How to Format HDD/External Hard Drive to FAT32 – Your Step-by-Step Guide

Follow the guide on how to format HDD to FAT32 in Windows 11/10 or format external hard drive to FAT32 in Windows 11/10. You can still format to FAT32 in Windows 11/10 with Windows CMD or a third-party partition manager even if there is no FAT32 option in Windows 11/10 File Explorer or Disk Management.

#1. Format Hard Drive to FAT32 with Third-party Partition Manager in Windows 11/10
#2. Format Hard Drive to FAT32 using Command Prompt in Windows 11/10

Why do you want to format the external hard drive to FAT32?

• File system name: File Allocation Table 32 (FAT32)
• Description: The oldest among the three popular file systems (FAT32, exFAT, and NTFS; commonly used on removable storage devices and external hard drives.
• Advantages: Excellent device compatibility; both Windows operating systems and macOS can read FAT32 devices.
• Disadvantages: Limited to a maximum individual file size of 4 GB; for external hard drives larger than 32 GB, Windows does not offer a FAT32 option.

There is no doubt that you want to get the most out of your external hard drive. Why am I so sure? Because each operating system can read only specific file systems. Thus, if you have an NTFS-formatted HDD, you will be able to use it only on Windows computers and not on a Mac. However, if you have an FAT32 formatted external storage device, both Windows and Mac OS X will have no problem recognizing it.

Moreover, PS4 gamers should be aware that the external USB drive's format must also be FAT32. To add an external USB drive to the console, they need to format PS4 hard drive to FAT32. Here is an example from Twitter claiming that the external disk needs to be formatted to FAT32:

My PS4 hard drive died yesterday and I'm pleasantly surprised how easy the fix was. Most annoying part was having to format my external hard drive to FAT32 so I could reinstall the OS because apparently that's the only format the device can read.

Thus, you can use any of the disk partition managers or Command Prompt mentioned below to format an external hard drive to FAT32 in Windows 11/10/8/7 when the need arises.

#1. Format HDD or External Drive to FAT32 in Windows 11/10 with Partition Master

If you're afraid of messing things up with the Command Prompt, you can try a more straightforward method. tools Partition Master Free is a third-party HDD formatting tool that can quickly format external hard drives, USB drives, SD cards, and any other removable storage device to FAT32 with ease. It's a great option for regular computer users.

Title: Guide: How to Format an External Hard Drive to FAT32 Using FAT32 Format Tool Introduction: Formatting an external hard drive to FAT32 can be useful for compatibility with various devices and systems. This guide will walk you through the process of using a dedicated FAT32 formatting tool to achieve this. Step 1: Download the FAT32 Format Tool First, download a reliable FAT32 formatting tool, such as "Rinogo Fat32 Formatter" or "Paragon Partition Manager Free Edition." Ensure that you download the software from a trusted source. Step 2: Install the Software Once downloaded, install the chosen tool on your computer by following the on-screen instructions. Make sure to read and accept any terms and conditions during the installation process. Step 3: Connect the External Hard Drive Connect your external hard drive to your computer via USB. Ensure it's properly connected and recognized by your system. Step 4: Launch the FAT32 Format Tool Open the installed FAT32 format tool. The interface might vary depending on the software you've chosen. Step 5: Select the External Hard Drive In the tool's main window, you should see a list of available drives. Locate and select the external hard drive you want to format. It's usually labeled with the drive letter (e.g., E:) and a description like "USB Disk." Step 6: Choose FAT32 File System Look for an option to choose the file system. In most tools, this is located in the "Format Type" or "FileSystem" section. Select "FAT32" from the list. Step 7: Set Partition Parameters (Optional) If necessary, you can adjust other formatting options, such as allocation unit size. For general use, the default settings should be fine. Step 8: Begin Formatting Before proceeding, ensure that all important data on the external hard drive has been backed up, as formatting will erase everything. Click on the "Format" or "Start" button to begin the formatting process. Step 9: Wait for Completion The formatting may take some time, depending on the size of the hard drive. Do not disconnect the drive during this process. Step 10: Verify Formatting Once the formatting is complete, the tool should display a message indicating successful formatting. You can now safely eject and reconnect the external hard drive to check if it's formatted to FAT32. Conclusion: Formatting an external hard drive to FAT32 using a specialized tool ensures compatibility across different devices and platforms. Just remember to backup your data beforehand and follow the steps carefully.

Connect your storage device to the computer correctly, and follow the steps below to format an external hard drive to FAT32 using the partitioning tool in Windows 11/10.

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 will appear; click “Yes” to proceed.

Step 4. Click on the 'Perform 1 action' button on the top left to apply the changes, and then click 'Apply' to start formatting the partition to FAT32/EXT2/EXT3/EXT4.

Aside from formatting internal or external hard drives to FAT32, it also lets you switch the file system of a device between NTFS and FAT32 without formatting:

#2. Format HDD/External Drive to FAT32 using Command Prompt

With the knowledge of the downsides of FAT32, you should know that both Windows File Explorer and Windows Disk Management cannot format external HDD partitions larger than 32GB to FAT32. When the partition size of your hard drive exceeds 32GB, the FAT32 option will not show up in the dropdown menus of these two built-in programs. Therefore, to provide a full solution for formatting to FAT32 in Windows 11/10, you need alternative disk formatting tools to overcome the 32GB limitation and format any-sized external hard drives or USB flash drives to FAT32 without any hassle.

The Windows Command Prompt is an all-encompassing computer troubleshooting tool for most Windows issues. If you don't want to download any third-party software, try formatting the disk from the Command Prompt.

Title: Guide: How to Format HDD to FAT32 using CMD with UTF-8 Encoding

Step 1: Connect the external hard drive to your computer. Search for "Command Prompt" in Windows, right-click it, and select "Run as administrator."

Step 2: Type diskpart in the Command Prompt window, and press Enter.

Step 3: Type list disk and press Enter. Note the number of your external drive.

Step 4. Type select disk N and press Enter. Replace N with the exact number of your external hard drive.

Step 5. Type each of the following lines in turn, pressing Enter after you have typed them.

Listing volumes
Select volume 7
Format as FAT32 file system, quick format

5. Type exit to close the diskpart utility.

Your drive should now be formatted to FAT32.

Which is better for formatting an external hard drive - FAT32 Format Tool or Command Prompt?

As you can see, Partition Master combines the highlights of Windows command line and Windows Disk Management.

• Capable of formatting any drive to FAT32, as well as other popular file system formats such as exFAT, NTFS, EXT2, EXT3, and EXT4.
• Presents a graphical user interface, offering more intuitive and detailed information like file systems, capacity, partition tables, etc.

And third-party free partition managers enable users to handle more disk and partition management tasks with ease, with features that are often smarter and more practical than those built into the OS.

• Solve "Can't format USB to FAT32" issue
• Format SD card to FAT32
• Format SSD to FAT32
• Migrate OS to HDD/SSD without reinstallation
• Partition hard drive in Windows 11/10/8/7
• Resize partitions on external hard drive, merge partitions, or check partition errors.

All in all, there are many useful functions waiting to be discovered that are much more accessible than the command-line interface (CMD) that requires some computer expertise. Disk Partition Master should be your go-to tool for managing your PC's hard drive or any removable storage device!

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Frequently Asked Questions about Formatting to FAT32 on Windows 11/10 1. What is the FAT32 file system? FAT32 is a File Allocation Table (FAT) file system developed by Microsoft, used for storing and organizing data on computers. It gained popularity with Windows 98 and is still widely used on various devices, especially in mobile storage devices. 2. Can I format to FAT32 on Windows 11/10? Yes, you can format a drive to FAT32 on Windows 11/10 using the "Disk Management" tool. 3. How do I format to FAT32 on Windows 11/10? - Open "This PC" or "File Explorer." - Right-click the drive you want to format and select "Format." - Choose "FAT32" from the "File System" dropdown. - Confirm your settings and click "Start" to format. Note that this will erase all data on the drive. 4. What are the limitations of FAT32? - FAT32 does not support single files larger than 4 GB. - The maximum size for a FAT32 partition is usually around 2 TB. - FAT32 offers lower security as it lacks NTFS permissions and encryption features. 5. Should I use FAT32 or NTFS? If compatibility with non-Windows systems (like Macs or some gaming consoles) is needed, or if your drive is less than 32 GB, FAT32 might be a better choice. For larger drives and advanced security needs, NTFS is recommended. 6. How can I convert from FAT32 to NTFS? You can use the "convert" command in Command Prompt to change a FAT32 partition to NTFS. However, note that while the process won't lose data, the drive cannot be in use during the conversion. 7. Can I format my system drive to FAT32? It's not advisable, as system drives typically require NTFS for Windows 11/10 operation and advanced features. Formatting the system drive may render the operating system unbootable. These are some common questions about using FAT32 on Windows 11/10. For further inquiries, consult official documentation or seek professional assistance.

If you have other questions about formatting an external hard drive to FAT32 on a Windows computer, read on for the answers:

1. Are FAT32 and exFAT the same?

It is compatible with much older operating systems, but FAT32 has limitations on individual file and partition sizes that exFAT does not. ExFAT is an optimized version of FAT32 that is commonly used for high-capacity removable devices.

2. Can a 64GB USB drive be formatted to FAT32?

AOMEI Partition Assistant is a free FAT32 formatter tool that breaks the 32 GB limit and enables you to format USB drives of 64GB, 128GB, or larger with the FAT32 file system.

3. Can you format a 500GB to 4TB drive as FAT32?

If you insist on using FAT32 on a 500GB to 4TB drive (which we don't recommend), you can try this: First, download the tool Partition Master, then convert the data disk from MBR to GPT without data loss, and then format it to FAT32.