Windows, Mac, and Android machines can read and write to exFAT with no problem, as can many other modern devices. Linux kernel only added native support for exFAT in the recent 5.4 release, but you can just install a few packages to get full read-write exFAT support. For example, by default NTFS volumes are read-only in Mac OS and in older Linux distros, and may not be readable at all on other devices such as standalone media players. ExFAT The maximum file size is 16 exabytes or effectively unlimited, which makes exFAT the best choice for formatting memory cards.
Oct 16, 2020 • Filed to: Windows Computer Solutions • Proven solutions
'exFAT' file system is the latest file system that has been launched and many people are looking to convert from the 'FAT32' to the 'exFAT' file system. This article is for those looking to convert their file systems.
This article gives a brief detail on the difference between the 'FAT32' and 'exFAT' file systems, different ways to format 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' on Windows which include using file explorer, disk management, command prompt, and AOMEI partition assistant tool. In addition to this, you can also see some bonus tips to be followed while formatting the partitions.
Part 1: 'FAT32' vs. 'exFAT': What's the Difference and Which One Is Better?
'FAT32' (File Allocation Table) is the most popular file system as it is the oldest and is used by almost every Operating system. But, 'exFAT' is the latest file system which is widely used in formatting external and USB drives. Let us understand which one is better by comparing the following
Feature | 'FAT32' | 'exFAT' |
Devices Supported | Compatible on any Operating system, video game consoles, media players, Android USB expansions, and many other devices | 'exFAT' is also compatible on all types of devices as 'FAT32' but it might not work for some media players and Android devices |
Sizes Supported | Supports the files which are up to a max of 4GB in size. | There is no limit for any file sizes. So it is widely used to store large-sized files. |
Speed | When compared to 'exFAT', 'FAT32' is slow in writing and reading data | 'exFAT' is faster than 'FAT32' in writing and reading the data |
Based on the above table, it is proven that the 'exFAT' file system is far better than the 'FAT32' file system when you have files with large sizes and need effective and efficient formatting.
Part 2: How to Format 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' on Windows?
Way 1. Format 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' in File Explorer
Using File Explorer, you can format the flash drive from 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' easily and effectively following the below steps:
Step 1: Open File Explorer by pressing 'Windows' + 'E' keys.
Step 2: In the explorer look for your USB flash drive and right-click on it. Free youtube converter to mp3 for mac.
Step 3: Click on 'Format' and select 'exFAT' from the 'File System' list.
Step 4: Click the 'Start' button in the end.
Way 2: Convert 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' using CMD
You can convert 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' using a CMD prompt if you know the commands to perform the Diskpart. To use this Diskpart tool, you need to follow the below steps:
Step 1: Open Run dialog box and type 'diskpart ' to the run the Diskpart.
Step 2: Type the following command and press enter after every command:
- 'list disk'
- 'select disk n'
- 'list partition'
- 'select partition m'
- 'format fs = 'exFAT'
Exfat Vs Ntfs Windows 10
From above n = no of external drives, m = no of external drive partitions.
Step 3: Once all the above commands are executed, the formatting progress will be completed within a short time.
Way 3: Convert 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' with Windows Disk Management
Windows Disk Management is an effective built-in feature provided by Windows which helps you in managing the hard disk partitions without any difficulties or errors. It might not be an effective solution when compared to other third-party tools but it is enough to convert 'FAT32' to 'exFAT'. For this follow the below steps:
Step 1: Open 'Disk Management' by right-clicking on the Windows start menu.
Step 2: Select the 'FAT32' formatted partition, right-click on it and click on 'Format'.
Step 3: In the format page, change the 'file system' to 'exFAT' from 'FAT32' and click on 'Ok'.
Step 4: Now the formatting process will start and you may lose all your data so make sure that the important data is taken as a backup.
Step 5: Once the formatting is done, you can see that 'FAT32' is converted to 'exFAT' in the disk management interface.
Way 4: Format 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' through a third-party converter
Generally, the above-mentioned methods may or may not work as they may face issues like write-protection, file system corruption, etc. In such cases, third-party tools like the AOMEI partition assistant can give better results in formatting the 'FAT32' to the 'exFAT' file system. Follow the below steps for using the AOMEI partition assistant tool.
An important point to note is to take a backup of all the important files and data because once the formatting has been started, you may lose all your data and it will be difficult to retrieve the data.
Follow the below steps for using the AOMEI partition assistant tool.
Step 1: Launch AOMEI
Download, install, and double click on the AOMEI icon to launch the AOMEI partition assistant tool.
Step 2: Format Partition
In the interface, choose the drive that you wish to format and right-click on it. In the menu displayed, click on 'Format Partition'.
Step 3: Choose 'exFAT'
In the 'Format Partition' interface, select 'exFAT' from the file system menu. 'Partition Label' and 'Cluster Size' can be added as per the need. Click on 'Ok' and 'Apply' to perform the formatting.
Following the above-mentioned steps, you can format your disk partition or drive from 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' easily and effectively.
Part 3: Bonus Tips to Convert 'FAT32' to NTFS on Mac and Linux
1. Convert 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' on Mac
You can easily convert a 'FAT32' file system to 'exFAT' using the 'Disk Utility' option on Mac. Follow the below steps for the following:
Step 1: Go to 'Applications'->' Utilities' and launch 'Disk Utility'.
Step 2: In the Disk Utility interface, select the external drive that you want to format.
Step 3: Under the 'Erase' tab, select the 'exFAT' file type from the menu list.
Step 4: Click on the 'Erase' button to start the formatting from 'FAT32' to 'exFAT'.
2. Format 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' on Linux
To format 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' file system on Linux, follow the below steps:
Step 1: To view all the drives attached to your system, type sudo fdisk -l in the command line.
Step 2: Select the drive that you want to format and type sudo wipefs -a /dev/sdb to start fresh with a new 'exFAT' file system
Step 3: Follow the on-screen instructions and select 'exFAT' from the message 'HPFS/NTFS/exFAT' it displays
Step 4: Press 'w' to sync the disk partitions.
Step 5: Type sudo mkfs.'exFAT' -n hardDisk /dev/sdb1 to format your drive to 'exFAT'
The Bottom Line
As mentioned in the article, different ways can be used to convert or format from the 'FAT32' to the 'exFAT' file system. Follow all the above-mentioned procedures to easily and effectively format your drive.
While formatting your drive using file explorer, command prompt, or disk management, you may find some trouble because of the issues like write-protection, file system corruption, etc. So, it is recommended to use the 'AOMEI Partition Assistant' a third party tool which provides an interactive and easy to use interface to format effectively without any interruptions.
People Also Ask
When compared to 'FAT32', 'exFAT' is a better file system type in the following aspects:
- There is no file size limit for 'exFAT', but 'FAT32' can support up to a size of 4GB only.
- 'exFAT' file system performs faster writing and reading of data when compared to 'FAT32'.
You can convert 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' on Mac using the Disk utility option that it provides. In the disk utility, follow the below steps:
- Select the disk partition that you want to format from the list of disks displayed on the left pane of the interface.
- Under erase tab->File system, select 'exFAT' and click on erase.
This will format your partition completely with file type as 'exFAT'.
How do I convert my flash drive from 'exFAT' to 'FAT32'?
Converting your flash drive from 'exFAT' to 'FAT32' has become very easy now. Follow the below steps to format:
- Double-click on 'This PC' and from the list of drives select the flash drive.
- Right-click on the flash drive and click 'Format'.
- In the Format window, select the 'file type' as 'FAT32'.
- Click on Format.
Partition Recovery
- Partition Management
- Solve Partition Problems
- Partition Tips
You might have heard about the terms of FAT32, NTFS or exFAT and need to decide which one to choose as the best file system for your SD card or USB flash stick. Don't worry. In this article, we are going to introduce the three file systems so that you'll know the difference between FAT32, NTFS and exFAT as well as their pros & cons and compatibility.
In order to avoid problems like slow USB transfer speed or 'the file is too large for the destination file system', it is necessary to know all the features and limitations of different file systems. For example, Windows operating system gets installed making the use of NTFS file system for partition formatting. In a similar way, FAT32 is used for files in removable disk drives and other such devices which have interface-based storage to keep the files. Basically, the exFAT file system is the modified derivation of FAT32. Keep looking if you need more information to differentiate FAT32, NTFS and exFAT files systems.
File System
While we are working with computer and other storage devices, all the workabilities are based on some kinds of algorithm and coding. There are some rules which are implemented to bring out that feature and function of every system. The file system is one of such sets of rules which are derived to process the data storage and keep it secured in a storage device. The computation system is brought in use to store the files in a secured manner.
File system surely is important to make the data stored with its value in the storage device. If it is not there, then only the undefined data will be stored in it. There are many types of file systems which can be used to store the files in different storage options or devices. They are Flash File System, Disk File System and many others. FAT32, NTFS and exFAT are the types of Disk File System.
How to format a USB stick to FAT32, NTFS or exFAT:
It is very easy to format a storage device to any of the three file systems on a Windows computer. Just right click on the disk drive in Windows File Explorer and choose Format, then you will get the options.
Allocation Unit Size
Allocation Unit Size, also known as Cluster Size is an important part of file systems. On a partition of the file, the smallest space occupied by it is termed as Allocation Unit Size. You can vary the file size as per your need ranging from 4096 to 2048K. At the time of formatting, the default allocation unit size is applied to all the files. The file is stored into the same number of pieces as its allocation unit.
Tips: Due to the mechanism of file systems, the data you deleted is not immediately removed from storage devices before new data is saved. Therefore, it is still possible to recover lost files from SD card, hard drive, USB flash stick or computer with a good data recovery software.
1. FAT32 File System
FAT stands for File Allocation Table which is one of the oldest file systems used for storage of data. Initially, it was designed as an 8-bit FAT file system to store the data into an 8-inch floppy disk.
With many modification and advancement, FAT32 was introduced in 1995. It is a great aid to store the files into the removable or external storage device or drives. Up to 4 GB of single file and a total of 8 TB as the maximum disk size for FAT32. So, it is used to store only the small files not the apps or files having a large size. To overcome this limitation of FAT32, NTFS is used.
Compatibility: All version of Windows, Mac, Linux, and almost anything with a USB port.
Pros:
- It is an amazing file system to store files in flash drives.
- It is lightweight and has cross-platform compatibility.
Cons:
- You can only store files having a size-limited up to 4 GB and partition size up to 8 TB.
2. NTFS File System
Ntfs For Mac
Feature | 'FAT32' | 'exFAT' |
Devices Supported | Compatible on any Operating system, video game consoles, media players, Android USB expansions, and many other devices | 'exFAT' is also compatible on all types of devices as 'FAT32' but it might not work for some media players and Android devices |
Sizes Supported | Supports the files which are up to a max of 4GB in size. | There is no limit for any file sizes. So it is widely used to store large-sized files. |
Speed | When compared to 'exFAT', 'FAT32' is slow in writing and reading data | 'exFAT' is faster than 'FAT32' in writing and reading the data |
Based on the above table, it is proven that the 'exFAT' file system is far better than the 'FAT32' file system when you have files with large sizes and need effective and efficient formatting.
Part 2: How to Format 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' on Windows?
Way 1. Format 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' in File Explorer
Using File Explorer, you can format the flash drive from 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' easily and effectively following the below steps:
Step 1: Open File Explorer by pressing 'Windows' + 'E' keys.
Step 2: In the explorer look for your USB flash drive and right-click on it. Free youtube converter to mp3 for mac.
Step 3: Click on 'Format' and select 'exFAT' from the 'File System' list.
Step 4: Click the 'Start' button in the end.
Way 2: Convert 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' using CMD
You can convert 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' using a CMD prompt if you know the commands to perform the Diskpart. To use this Diskpart tool, you need to follow the below steps:
Step 1: Open Run dialog box and type 'diskpart ' to the run the Diskpart.
Step 2: Type the following command and press enter after every command:
- 'list disk'
- 'select disk n'
- 'list partition'
- 'select partition m'
- 'format fs = 'exFAT'
Exfat Vs Ntfs Windows 10
From above n = no of external drives, m = no of external drive partitions.
Step 3: Once all the above commands are executed, the formatting progress will be completed within a short time.
Way 3: Convert 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' with Windows Disk Management
Windows Disk Management is an effective built-in feature provided by Windows which helps you in managing the hard disk partitions without any difficulties or errors. It might not be an effective solution when compared to other third-party tools but it is enough to convert 'FAT32' to 'exFAT'. For this follow the below steps:
Step 1: Open 'Disk Management' by right-clicking on the Windows start menu.
Step 2: Select the 'FAT32' formatted partition, right-click on it and click on 'Format'.
Step 3: In the format page, change the 'file system' to 'exFAT' from 'FAT32' and click on 'Ok'.
Step 4: Now the formatting process will start and you may lose all your data so make sure that the important data is taken as a backup.
Step 5: Once the formatting is done, you can see that 'FAT32' is converted to 'exFAT' in the disk management interface.
Way 4: Format 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' through a third-party converter
Generally, the above-mentioned methods may or may not work as they may face issues like write-protection, file system corruption, etc. In such cases, third-party tools like the AOMEI partition assistant can give better results in formatting the 'FAT32' to the 'exFAT' file system. Follow the below steps for using the AOMEI partition assistant tool.
An important point to note is to take a backup of all the important files and data because once the formatting has been started, you may lose all your data and it will be difficult to retrieve the data.
Follow the below steps for using the AOMEI partition assistant tool.
Step 1: Launch AOMEI
Download, install, and double click on the AOMEI icon to launch the AOMEI partition assistant tool.
Step 2: Format Partition
In the interface, choose the drive that you wish to format and right-click on it. In the menu displayed, click on 'Format Partition'.
Step 3: Choose 'exFAT'
In the 'Format Partition' interface, select 'exFAT' from the file system menu. 'Partition Label' and 'Cluster Size' can be added as per the need. Click on 'Ok' and 'Apply' to perform the formatting.
Following the above-mentioned steps, you can format your disk partition or drive from 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' easily and effectively.
Part 3: Bonus Tips to Convert 'FAT32' to NTFS on Mac and Linux
1. Convert 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' on Mac
You can easily convert a 'FAT32' file system to 'exFAT' using the 'Disk Utility' option on Mac. Follow the below steps for the following:
Step 1: Go to 'Applications'->' Utilities' and launch 'Disk Utility'.
Step 2: In the Disk Utility interface, select the external drive that you want to format.
Step 3: Under the 'Erase' tab, select the 'exFAT' file type from the menu list.
Step 4: Click on the 'Erase' button to start the formatting from 'FAT32' to 'exFAT'.
2. Format 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' on Linux
To format 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' file system on Linux, follow the below steps:
Step 1: To view all the drives attached to your system, type sudo fdisk -l in the command line.
Step 2: Select the drive that you want to format and type sudo wipefs -a /dev/sdb to start fresh with a new 'exFAT' file system
Step 3: Follow the on-screen instructions and select 'exFAT' from the message 'HPFS/NTFS/exFAT' it displays
Step 4: Press 'w' to sync the disk partitions.
Step 5: Type sudo mkfs.'exFAT' -n hardDisk /dev/sdb1 to format your drive to 'exFAT'
The Bottom Line
As mentioned in the article, different ways can be used to convert or format from the 'FAT32' to the 'exFAT' file system. Follow all the above-mentioned procedures to easily and effectively format your drive.
While formatting your drive using file explorer, command prompt, or disk management, you may find some trouble because of the issues like write-protection, file system corruption, etc. So, it is recommended to use the 'AOMEI Partition Assistant' a third party tool which provides an interactive and easy to use interface to format effectively without any interruptions.
People Also Ask
When compared to 'FAT32', 'exFAT' is a better file system type in the following aspects:
- There is no file size limit for 'exFAT', but 'FAT32' can support up to a size of 4GB only.
- 'exFAT' file system performs faster writing and reading of data when compared to 'FAT32'.
You can convert 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' on Mac using the Disk utility option that it provides. In the disk utility, follow the below steps:
- Select the disk partition that you want to format from the list of disks displayed on the left pane of the interface.
- Under erase tab->File system, select 'exFAT' and click on erase.
This will format your partition completely with file type as 'exFAT'.
How do I convert my flash drive from 'exFAT' to 'FAT32'?
Converting your flash drive from 'exFAT' to 'FAT32' has become very easy now. Follow the below steps to format:
- Double-click on 'This PC' and from the list of drives select the flash drive.
- Right-click on the flash drive and click 'Format'.
- In the Format window, select the 'file type' as 'FAT32'.
- Click on Format.
Partition Recovery
- Partition Management
- Solve Partition Problems
- Partition Tips
You might have heard about the terms of FAT32, NTFS or exFAT and need to decide which one to choose as the best file system for your SD card or USB flash stick. Don't worry. In this article, we are going to introduce the three file systems so that you'll know the difference between FAT32, NTFS and exFAT as well as their pros & cons and compatibility.
In order to avoid problems like slow USB transfer speed or 'the file is too large for the destination file system', it is necessary to know all the features and limitations of different file systems. For example, Windows operating system gets installed making the use of NTFS file system for partition formatting. In a similar way, FAT32 is used for files in removable disk drives and other such devices which have interface-based storage to keep the files. Basically, the exFAT file system is the modified derivation of FAT32. Keep looking if you need more information to differentiate FAT32, NTFS and exFAT files systems.
File System
While we are working with computer and other storage devices, all the workabilities are based on some kinds of algorithm and coding. There are some rules which are implemented to bring out that feature and function of every system. The file system is one of such sets of rules which are derived to process the data storage and keep it secured in a storage device. The computation system is brought in use to store the files in a secured manner.
File system surely is important to make the data stored with its value in the storage device. If it is not there, then only the undefined data will be stored in it. There are many types of file systems which can be used to store the files in different storage options or devices. They are Flash File System, Disk File System and many others. FAT32, NTFS and exFAT are the types of Disk File System.
How to format a USB stick to FAT32, NTFS or exFAT:
It is very easy to format a storage device to any of the three file systems on a Windows computer. Just right click on the disk drive in Windows File Explorer and choose Format, then you will get the options.
Allocation Unit Size
Allocation Unit Size, also known as Cluster Size is an important part of file systems. On a partition of the file, the smallest space occupied by it is termed as Allocation Unit Size. You can vary the file size as per your need ranging from 4096 to 2048K. At the time of formatting, the default allocation unit size is applied to all the files. The file is stored into the same number of pieces as its allocation unit.
Tips: Due to the mechanism of file systems, the data you deleted is not immediately removed from storage devices before new data is saved. Therefore, it is still possible to recover lost files from SD card, hard drive, USB flash stick or computer with a good data recovery software.
1. FAT32 File System
FAT stands for File Allocation Table which is one of the oldest file systems used for storage of data. Initially, it was designed as an 8-bit FAT file system to store the data into an 8-inch floppy disk.
With many modification and advancement, FAT32 was introduced in 1995. It is a great aid to store the files into the removable or external storage device or drives. Up to 4 GB of single file and a total of 8 TB as the maximum disk size for FAT32. So, it is used to store only the small files not the apps or files having a large size. To overcome this limitation of FAT32, NTFS is used.
Compatibility: All version of Windows, Mac, Linux, and almost anything with a USB port.
Pros:
- It is an amazing file system to store files in flash drives.
- It is lightweight and has cross-platform compatibility.
Cons:
- You can only store files having a size-limited up to 4 GB and partition size up to 8 TB.
2. NTFS File System
Ntfs For Mac
As we have already seen that FAT32 is not capable to store the large files. To nullify that limitation, NTFS is selected as the default file system with modern techniques to store the file with a large file and partition size.
NTFS or New Technology File System came into use in 1993 with the introduction of Windows NT 3.1 operating system. It is capable to store almost all types of files with a high range of file size limits. In other words, it is capable to store all types of files available at present.
NTFS is also featured with disk usage quotas, reparse points, sparse file support, file-level encryption and distributed link tracking. Moreover, it is also designed so as to display backward compatibility. That means, it is not limited to be used with any latest version. You can use this file system to store using any previous versions. However, this file system is somehow limited to Windows XP and later versions of Windows. You can only read the formatted files of NTFS using Apple's Mac OSX. You can edit the file of NTFS using some particular versions of Linux.
Compatibility: All version of Windows, Microsoft Xbox One, Mac (read-only) and Linux (write support for some versions)
Pros:
- There is an inexhaustible limit of files to be stored using NTFS. You can store a file of any partition size.
- It is mainly used to store files in internal hard drives.
- It is used for the installation of software as well.
Cons:
- It is compatible with limited cross-platform.
- You can not edit the NTFS formatted file using Mac.
3. exFAT File System
exFAT or extended FAT is the modified and advanced file system which is used to fill the space of FAT32. It is mainly used in modern digital cameras and in ball games. Moreover, it is also used to format the high capacity SDXC memory cards. It is capable to support the formatting storage of large files and is lightweight as well. This is the reason why exFAT is considered in many fields where there is a need to support files larger than 4 GB. exFAT SD card is used in daily life for many purposes where the FAT32 is not capable to support due to its limitations of file size. You can copy a full HD movie easily using exFAT SD card and do many other such works.
At present, Microsoft is looking after the US Patent 8321439 which is developed for accelerating the file search speed. It is named as Quick Fine Make Lookup through which one can find his/her file by using Name hashtag or such keywords. This set of the specification has not yet brought up for the exFAT file system due to which this file system users are using a restricted licence over their files. They can get access to the file's licence completely after the release of full specification set by Microsoft. Due to this, vendors from many countries are not using the exFAT file system for the open-source operating system or any commercial software.
Compatibility: Windows XP and later versions, Mac OS X and later versions, Linux (using FUSE), Android
Pros:
- It is lightweight as compared to NTFS.
- It is an intermediate solution over FAT32 and NTFS.
- You can read/write the exFAT formatted files using compatible Mac version as well.
- More devices support exFAT than NTFS.
Cons:
- Its usage is restricted by Microsoft and does not give complete access over the licence to the user.
Verdict
Hence, you have seen all the basic and important features of these three file systems. Now, it will be easy for you to differentiate these file systems and select them appropriately for storing and formatting your files. Generally, exFAT is ideal for flash drives, NTFS for internal drives, and FAT32 is more widely supported by devices. However, in some cases, it is necessary to format a storage device as a file system against the regulation above in order to make the device work smoothly. If you have any queries related to these file systems, or whether you really need to safely remove USB, write it to us using the comments section.