Dec 10, 2020 Once made your own decision as above guided, it's time to format your USB drive a desired file system. No matter it's a newly bought flash drive or a used one, you can directly use a capable USB format tool to format the USB drive to FAT32 or NTFS.
- Tuxera NTFS for Mac is a full read-write NTFS driver that enables your Mac to read and write NTFS-formatted drives. It also comes with Tuxera Disk Manager, a companion app that lets you format, check, and repair NTFS drives. Tuxera Disk Manager lets you fully manage your hard drive and stored data regardless of the operating system.
- Yes, connecting an external hard drive or USB flash key to a Mac will generally read and work fine as is because the Mac can easily read other filesystem formats, including Windows MSDOS, FAT, FAT32, ExFat, and NTFS formats, but unless you intend on using the drive between a Windows and Mac machine, formatting it to be entirely Mac compatible.
Most of the time formatting a flash drive is a very simple decision. There are only two situations where you should take consideration on what format to use. Here are the details:
Note: This article is focused towards Windows and Mac operating systems.
The file formats available for a flash drive are:
- FAT (also called FAT16)
- FAT32
- exFAT
- NTFS
- HFS (Mac only)
Flash drive manufacturers format a drive as either FAT or FAT32. Any device of 2GBs or smaller will be formatted as FAT and any USB over 2GBs will be formatted as FAT32.
These two formats are the best file system for removable drives like flash drives because they support the quick disconnect function and chances are very slim you will destroy the device or files if you unplug the USB without using the Eject function (in Windows) or Un-mount function (in Mac).
The one huge limitation with FAT and FAT32 is the single file size limitation. If a single file is larger than 2GBs you need to have the device as FAT32. If you have a single file bigger than 4GBs then you must use NTFS or exFAT. Typically these large files are either video files or restore image files (for restoring a computer operating system from a single image file).
So what if you have a file bigger than 4GBs? Well, you have to decide what is the lesser of two evils.
Here is the problem. If you format as NTFS it works great on all Windows machines, but Macs can only read from the device, they cannot write to it. There are some plugins to help the Mac deal with NTFS but our experience proves those add-ins to be unstable.
If you format it as exFAT all computers (Windows and Macs) will see the drive except for Windows XP.
So you must decide to accommodate the Windows XP users or accommodate the Mac users.
Given that Mac computers are on the rise, your best option is to format the drive as exFAT. If there is a Windows XP user out there, they can download the plugin from Microsoft to allow an XP operating system to see the exFAT device without wanting to format it. Also keep in mind that XP is a 15 year old operating system (at the time of this post) and Microsoft no longer supports the OS.
As a closing note, the NTFS file system is not ideal for flash drives because it’s a dynamic file system. Meaning information can be writing to the flash drive at times in which you think the USB is idle. So in a situation where you disconnect the USB while there is a write change taking place to the file system, there is a good chance you will corrupt the data. Not good.
If you have more questions about formatting USB devices, please Contact Us.
Windows update for XP users to read exFAT USB devices HERE
Tags: exfat, usb
Matt LeBoff
Dec 16, 2020 • Filed to: Solve Mac Problems • Proven solutions
USB drives, pen drives, or thumb drives – no matter what you call them, they all perform the same job related to data storage and management. In a matter of a few years, pen drives have drastically replaced CDs and other storage units. Now, we all use USB drives to transfer our data or maintain its backup. Though, there are times when we wish to format a pen drive on Mac. You can do it to erase drive data, troubleshoot a problem, reformat it, and do so much more.
Since Mac gives a one-stop solution to do it all, you won't face any problem like a pen drive not formatting on Mac. To further help you, we have come up with this detailed guide on how to format a pen drive on Mac with other related solutions.
Part 1. What is a Pen Drive or Thumb Drive?
Thumb drives (which are also known as USB or flash drives) are extensively used to store data via USB connectivity. As almost all the computers (be it Windows or Mac) have a universal USB slot, it makes the use of flash drives so effortless. You can just plug it into any system and access the stored content in no time. A pen drive can also be used as an installer at times or to maintain a backup of your data.
- You might like to erase all the data present on your pen drive at once.
- Formatting can also help you troubleshoot certain connectivity issues with your flash drive.
- If the USB drive has been infected by malware, then formatting it can fix the issue at times.
- It can also help you reformat the pen drive and change its file system as well.
- It will let you defragment the drive and make more free space in it.
Part 2. How to Format Pen Drive on Mac
Just like Windows, Mac also allows a seamless solution to do pen drive format. To do this, you can take the assistance of Disk Utility, which is a dedicated system component in Mac. It can help you manage system partitions, erase an external unit like a thumb drive, and even repair your disk. To learn how to format a pen drive in Mac, you can follow these simple steps:
- Firstly, connect your flash drive to the Mac by inserting it to the correct USB slot. Also, go to Mac's Finder > Applications > Utilities and launch 'Disk Utility' from here.
- As the Disk Utility window would open, you can view the connected pen drive labeled under the 'External' devices on the left. Simply select your pen drive to view its storage settings on the right.
- In order to format the pen drive, you need to click on the 'Erase' button on its toolbar.
- This will open the following pop-up menu. From here, you can change the name of the pen drive, its format, and the scheme. There are different kinds of formats available for thumb drives, which are discussed later in this post.
- Lastly, you can change the scheme for the connected pen drive as well. While GUID and Master Boot support both Windows and Mac, the Apple Partition Map would only run on Mac.
- After making the appropriate selections, just click on the 'Erase' button, and wait for the pen drive to be formatted entirely.
Format To Ntfs Mac
That's it! In the end, when you are informed that the thumb drive has been successfully formatted, you can unmount it safely from your Mac.
Video Tutorial on How to Format a USB Flash Drive on Mac
Part 3. How to Check the Pen Drive Format
A lot of users choose to format the pen drive to change its format. If you also have the same requirements, then consider checking the existing pen drive format first. Chances are that it might be of an ideal format beforehand. Here's how you can check the format of thumb drive on Mac.
- Simply attach the pen drive to your Mac by inserting it into the USB slot.
- Launch Finder once the pen drive is detected by Mac. You can see its dedicated icon on the left panel.
- Select your pen drive from here and right-click to get its context menu. Click on the 'Get Info' option to proceed.
- This will display a pop-up with crucial details related to the connected pen drive. Here, you can view the format of the selected USB drive.
While formatting a pen drive, users get an option to change its format. Ideally, Mac supports different pen drive formats for a USB drive that you can pick from, as per your convenience.
- ExFAT: Extended FAT is one of the most common formats out there. It works smoothly on every major platform like Windows, PlayStation, Xbox, and even Linux.
- FAT: While the File Allocation Table format also supports cross-platform compatibility, it is not as reliable as exFAT. For instance, it supports the maximum file size of 4 GB. Ideally, it is best suited for systems with FAT32.
- OS X (Journaled): This is the traditional native file format for macOS, which is commonly known as the HFS+ format. Apart from storing data, it can also be used as a Time Machine backup.
- OS X (Case-sensitive, Journaled): This is similar to the previous option, with a case-sensitive feature. Although Mac is not case-sensitive, systems like UNIX are.
- OS X Extended (Journaled, Encrypted): If you want to protect your thumb drive, then go for this option. It is similar to the OS X Journaled version with encryption. That is, users are required to authenticate (via password) to access it.
- OS X Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled, Encrypted): This is an encrypted and case-sensitive version of OS X Journaled.
Part 4. How to Remove History on Mac Firefox
By now, you must be able to reformat thumb drive on Mac without any trouble. If you are finding it hard to access the pen drive content on Mac, then don't worry. The operating system is pretty user-friendly and will let you access the connected pen drive without any trouble.
- Firstly, make sure that the pen drive has been properly inserted on your Mac's USB slot. As soon as the pen drive is detected, you will get its shortcut on the desktop. Just double-click it, or right-click and open it.
- Alternatively, you can also access the USB drive content via Finder as well. Go to Mac's desktop and click on Finder > File > New Finder Window. This will open a new Finder Window on your Mac.
- On the left sidebar, you can see all the shortcuts and partitions. Under the 'Devices' or 'External' tab, you can see your pen drive's icon. Just double-click it to open its file system.
- In the end, after when you have finished working with the pen drive, you can unmount it. Select the pen drive's icon and right-click it to get its context menu. Click on the Eject option to safely remove it.
Part 5. How to Recover Deleted History on Mac
If you are lucky, then you would be able to format a pen drive on Mac without facing any setback. Though, chances are that you might get the 'Pen Drive Not Formatting' error on Mac as well. Try following these simple yet smart solutions to fix the pen drive not formatting issue on Mac.
• Reinsert the USB drive
If you have not properly inserted the USB drive to Mac, then you might encounter this issue. To fix this, just remove the pen drive and clean the USB slot on your Mac. After a while, insert it once again, and check if it has been detected or not.
• Reinsert the USB drive
If you have not properly inserted the USB drive to Mac, then you might encounter this issue. To fix this, just remove the pen drive and clean the USB slot on your Mac. After a while, insert it once again, and check if it has been detected or not.
Format Usb Ntfs On Mac
• Check the format
Some formats of the pen drive, like NTFS, are not supported by Mac. You can go to the thumb drive's properties to view its format. In case if it has an NTFS format, then you need to use a third-party tool to access it or format the flash drive on Windows instead.
• Fix the USB drive
There might be some problem with the USB drive storage as well. In order to fix this, go to Mac's Applications and launch Disk Utility on it. Select the connected pen drive and click on the 'First Aid' option from its toolbar. This will check the USB storage and would try to fix its file system as well.
• Reset PRAM
The Parameter Random Access Memory on Mac can also lead to the pen drive, not formatting issue. Luckily, it can easily be fixed by restarting Mac. Power it off or simply restart it from the Finder. While Mac is restarting, press the Command + Option + P + R keys at the same time to reset its PRAM.
• Update macOS
If your Mac is running on an outdated version, then it might encounter compatibility issues with the connected pen drive. The easiest way to update its drivers and firmware is by upgrading it to a stable version. Just click on the Apple menu on Finder and select 'Software Update'. This will make your system look for the recent macOS update that is compatible with it.
Part 6. How to Perform Pen Drive Data Recovery on Mac
Sometimes, users end up formatting a pen drive by mistake as well. If you also have accidentally deleted data on Mac or have formatted a pen drive, then take the assistance of Recoverit Data Recovery Mac. Developed by Wondershare, it is one of the most advanced and trusted data recovery tools for Mac. The latest update of Recoverit 8.0 has been released that is equipped with tons of high-end features. You can now recover all kinds of data from a Mac or a pen drive with a single click.
- Using Recoverit 8.0, you can get back your lost photos, videos, documents, compressed files, and numerous kinds of data easily.
- The application is known to produce exceptional results in less time. It also features a user-friendly and intuitive interface that does not require any prior technical knowledge.
- It supports data recovery on all types of USB drives. This includes pen drives from brands like Kingston, SanDisk, Sony, HP, Samsung, and more. Also, it supports leading file formats like NTFS, HFS, FAT, exFAT, etc.
- The interface will let you preview the extracted data first. Later, users can selectively save their files to a location of their choice.
- Recoverit supports data recovery under every possible scenario like formatted drive, accidental deletion, malware attack, and so on.
If you want to perform pen drive data recovery using Wondershare Recoverit 8.0, then simply follow these basic steps:
Step 1: Connect your USB drive and select it
Firstly, connect your pen drive to your Mac and make sure it is detected by it successfully. Subsequently, launch Wondershare Recoverit 8.0 and pick a location to scan. In this case, it will be the connected USB drive. If you want, you can browse to a specific location as well.
Step 2: Scan for any lost content
During the data recovery process, you are expected to wait for it to be completed. The interface will let you know the progress on the screen. Kindly don't disconnect the pen drive from Mac as of now to get better results.
Step 3: Recover your data
In the end, when the data recovery process is completed, you will be notified. Now, you can preview your photos, videos, and documents on the interface and select the files of your choice. Click on the 'Recover' button and save them to a trusted location. It is recommended not to save them back to the USB drive.
Conclusion
By following this informative guide, you would certainly be able to format the pen drive on Mac. Apart from that, we have also discussed ways to fix issues like pen drive not formatting as well. Though, if you have accidentally formatted your flash drive, then take the assistance of Recoverit Data Recovery. Being one of the best data recovery tools, it will certainly help you in an unforeseen data loss scenario. You can download its freely available version and keep it handy to do pen drive data recovery during any unwanted situation.
What's Wrong with Mac
- Recover Your Mac
- Fix Your Mac
- Delete Your Mac
- Learn Mac Hacks