacity. However, certain specialized devices, such as the 3DS SD card, only support the FAT32 file system, which necessitates formatting the SD card to FAT32 regardless of its size.

Due to the limitations of FAT32, the Windows system does not support creating a FAT32 partition on a disk partition larger than 32GB. Consequently, you cannot directly format a 64GB memory card or USB flash drive to FAT32. So, what should you do when you need to format a 64GB SD card to FAT32?

Fortunately, apart from the built-in Windows utility, you still have a chance to fix the 'can't format your 64GB SD card or format USB flash drive to FAT32' issue. A third-party and powerful FAT32 format tool can effectively help resolve this problem. Keep reading and download the remarkable formatting tool for assistance.

Bonus Tip: FAT32 vs. NTFS vs. exFAT: Which Is Best for Your SD Card?

Aside from FAT32, NTFS & exFAT are also options when formatting an SD card using Windows tools - Disk Management, File Explorer, Command Prompt, or third-party partition manager software.

But do you know which is the best format for your SD card? In the following content, we'll show you the differences between FAT32, NTFS, and exFAT, and provide a suitable suggestion for choosing the right file system format for your SD card or USB drive.

Comparison Among FAT32, NTFS, and exFAT

FAT32, exFAT, and NTFS are all compatible file systems used on Windows PCs. Here's a basic comparison:

Next, we'll rundown the pros and cons of three popular file systems to give you a better understanding of their use cases.

Highlights:

• NTFS is considered the most modern file system and is commonly used as the default on system drives.
• FAT32 is less efficient than NTFS but has better compatibility with other operating systems. In terms of compatibility, FAT32 remains the most widely used.
• exFAT is seen as an alternative to FAT32, offering better compatibility than NTFS across a wider range of devices and operating systems.

Limits:

Here are the translations for the languages you provided: For English: ```html
• NTFS: No realistic file-size or partition size limits.
• FAT32: Maximum file size of 4 GB, maximum partition size of 8 TB.
• exFAT: No realistic file-size or partition size limits.
``` These are in HTML list format, which is commonly used for displaying bullet points on websites or in code. If you need them in plain text, here they are: 1. NTFS: No realistic file-size or partition size limits. 2. FAT32: Maximum file size of 4 GB, maximum partition size of 8 TB. 3. exFAT: No realistic file-size or partition size limits.

Which File System Should You Choose for an SD Card?

Which file system should you choose for your SD card or USB drive? Follow the suggestions below to set a suitable format for your devices. Translation: What file system should you select for your SD card or USB drive? Refer to the recommendations below to determine an appropriate format for your devices.

This section provides in-depth guides on various file systems. Share this article on your social media to assist more people.

FAT32

Applies to: Small SD card, USB drive with 32GB or smaller storage, gaming storage card, etc.

If your SD card is 32GB or smaller and you don't plan on storing large files (any single file over 4GB), then FAT32 is the best format.

Whenever you need to convert NTFS to FAT32 on a 64GB SD card or 128GB USB drive, you can utilize the Partition Master tool with the steps provided on this page, along with the FAT32 Format download for assistance.

exFAT

Applies to: Cellphone storage, camera, digital camera, camcorder, GoPro, DJI Drones, etc. large SD cards.

If your SD card or USB is 64GB or even larger, or if you need to store large files (individual files larger than 4GB), exFAT is recommended. While it's similar to FAT32 in terms of compatibility, it doesn't have any storage limitations.

NTFS

Applies to: Large USB drive or external hard drive, Windows hard drive partitions, etc.

NTFS is a Windows-based file system that employs more advanced technology than FAT32 and exFAT. If you're merely using the SD card between your Windows computer and digital device without any concern for file size or storage limitations, then utilizing NTFS would ensure optimal performance from your SD card. Once again, the unique solution to convert FAT32 to NTFS without reformatting or data loss is provided by the tool Partition Master. You can find the process detailed in the guide on converting FAT32 to NTFS.

How to Format SD Card to FAT32 - Frequently Asked Questions

**1. How to format an SD card to FAT32 using Windows?** To format an SD card to FAT32 on a Windows computer, follow these steps: 1. **Insert the SD Card**: Plug the SD card into your computer's SD card reader or use an external USB card reader. 2. **Open File Explorer**: Click on the Windows icon in the bottom left corner, type "File Explorer" in the search bar, and press Enter. 3. **Locate the SD Card**: In File Explorer, find the SD card under "This PC" or "Devices with Removable Storage." 4. **Right-click on the SD Card**: Select the SD card and right-click on it. A context menu will appear. 5. **Format the SD Card**: Choose "Format" from the context menu. A new window called "Format" will open. 6. **Choose File System**: In the "File system" dropdown, select "FAT32." 7. **Volume Label (Optional)**: You can enter a name for the SD card in the "Volume label" field (e.g., "MySDCard"). 8. **Check the "Quick Format" Option**: Make sure the "Quick Format" option is checked. This will format the card faster but may not erase all data. If you want a thorough wipe, uncheck this option. 9. **Start Formatting**: Click on the "Start" button. A warning message will appear, asking if you're sure you want to format the card. Click "OK" to proceed. 10. **Wait for Formatting**: The formatting process will begin. Wait until it completes, which should take a few seconds to a minute, depending on the size of the SD card. 11. **Finish and Safely Remove**: Once the formatting is done, click "OK" and then safely eject the SD card from the system by right-clicking on it in File Explorer and selecting "Eject." Now your SD card is formatted to FAT32 and ready to use.

1. In File Explorer, select "This PC" and then right-click your SD card in the "Devices" section. 2. Click "Format." 3. Click the "File system" dropdown and choose "FAT32." 4. Click "Start." 5. Click "OK." Your SD card will be formatted immediately after clicking "OK."

**2. Can I format a 64GB SD card to FAT32?**

Since the 64GB exceeds the maximum capacity limit for FAT32, both Windows File Explorer and Disk Management will not permit formatting it to FAT32. However, you can easily accomplish this task using a tool like Partition Master. To proceed, download the FAT32 Formatter tool.

Here are the translations for the given language instructions: 1. Connect the 64GB SD card to your Windows computer. 2. Right-click on the SD card and select Format. 3. Choose FAT32 as the file system. 4. Apply the changes.

3. How to format SD card to FAT32 on Mac?

Here's the step-by-step guide in English:

1. Open Disk Utility. 2. In the External section, select your SD card. Then, click Erase. 3. If desired, enter a different name in the Name field. 4. Click the Format dropdown and select MS-DOS (FAT), which is equivalent to the FAT32 option on Windows. 5. Click Erase, and the formatting process will begin.

**4. Can you format a 128GB SD card to FAT32?**

Similarly, to format a 64GB SD card to FAT32, you would need to download the tool Partition Master to format a larger 128GB SD card to FAT32. Regardless of the capacity of your SD card, you can directly use a reliable SD card formatter to format the SD card without losing disk storage, with the assistance of the most efficient and powerful SD card formatting utility.