Step-by-step information for any drive

Ever plugged in a USB drive solely to appreciate it doesn’t work on something however your individual machine? That’s what occurred to me after I tried to share a video mission with a colleague who was utilizing a Home windows PC.

Do not decide me, however I had saved the file to a USB drive formatted in Mac’s default format (APFS) and utterly forgot that Home windows doesn’t assist it. Effectively, that is me.

Wish to know find out how to format a USB on a Mac? I created the information that can stroll you thru the steps and provide help to keep away from compatibility points.

However earlier than we get technical, right here’s a fast reference information:

Learn how to format a USB flash drive on a Mac

Formatting a USB drive on a Mac is fast and simple if you realize the place to look. The built-in Disk Utility device allows you to perform the process in a couple of seconds, and there is not any want for any Terminal instructions.

You must know that in the event you format your USB, your recordsdata are utterly gone. So, again up any info you don’t need to lose (extra on that later). For those who’ve already formatted it, try the short information on find out how to recuperate misplaced USB recordsdata.

With that mentioned, right here’s find out how to format a USB flash drive utilizing Disk Utility:

1. Plug in your USB flash drive.
2. Open Disk Utility (Go to Finder > Functions > Utilities > Disk Utility).
3. Click on in your USB drive.
4. Click on Erase within the toolbar.
5. Select the specified format.
6. Click on Erase > Accomplished.

The method solely takes a couple of seconds.

Again up a USB drive earlier than reformatting

Do not hurry to click on Erase. It is all the time clever to double-check if there are nonetheless recordsdata you would possibly remorse shedding. As a result of as soon as they’re gone, you possibly can’t restore them.

Most individuals format USB drives the old-school manner. They select the recordsdata they want, then copy them to their Mac. The trick right here is that double-checking each single file wastes a whole lot of time when you’ve got many recordsdata, and you’ll simply neglect necessary ones.

Personally, I choose utilizing Get Backup Professional to make my backups easy and automatic, whether or not it’s the principle disk or a USB drive. I discover the utility device fairly highly effective, and it could even clone your total disk or archive every part on the drive. Better of all, it reduces the space for storing that’s utilized by as much as 60%.

To again up your USB:

1. Join your USB to your Mac.
2. Set up and open Get Backup Professional.
3. Click on “+” to create a brand new backup.
4. Arrange the title and backup vacation spot > OK.

5. Then, click on File+ and select your USB drive. Choose recordsdata to again up.
6. Click on the play button to run the backup.

✕ Take away app banner

As soon as your recordsdata are protected, you possibly can then format your USB drive with peace of thoughts.

Are you able to format a USB to FAT32 or NTFS on a Mac?

The brief reply is sure, you possibly can reformat a USB on a Mac to FAT32 or NTFS, however there are a couple of situations.

Utilizing the FAT32 format (proven as MS-DOS (FAT)) doesn’t have issues, as Mac and Disk Utility absolutely assist it. Nevertheless, you’ll want to remember the 4GB most file dimension restrict, and it’s best to solely use it for USB drives which can be 32GB or much less in dimension.

This is find out how to format a USB to FAT32 on a Mac:

1. Open Disk Utility (Go to Finder > Functions > Utilities).
2. Click on in your USB drive.
3. Click on Erase.
4. Select MS-DOS (FAT) because the format.
5. Select Grasp Boot File because the scheme for higher cross-platform compatibility.
6. Click on Erase, then Accomplished.

That’s it! Your drive will now work on nearly each system.

Learn how to Format a USB to NTFS on Mac

Now, in terms of find out how to format a USB to NTFS on a Mac, issues get a bit tough. Whereas it’s the principle file system on Home windows, it’s not absolutely supported on macOS. The working system can learn NTFS drives however can’t write to them natively. This implies you gained’t be capable of format NTFS disks except you utilize a third-party app.

The most effective of the category is iBoysoft NTFS for Mac, a easy however highly effective utility app that makes it potential for Mac to put in writing and format NTFS disks. All you might want to do is join your NTFS disk and open the app, and it’ll mean you can manipulate the disk any manner you need. If the drive is just not already in NTFS format, the app provides you with an choice to format it in NTFS.

Right here’s find out how to format a USB to NTFS on a Mac utilizing the app:

1. Set up and open iBoysoft NTFS for Mac.
2. Plug in your USB drive.
3. Choose your drive.
4. Click on Format as NTFS and ensure.

✕ Take away app banner

Your disk will now be absolutely suitable with Home windows techniques. In case it’s a problematic drive, you possibly can try find out how to recuperate knowledge from a failed exhausting drive.

Setting format preferences

After you click on Erase in Disk Utility, you might want to select a Format and Scheme. Undecided what to select?

These are the format choices:

• APFS (Apple File System): Apple’s fashionable file system. It’s quick, environment friendly, and safe however solely works on Macs operating macOS Excessive Sierra and later. It’s not suitable with Home windows.
• Mac OS Prolonged (Journaled): This one was utilized by Apple earlier than APFS was launched. It retains a log of file adjustments to assist with knowledge restoration, however APFS is step by step changing it. And like APFS, it’s not suitable with Home windows.
• MS-DOS (FAT32): This one works in every single place. It has a 4GB file-size restrict, so it’s not your greatest guess in the event you usually work with large recordsdata. Additionally, it doesn’t work on units bigger than 32 GB.
• exFAT: That is primarily FAT32’s smarter sibling. It has no annoying dimension limits, and it really works effectively with macOS, Home windows, and a few Linux techniques. It’s good for exterior exhausting drives and bigger USB drives.

Slightly below the Format choices, you’ll see a number of Scheme choices. Most individuals ignore this half, however it really issues in some circumstances.

• GUID Partition Map: You’ll discover it because the default possibility, and it’s the advisable possibility for many Mac customers. If the drive shall be used on different Macs, depart it as the choice.
• Grasp Boot File (MBR): It’s an older partition scheme, however it’s suitable with macOS, Home windows, and a few Linux techniques. It really works effectively in the event you’re formatting a USB drive to FAT32 or exFAT, however it has a 2TB drive dimension restrict.
• Apple Partition Map (APM): Solely select this one if you wish to share knowledge with a classic Mac from the early 2000s.

Learn how to format a USB on Mac: Last ideas

For those who’ve ever struggled with compatibility when utilizing macOS and Home windows, figuring out find out how to format a USB on a Mac will prevent a whole lot of time and hassle. Perceive the assorted file format choices, and you’ll then use Disk Utility to format the drive. 

If you wish to format the drive to NTFS for higher compatibility with Home windows, you’ll want a third-party device like iBoysoft NTFS for Mac. It makes Mac absolutely suitable with the format.

Earlier than you hit erase, keep in mind to again up your recordsdata with Get Backup Professional. And in the event you ever must recuperate misplaced knowledge, Disk Drill is a lifesaver. All these apps are a part of Setapp, a subscription service that provides you entry to 250+ Mac and iOS apps in a single place. Be happy to verify them out with Setapp’s 7-day trial.