How to Format EFI System Partition to FAT32? Your Guide Is Here (2024 Edition)

The EFI System Partition (ESP) is a crucial hidden storage area on Windows PCs. You'll typically find it on devices that use a UEFI BIOS. The EFI System Partition boots your operating system and contains important items like the boot loader for the operating system installed, system utility programs that run before the OS boots, and other necessary tools.

An EFI partition usually takes up about 100 MB. It stores SSD data and sophisticated driver information to ensure the smooth running of the Windows operating system. Usually, Windows File Explorer does not have access to EFI, and for the protection of Windows, the OS doesn't allow you to modify this partition. Windows does not permit formatting the partition for the sake of system stability, but if you accidentally delete EFI, your Windows system will fail to boot.

However, you may still need to format the EFI System Partition, sometimes you have to format the EFI System Partition to FAT32.

Causes of the "Windows detected that the EFI system partition is formatted as NTFS. Please format the EFI system partition as FAT32" error

When Windows detects that the EFI System Partition is formatted as NTFS, you get an error message: "Windows detected that the EFI system partition is formatted as NTFS. Format the EFI system partition as FAT32." This means that the recovery partition setup needs to be formatted as FAT32 instead of NTFS.

There may be other reasons why you encounter the “Format the EFI System Partition as FAT32” error.

• Your USB drive is larger than 32 GB, which prevents it from being formatted to FAT32.
• The file system on the drive is corrupted. This could be due to drive damage or formatting with an incompatible file system. To properly format it, you would need to use recovery tools to retrieve data from the drive.

Fixing an NTFS EFI System Partition error is easy. To resolve this issue, format the EFI System Partition to FAT32 and then restart the installation.

How to format an EFI System Partition to FAT32

Next, we'll go over two reliable methods to format the EFI System Partition to FAT32:

• #1. Third-party Disk Formatting Tool - tools Partition Master
• #2. Using DiskPart

Both tools are compatible with Windows OS. The first one, Partition Master, is simpler than DiskPart and more beginner-friendly for Windows users. It also does a better job of formatting the EFI System Partition to FAT32.

Since most EFI-to-FAT32 converters require formatting, back up important data to a safe location.

You can use free backup tools to back up important data.

#1. Format the EFI System Partition to FAT32 using a Partition Master tool

Partition Master is an excellent alternative to the built-in Disk Management tool in Windows for managing disk partitions and formatting them to FAT32. If you're new to Windows, this software offers a simple interface that makes it stress-free to format the EFI System Partition to FAT32.

This software has many features that allow you to add labels and choose and format the file system you need with just a few clicks.

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

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

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

Step 4. Click on the “Run 1 Task” button on the top left to review the changes, and then click “Apply” to start formatting the partition to FAT32/EXT2/EXT3/EXT4.

It is very reliable since no data will be lost during the formatting process.

This tool shines when you want to format the EFI system partition as FAT32. Partition Master is available for free download and works seamlessly with Windows 11/10/8/7. Install the program on your computer to get started.

#2. Format the EFI System Partition as FAT32 using DiskPart

Another way to format the EFI system partition as FAT32 is by using DiskPart. This command-line utility helps you manage drive partitions with ease and is also useful for the EFI partition.

Using DiskPart to format the EFI System Partition as FAT32 will wipe the entire disk, so be sure to back up any important files on the target disk beforehand.

You can use the Diskpart command-line tool, described in the following instructions, to format the EFI System Partition as FAT32. You must have local administrator permissions on the computer to do this. Back up your disk before proceeding, because this process will wipe the entire disk.

Step 1: Press the "Windows key + R" on your keyboard.

Step 2: Next, click OK after typing “DISKPART”.

If the User Account Control prompt appears, click Yes. You'll see DISKPART in the Command Prompt window.

Step 4: Type "list disk" and press Enter.

Step 5: In my case, I need to identify my USB drive by its capacity, and I see that it's Disk 2.

Step 5: Type "select disk 2" (replace the number 2 with the disk number from the previous step)

<Step 6> The command prompt should display "Disk 2 is selected."

After selecting the drive, type the following command:

• Set disk attributes to clear read-only
• Clean
• Convert to MBR disk
• Create primary partition
• Select partition 1
• Quick format, file system as FAT32
• Assign drive letter (alphabetical)
• List volume information

Clicking Exit will close the application.

Step 7: Click "Exit," and then press Enter to close the window.

Step 8: The entire drive will now be formatted as FAT32.

Final Award

The EFI System Partition is crucial for the proper functioning of Windows computers. However, if you need to format the EFI system partition, we've discussed reliable methods to format the EFI system partition to FAT32.

AOMEI Partition Assistant is not only a tool to help you format EFI system partition to FAT32, but also a high-quality alternative that you can rely on.

Download this software to help you carry out the process of converting EFI to FAT32, as well as convert a hard drive/partition to another non-destructively on all Windows-supported computers.

Frequently Asked Questions about Formatting the EFI System Partition to FAT32

Formatting the EFI System Partition to FAT32 can be done through a few simple steps. If you have questions about how to format EFI system partition to FAT32, you'll find the answer here!

1. Must the UEFI partition be formatted as FAT32?

Typically, after you install Windows on a GPT disk, you have an EFI system partition.

However, the EFI system partition must be formatted as FAT32.

2. Can I format the partition as FAT32?

On a Windows computer, you can format an external hard drive to FAT32. The FAT32 Format tool on your computer can help you quickly convert a disk partition to FAT32.

How do I delete the EFI System Partition?

Before deleting the EFI System Partition, make sure you have a system backup or a recoverable Windows 10 installation media in case the process fails. Removing the EFI System Partition can render your computer inoperable and unbootable.

However, tools like Partition Master can help you prevent your computer from becoming unusable after you delete them. Here's how to delete the EFI System Partition:

1. After launching AOMEI Partition Assistant, right-click on the EFI System Partition in the "Partition Management" section and select "Delete." 2. When prompted to confirm the deletion of the selected partition, click "Yes" to proceed with the operation. 3. To completely remove the EFI System Partition, choose "Execute 1 Task," and then click "Apply" in the new window.

In case of problems, this tool ensures that the boot record is ready.