How to Format a Flash Drive

The complete guide to erasing and formatting removable USB drives on a PC or Mac

Written by Scott St Gelais | Edited by Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: January 20, 2023 Tested

Windows

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Mac

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Q&A

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Tips

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Warnings

This wikiHow teaches you how to change your flash drive's default file format. Formatting your flash drive will typically remove any files or folders on the drive, so make sure you back up your files before formatting your drive.

Things You Should Know

The exFAT format supports larger files and is cross-compatible with most versions of Windows and macOS.
On Windows, right-click the drive in File Explorer and select Format to open the formatting tool.
If you're using a Mac, use the "Erase" function in Disk Utility to format the drive.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Windows

1
Connect the USB flash drive to your computer. To do so, plug it into one of your PC's USB ports, which resemble thin, rectangular slots on your computer's housing.
2
Open Start
. Do so either by clicking the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen, or by pressing the ⊞ Win key.

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3
Type "this pc" into Start. A computer monitor-shaped icon will appear at the top of the Start window.
- On Windows 7, click Computer on the right side of the Start window.
4
Click This PC. It's a monitor-shaped icon at the top of the Start window. The This PC app will open.
- Skip this step on Windows 7.
5
Right-click the flash drive's icon. It's beneath the "Devices and drives" heading in the middle of the page. This will bring up a drop-down menu.
- On a laptop with a trackpad, use two fingers to tap the trackpad rather than right-clicking.
6
Click Format. This option is near the middle of the drop-down menu. Doing so opens the Format window.
7
Click the "File System" box. It's below the "File System" heading near the top of the page. A drop-down menu will appear with the following options:
- NTFS - The default Windows operating system format. If you're using your drive as a secondary Windows drive, you'll need to choose this option.
- FAT32 - The most widely compatible format. Works with most computers and gaming consoles.
- exFAT - Similar to FAT32, but designed for external hard drives (e.g., flash drives) and quicker use. It's a universal format that is most common across Windows, Linux, and Mac.
8
Click a format option. The option you pick will depend on what you plan on using the drive for. For example, choose FAT32 if you're formatting the flash drive for use with a gaming console, or choose NTFS if you're creating a Windows-only backup drive.
- If you've formatted your drive before and you're positive that it isn't broken, you can also check the Quick Format box.
9
Click Start, then click OK. Doing this will cause Windows to begin formatting your flash drive for you.
10
Click OK when prompted. Your flash drive has successfully been formatted.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Mac

1
Connect the USB flash drive to your computer. To do so, plug it into one of your Mac's USB ports, which resemble thin, rectangular slots on your computer's housing.
- Some Macs don't have USB ports, so you'll need to purchase an adapter.
2
Click Go. It's a menu item in the top-left side of the menu bar.
- If you don't see Go, first click the Finder icon, which resembles a blue face in your Mac's dock.
3
Click Utilities. This option is in the Go drop-down menu.
4
Double-click Disk Utility. You'll likely find this option in the middle of the Utilities page.
5
Click your flash drive's name. It's on the far-left side of the Disk Utility window.
6
Click the Erase tab. This option is at the top of the Disk Utility window.
7
Click the "Format" box. It's in the middle of the page. This will bring up a drop-down menu with the following options:
- Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
- Mac OS Extended (Journaled, Encrypted)
- Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled)
- Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled, Encrypted)
- MS-DOS (FAT)
- ExFAT
8
Click a format option. You'll generally use one of the Mac OS options for a Mac-only flash drive (e.g., a backup drive), though you'd choose MS-DOS (FAT) or ExFat for greater compatibility.
9
Click Erase, then click Erase when prompted. This will begin the formatting process. Once the formatting is complete, you'll see an icon for your flash drive appear on your Mac's desktop.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I do this in Windows 10? There is no Format option when I right click on my flash drive. I've tried clicking almost everything and can't find anything that changes the format. I can't make an system image until I can change my format to NTFS.

Community Answer

Search for "My PC" in the bottom LHS search window. W10 responded with "This PC" and displayed a schematic which will be familiar to you. Right click on the USB drive icon and select format from the tabulation.
Question

Where is the delete or format option located?

Community Answer

A format option should appear on your screen once you plug in your flash drive and it needs to be formatted. To delete a file on your flash drive, look at My Computer and you will see it listed in the list of Drives. Then delete it as you would any other file.
Question

I know that a "Quick Format" takes just a minute or two, but how long does a "Regular Format" usually take?

Community Answer

It might take up to half hour, but it depends on your USB and PC.