Windows 11 expands FAT32 partition size limit to 2TB

Microsoft has announced an upcoming change to the FAT32 file format in the latest Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27686. The company is increasing the maximum partition size for FAT32 volumes from the current 32GB limit to a much more generous 2TB.

According to Microsoft's blog post, this expanded FAT32 partition size will be available when formatting drives using the command line. It remains unclear if the increased limit will also apply to the standard Windows format dialog accessible by right-clicking a drive.

While Windows has long been able to read FAT32 partitions up to 2TB in size, Microsoft has not previously provided an easy way for users to create such large FAT32 volumes natively. This update aims to address that limitation, potentially making it simpler to work with larger storage devices formatted in the aging but still widely-used FAT32 standard.

However, the 4GB individual file size cap for FAT32 remains unchanged in this update. This longstanding restriction continues to be a key drawback of the file system compared to more modern alternatives like exFAT.

The FAT32 format dates back to the early days of Windows 95 and remains relevant today, particularly for devices like digital cameras, external hard drives, and flash drives that may not support newer file systems. Microsoft's decision to increase the maximum partition size should provide users with more flexibility when working with larger storage volumes in a FAT32 environment.

The expanded FAT32 partition limit is currently only available in the Windows 11 Insider Preview and has not yet rolled out to the general public. As Microsoft continues refining the feature, it will likely become widely accessible to all Windows 11 users in a future update.

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