Nowadays, when you buy a USB drive, you can use it right out of the box with your Mac. However, unless it's been designed for use with a Mac, it won't be formatted using macOS' preferred file system (either Mac OS Extended or APFS, depending on which version of macOS you're running).
That's because most of the computers in the world run Windows, and Windows uses a different file system, usually one known as Fat32. Drives formatted as Fat32 can be read from and written to by macOS, but it's not optimal and you're more likely to run into problems than if you use macOS' native format. So, if you've bought a USB drive that's formatted as Fat32, or any other format other than Mac OS Extended (also known as HFS+) or APFS, here's how to format a USB drive on Mac. It's exactly the same procedure if you need to reformat a flash drive on a Mac.
How to format a USB drive on a Mac
Back Up Your Files! Okay, so you may have a lot of files that you want to get rid of, but you definitely.
1. Plug the drive into a USB socket (if you have a recent MacBook or MacBook Pro that only has USB-C connectors, you'll need a USB-C to USB-A adaptor).
2. Open a new Finder window and click on the drive. Make sure it has no files on it that you need. The process of reformatting it will wipe all the data from it.
3. Once you've copied any files you need from the USB drive to your Mac, go to Applications>Utilities and double-click on Disk Utility.
4. Click on the USB drive in the sidebar and then choose Erase from the toolbar at the top of the window.
5. In the window that drops down type a name for the formatted drive in the box next to Name.
6. Choose a format from the dropdown menu.
- To format the USB drive in Disk Utility: Step 1. Go to Utilities and open Disk Utility. Select the not showing up USB flash drive in the Disk Utility sidebar. Click Erase on the top. Finish the necessary information (name, format, and scheme) to format the USB flash drive. Update your macOS and firmware.
- Sep 03, 2019 Before you proceed with formatting your flash drive, you should first consider which format you are going to use. Selecting the correct format is crucial as it will have an impact on its compatibility with your Mac.
7. If you have previously stored sensitive data on the drive, click the Security tab.
8. Choose a security level using the slider. The further to the right you move the slider, the more ‘passes' the erase tool will make and the more securely files will be deleted. However, it also increases the time it takes to format the drive quite considerably.
9. Click Ok then click Erase.
Tip: You don't need to erase a whole drive to delete files securely. If you have confidential files or sensitive data you need to remove from your Mac completely, you should use CleanMyMac's File Shredder. It's specifically designed to securely delete sensitive data and will render it unrecoverable. You can download CleanMyMac X for free here.
Which format to choose?
If your Mac is running macOS High Sierra or later, you have two options for file formats: APFS and Mac OS Extended. Which should you choose? The key point is that disks formatted as APFS won't be recognized by Macs running versions of macOS older than High Sierra. So if you think you might need to plug the USB drive into a Mac running an older version of macOS, format it as Mac OS Extended.
APFS is optimized for SSD (solid state drive) such as flash drives, so if you reformat a flash drive on a Mac, you should definitely choose APFS (unless you plan to use it with a pre-High Sierra Mac, of course). Even on hard drives, however, APFS is faster and more reliable than Mac OS Extended.
Finally, if you plan to use the USB drive as a destination for Time Machine backups, choose Mac OS Extended. Time Machine can't currently back up to an APFS disk and if you select one for use with Time Machine, it will offer to reformat it as Mac OS Extended. You can, however, backup an APFS formatted disk to a Mac OS Extended Time Machine drive.
How to format a USB drive to FAT32 on a Mac
The main reason for formatting a USB drive as Fat32 on a Mac is that you want to be able to use the drive on a Windows PC, as well as a Mac — perhaps to transfer files between the two machines. You may also be preparing the drive for use as, say, a storage device for a media player or to record TV programmes on a TV with a USB port.
The fact that Fat32 can be read from and written to on both Mac and Windows makes it very versatile. However, there is a significant limitation — individual files have a maximum size of 4GB. So, if you're using the USB drive to store large video files, you may run into trouble. There is a solution, however, exFAT. Unlike FAT32, exFAT doesn't have a maximum file limit. Better still, it can be read from and written to on any Mac running Mac OS X Snow Leopard or later and on Windows.
To format a USB drive in FAT32 or exFAT:
1. Plug the USB drive into your Mac.
2. Go to Applications>Utilities and launch Disk Utility.
3. Click on the USB drive in the sidebar in Disk Utility.
4. Click Erase in the Disk Utility toolbar.
5. Type in a name for the formatted disk.
6. Click on the Format menu and choose either MS-DOS (FAT32) or ExFAT.
7. Click Erase.
Your USB drive will now be erased and re-formatted as either FAT32 or ExFAT, depending on the format you chose in step 6.
How to manage your drives easily
If you look for a quick and easy way to manage your drives, try using CleanMyDrive 2. With its help, you can drag-and-drop files directly to any drive, clean hidden junk from external drives, and check disk stats. It works for all drives, including USB drives, SSD, SD cards, external hard drives. All the drives will be at hand in the menu bar, so you can get to see types of drives you have and manage them easily. CleanMyDrive is absolutely free to use, so download it on the Mac App Store and enjoy!
It's very easy to format a USB drive on a Mac using Disk Utility. There are a couple of things you should keep in mind, however. The first is that when you format and disk, you will erase all the data currently on it. So if you need that data, make sure you copy it onto another disk before you start. Secondly, there are several formats to choose from, each with advantages and disadvantage. Use the guide above to help you decide which is right for you.
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/File Shredder /How to Format A Flash Drive on Mac
I just bought a flash drive, and it seems to be working really slowly on my Mac. What should I do?
You need to format your flash drive on Mac to make it compatible with your Mac. We'll teach you how in this article. Read away!
Here are the tactics you'll learn about in this post.
Article GuidePart 1. Why Format Your Flash Drive?Part 2. How to Format a Flash Drive on MacPart 3. Use PowerMyMac File Shredder to Delete Files on Your Flash DrivePart 4. Conclusion
Part 1. Why Format Your Flash Drive?
There are various reasons why you have to format your flash drive on Mac. Here are the three common ones:
Ensure the flash drive's full compatibility with Mac. Most flash drives are pre-formatted for use with Windows.
The difference between macOS and Windows is that they make use of different file systems. Mac uses either Mac OS Extended or AFPS as the file system, while Windows usually uses FAT32.
Drives that are formatted as FAT32 can still be used with macOS, but there is a bigger chance that you'll encounter issues along the way.
Aside from that, Time Machine doesn't work with drives that are not fully compatible with Mac. Time Machine is a built-in feature of Mac that backs up your files to an external storage device such as your flash drive.
Free up space in your flash drive. USB drives have limited memory space. Sometimes, deleting unnecessary files or transferring a few of them to your PC is enough.
Sometimes, it isn't. That is when formatting your USB drive becomes the best solution.
Get rid of viruses and other issues. Flash drives are popular for their portability, but they can also carry viruses that can spread to other computers.
Formatting a flash drive on Mac is an easy yet effective way to remove them. Although macOS is generally much safer and more secure than Windows, this doesn't mean that your Mac can't be affected by viruses.
Part 2. How to Format a Flash Drive on Mac
Before you proceed with formatting your flash drive, you should first consider which format you are going to use. Selecting the correct format is crucial as it will have an impact on its compatibility with your Mac.
Certain formats work better on specific versions of macOS. The format that you set is something you'll have to stick with for a long time, so it's best if you make the right decision from the very start.
Below are the available formats and when best to use them.
APFS. Short for Apple File System, APFS only works with Mac running on High Sierra or later.
It is optimized for solid state drives (SSD) like flash drives, and this guarantees a faster performance than Mac OS Extended.
If you intend to use your USB drive only with a new Mac, APFS is highly recommended. The downside to it is that it isn't Time Machine-compatible.
This means you cannot set the flash drive as the destination of your backup.
Mac OS Extended. If your Mac is running on macOS Sierra or below, this format is the way to go. Nevertheless, Mac OS Extended works with High Sierra and up as well.
This would work well if you think you would need to use your drive in an old Mac. It has some catching up to do in terms of speed, though.
On the bright side, you can use your flash drive to create backups via Time Machine.
FAT32. The most versatile in the list, FAT32 will allow you to use your USB drive on Windows as well as a Mac. In fact, it is the most widely compatible file system.
It works on most video game consoles, media players, and other devices. However, it can only support individual files up to 4GB in size.
We don't suggest using this format if you plan to store large files like videos.
exFAT. This is closely similar to FAT32 in terms of compatibility. It works on both Windows and macOS too.
However, it is not supported by as many consoles and devices as FAT32. The great thing here is that it doesn't have a file size limit.
If you want full compatibility with Mac, choose between APFS and Mac OS Extended. If you expect to transfer files between a Windows computer and a Mac, you should decide on either FAT32 or exFAT.
Format Flash Drive To Fat32
If you are merely freeing up space or getting rid of viruses in your flash drive, simply select the previous format.
Now, have you decided which format would best suit you and your Mac? If you have, refer to our step-by-step guide on how to format a flash drive on Mac.
Step 1: Plug the flash drive into the USB port.
Newer models of MacBook and MacBook Pro only come with USB-C ports. You will need to connect a USB-C adaptor on the port before you can connect your flash drive.
Step 2: Launch a Finder window.
Open a Finder window. You should see your flash drive listed below the Devices section.
Click on it. If you have files in your drive, make sure to transfer them to your Mac or another external storage device. Formatting your flash drive will wipe off all files in it.
Step 3: Run Disk Utility.
Hp Format Flash Drive
Now, go to Applications and select Utilities. Click Disk Utility to open it and press on your flash drive's name from the sidebar. Click on the Erase tab at the top of the window.
Step 4. Choose a format for your flash drive.
From the drop-down list next to Format, select the format that you want to use for the flash drive. You may also set a name for your drive. Simply enter it in the field beside Name.
Step 5. Format your flash drive.
Click Erase. A dialog box will appear. Hit Erase to confirm and wait for your Mac to complete the formatting.
Part 3. Use PowerMyMac File Shredder to Delete Files on Your Flash Drive
Every time you want to permanently delete files on your USB drive, you don't have to format it again. You can just use a reliable file shredder to conveniently erase files in a secure way.
PowerMyMac File Shredder does just that. You can use it to delete confidential files on your Mac, external hard drives, and SD cards as well. It comes with a 30-day free trial, so grab the opportunity while it lasts!
Step 1. Download, Launch iMyMac PowerMyMac and Choose File Shredder Option
Get rid of viruses and other issues. Flash drives are popular for their portability, but they can also carry viruses that can spread to other computers.
Formatting a flash drive on Mac is an easy yet effective way to remove them. Although macOS is generally much safer and more secure than Windows, this doesn't mean that your Mac can't be affected by viruses.
Part 2. How to Format a Flash Drive on Mac
Before you proceed with formatting your flash drive, you should first consider which format you are going to use. Selecting the correct format is crucial as it will have an impact on its compatibility with your Mac.
Certain formats work better on specific versions of macOS. The format that you set is something you'll have to stick with for a long time, so it's best if you make the right decision from the very start.
Below are the available formats and when best to use them.
APFS. Short for Apple File System, APFS only works with Mac running on High Sierra or later.
It is optimized for solid state drives (SSD) like flash drives, and this guarantees a faster performance than Mac OS Extended.
If you intend to use your USB drive only with a new Mac, APFS is highly recommended. The downside to it is that it isn't Time Machine-compatible.
This means you cannot set the flash drive as the destination of your backup.
Mac OS Extended. If your Mac is running on macOS Sierra or below, this format is the way to go. Nevertheless, Mac OS Extended works with High Sierra and up as well.
This would work well if you think you would need to use your drive in an old Mac. It has some catching up to do in terms of speed, though.
On the bright side, you can use your flash drive to create backups via Time Machine.
FAT32. The most versatile in the list, FAT32 will allow you to use your USB drive on Windows as well as a Mac. In fact, it is the most widely compatible file system.
It works on most video game consoles, media players, and other devices. However, it can only support individual files up to 4GB in size.
We don't suggest using this format if you plan to store large files like videos.
exFAT. This is closely similar to FAT32 in terms of compatibility. It works on both Windows and macOS too.
However, it is not supported by as many consoles and devices as FAT32. The great thing here is that it doesn't have a file size limit.
If you want full compatibility with Mac, choose between APFS and Mac OS Extended. If you expect to transfer files between a Windows computer and a Mac, you should decide on either FAT32 or exFAT.
Format Flash Drive To Fat32
If you are merely freeing up space or getting rid of viruses in your flash drive, simply select the previous format.
Now, have you decided which format would best suit you and your Mac? If you have, refer to our step-by-step guide on how to format a flash drive on Mac.
Step 1: Plug the flash drive into the USB port.
Newer models of MacBook and MacBook Pro only come with USB-C ports. You will need to connect a USB-C adaptor on the port before you can connect your flash drive.
Step 2: Launch a Finder window.
Open a Finder window. You should see your flash drive listed below the Devices section.
Click on it. If you have files in your drive, make sure to transfer them to your Mac or another external storage device. Formatting your flash drive will wipe off all files in it.
Step 3: Run Disk Utility.
Hp Format Flash Drive
Now, go to Applications and select Utilities. Click Disk Utility to open it and press on your flash drive's name from the sidebar. Click on the Erase tab at the top of the window.
Step 4. Choose a format for your flash drive.
From the drop-down list next to Format, select the format that you want to use for the flash drive. You may also set a name for your drive. Simply enter it in the field beside Name.
Step 5. Format your flash drive.
Click Erase. A dialog box will appear. Hit Erase to confirm and wait for your Mac to complete the formatting.
Part 3. Use PowerMyMac File Shredder to Delete Files on Your Flash Drive
Every time you want to permanently delete files on your USB drive, you don't have to format it again. You can just use a reliable file shredder to conveniently erase files in a secure way.
PowerMyMac File Shredder does just that. You can use it to delete confidential files on your Mac, external hard drives, and SD cards as well. It comes with a 30-day free trial, so grab the opportunity while it lasts!
Step 1. Download, Launch iMyMac PowerMyMac and Choose File Shredder Option
Download and install the software on your Mac. Launch it once installation is complete. Connect your flash drive to the USB port.
From the left tab of the software, click Toolkit module and select Shredder. Hit Select Files.
Step 2. Choose File to Destroy
A Finder window will appear. On the sidebar, you will see a list of folders and your connected USB drive. Look for your flash drive below the Devices section and click on it.
Select the files that you want to delete and press Open. If you want to add more files for deletion, simply click on the Add Files button on the upper-left corner of the window.
Step 3. Permanently Shred Private Files
Before you continue, make sure that you're certain that you wish to delete your files.
Once you have selected all files that you wish to delete, hit Clean.
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Part 4. Conclusion
Formatting is useful for making the most out of your flash drive. Choosing the format that matches the Mac you're using as well as your data storage needs are very important.
So is deleting unwanted and confidential files as safely and securely as possible. This is made possible with iMyMac PowerMyMac File Shredder.
You should use it with caution, though. Once files are wiped off by iMyMac PowerMyMac File Shredder, you will no longer be able to recover them!
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