This article provides a comprehensive overview of the issue, explaining why this happens, what alternatives are available, and multiple methods to bypass this limitation. Detailed solutions and step-by-step guides will help you format your drive correctly while ensuring optimal functionality for your devices.
“I just finished adding OTG support to my PSC with a 4 GB 2.0 USB drive and now I’m getting ready to format my new 128 GB 3.1 USB drive and add AutoBleem/games to the drive. When I try to format the new drive, it doesn’t have a FAT32 option. My only options are exFAT (default) and NTFS.”
When you need to format a drive, many devices only recognize FAT32 and not exFAT/NTFS. Therefore, many users want to format their hard drives as FAT32. In general, you can easily and successfully format it as a FAT32 file system in Disk Management. But sometimes you may find that the FAT32 option is not available in Disk Management. So why does this happen?
This is usually due to your partition being larger than 32GB. Because the default Windows formatting options only allow FAT32 partitions on drives that are 32GB or less. In other words, Windows' built-in formatting tools like Disk Management, File Explorer, or DiskPart won't allow you to format a 64GB SD card as FAT32. And that's why there is no FAT32 format option in Windows 11 or other versions.
Before fixing the issue where Windows 11 can't format a drive to FAT32, it's important to prevent data loss by backing up your disk first. To ensure your data stays safe, using trusted backup software is essential. AOMEI Backupper Standard is a great choice for this, as it offers a free, reliable solution to back up your data and protect it in various ways. It's compatible with a wide range of Windows versions, including Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7, XP, and Vista.
Incremental backup: This method saves time and space by only backing up the data that has changed since the last backup, rather than the entire disk. Backup Services: AOMEI Backupper supports both Microsoft's VSS (Volume Shadow Copy Service) and its own backup service to ensure backups are not interrupted while the system is running. Multiple Backup Destinations: You can back up your data to various locations like local disks, external drives, HDDs, SSDs, USB flash drives, NAS devices, and more.
To get started, simply download and install AOMEI Backupper, then follow the step-by-step guide to back up the disk you plan to format. If you’re using a Windows Server, the AOMEI Backupper Server version is recommended for advanced features.
Step 1. Open AOMEI Backupper Standard. Open the software, and click Backup > Disk Backup.
Step 2. Click Add Disk to choose the disk that you want formatted.
Step 3. You need to select the destination for your disk backup and then click Start Backup.
Notes:
Schedule Backup: You can automate your backup tasks by setting them to run at specific intervals. This means you can schedule backups to occur daily, weekly, or monthly, ensuring that your data is regularly protected without manual intervention.
Backup Scheme: AOMEI Backupper allows you to choose between three different backup methods: Full, Incremental, and Differential. Each method has its own advantages. Full backups capture everything, Incremental backups save only new changes, and Differential backups save all changes since the last full backup.
After backing up the data, you can start to format FAT32. The specific steps will be described in detail next. You can start by following the graphic steps below.
Step 1. Press Windows + R key to open the Run window. In the Run box, type "cmd" and press Enter.
Step 2. In the cmd window, type "diskpart" and press Enter. The diskpart tool will be opened.
Step 3. Enter "list disk" and press Enter.
Step 4. Enter "select disk #", where # is the number of your selected disk. Then, press Enter.
Step 5. Enter "list partition" and press Enter.
Step 6. Enter "select partition *" and press Enter.
Step 7. Enter "format fs=fat32" and press Enter.
FAT32 is a type of disk format that stands for File Allocation Table, commonly used by operating systems to manage and organize files on a drive. Think of it as the system’s way of keeping track of where your files are stored and how they are organized. When you format a drive, FAT32 is often one of the available choices. The "32" refers to the 32-bit system it uses to address and store files.
· Broad Compatibility: It’s supported by many operating systems like Windows, macOS, and Linux, which makes it ideal for external drives. · Size Limitations: While FAT32 can handle up to 8TB partitions, it has a file size limit of 4GB. · Less Efficient and Secure: It’s less efficient in handling larger files and doesn’t offer the same level of security features, such as file encryption or permissions.
Q 1: Is exFAT a better alternative to FAT32?
A 1: exFAT is often a better choice for larger drives because it doesn’t have the 4GB file size limitation of FAT32. However, FAT32 may still be preferable for certain devices or older systems.
Q 2: What happens if I try to format a large drive to FAT32 in Windows 11?
A 2: If you attempt to format a drive larger than 32GB through the default Disk Management tool, you will notice that FAT32 isn’t available as an option. You will need to use alternative methods like Command Prompt or third-party software.
Q 3: Can I convert NTFS to FAT32 without losing data?
A 3: Yes, but this requires specialized software like EaseUS Partition Master or AOMEI Backupper. Always back up your data before attempting such conversions.
This article explains what FAT32 is and why the FAT32 option is not available. After understanding these, you can learn how to backup data before formatting the disk and how to perform formatting FAT32 in the article. The safe and reliable backup software AOMEI Backupper Standard not only helps you back up disks for free but also provides various backup functions to protect your data fully.
In addition, as professional backup software, it also provides functions such as system backup, partition backup, and file backup. You can choose according to your needs. You can download this software now to explore more.