How to Format an External Hard Drive to FAT32

Formatting a hard drive in FAT32 can be useful for compatibility with various devices, like gaming consoles, TVs, and other multimedia equipment that don’t support modern file systems. Here’s a simple guide for formatting a drive to FAT32 on both Windows and macOS.

Preparation for Formatting

  • Ensure that the drive has no important data, as formatting will delete everything on it.
  • Connect the external hard drive to your computer.

Formatting to FAT32 on Windows

Note that Windows limits FAT32 formatting to drives of 32 GB or less. For larger drives, a third-party tool may be required.

Using Command Prompt

  1. Open Command Prompt by typing cmd in the search bar and running it as an administrator.
  2. Type the command format /FS:FAT32 X:, where X is the drive letter of the drive you wish to format.
  3. Confirm by pressing Y, and wait for the process to complete.

Using Third-Party Tools

For drives larger than 32 GB, third-party programs like MiniTool Partition Wizard are recommended.

  1. Download and install one of these programs.
  2. Launch the program and select your external hard drive.
  3. Choose FAT32 as the file system, and start the formatting process.

Formatting to FAT32 on macOS

  1. Open Disk Utility, found in Applications > Utilities.
  2. Select your external hard drive from the list on the left.
  3. Click Erase at the top of the window.
  4. Under Format, choose MS-DOS (FAT), which is equivalent to FAT32 on macOS.
  5. Click Erase and wait for the process to complete.