Once the formatting process is completed, the file system will be changed to FAT32. Windows will pop up a notification alert on the screen to confirm if you’re sure about erasing the disk’s contents.
The disk formatting process will begin automatically. (Refer to the latter section of the post)
Performing a quick format will completely erase the contents of the disks but we can easily recover it by using a data recovery tool. Check on the “Perform a Quick Format” option. In the pop-up window, change the file system type value to “FAT32”. In the Disk Management window, right-click on the partition with exFAT file extension and select the “Format” option from the context menu. Launch the Start menu search box, type “Disk Management” in the search box, and hit Enter. Disk Management is a built-in tool on Windows that allows you to create disk partitions, delete partitions, extend/format/shrink disk partitions on your device. You can use the Disk Management tool to convert exFAT to FAT32 in just a few simple steps. Several ways can help you convert exFAT to the FAT32 file system without losing your data or formatting your disk drive.īefore you begin, we still recommend you to take a quick backup of all important files and documents, just to be sure.
Hence, compatibility is one of the main reasons why users might need to switch between exFAT and FAT32.Īlso read: How to Fix File System Error on Windows 10 How to Convert exFAT to FAT32 without Formatting? So, you can think of exFAT as a modern replacement for FAT32.įAT32 is compatible with the older versions of Windows as well. exFAT32 has no limits on file size or partition size, like FAT32. exFAT is almost similar to FAT32 but there’s one major difference you should know. EXFAT32ĮxFAT is the Extended File Allocation Table introduced by Microsoft back in the year 2006.
The FAT32 file system is also commonly used on external storage media including USB flash drives, portable hard drives, SD cards, and other portable storage devices. FAT32 was developed by Microsoft back in 1977 and since then it is known for offering great compatibility with Windows. So, before we learn how to change exFAT to FAT32 without formatting your device, let’s get a basic understanding of these two popular file systems used on Windows.Īlso read: How To Fix Volume Does Not Contain A Recognized File System Error On Windows 10 FAT32įAT32 is an acronym for File Allocation Table and is a commonly used File System on Windows OS. exFAT and FAT32 are both used for file allocation although they offer completely different functionalities. Wondering about how to convert exFAT to FAT32 on Windows 10? While using Windows, you may have come across these two file extensions and yes NTFS too for sure. PS C:\Windows\system32> Get-Partition -DiskNumber 7 | Format-Volume -FileSystem NTFS - NewFileSystemLabel 8gbįormat-Volume : A positional parameter cannot be found that accepts argument 'NewFileSystemLabel'. Yes Yes to All No No to All Suspend Help (default is "Y"): y This will erase all data on disk 7 "General UDisk". PS C:\Windows\system32> Get-Disk 7 | Clear-Disk -RemoveDataĪre you sure you want to perform this action? 058F63626470 Healthy No Media 0 B RAWĥ Generic- S. 058F63626473 Healthy No Media 0 B RAWģ Generic- S. 058F63626471 Healthy No Media 0 B RAWĦ Generic- M.
PS C:\Windows\system32> Get-Disk Number Friendly Name Serial Number HealthStatus OperationalStatus Total Size Partition Style - 2 SanDisk SS.