Detailed explanation of U disk file system format: differences and choices between FAT32, exFAT and NTFS

php editor Xiaoxin will give you an in-depth understanding of the file system formats of U disks: FAT32, exFAT and NTFS. Each of these three formats has its own characteristics. Choosing the format that suits your needs can better manage and store files. FAT32 has good compatibility, but the file size is limited; exFAT is suitable for large-capacity files, but does not support some old systems; NTFS is powerful, but not suitable for Mac systems. Choosing the appropriate file system format can better meet your usage needs.

Tool materials:

System version: Windows 11 Home version

Brand model: Kingston DataTraveler Exodia DTX 32GB USB flash drive

Software version: Windows 11's own "format" tool

1. FAT32 file system

FAT32 is currently the most commonly used file system format for U disks. It has better Compatibility, almost all computers and digital devices support the FAT32 format. The advantage of FAT32 is strong compatibility and fast speed. The disadvantage is that the size of a single file cannot exceed 4GB. If you need to store large files, the FAT32 format is not suitable.

In addition, the FAT32 format has another flaw, that is, it does not support storage devices larger than 32GB. If your USB flash drive has a large capacity, such as 64GB or above, you cannot use the FAT32 format.

2. exFAT file system

exFAT is a file system developed by Microsoft. It is an upgraded version of FAT32 and overcomes some of the shortcomings of FAT32. exFAT supports large-capacity storage devices and can theoretically support a maximum capacity of 128PB. At the same time, exFAT has no limit on the size of a single file and supports the storage of large files exceeding 4GB.

The compatibility of exFAT is also relatively good. Windows, Mac and most digital devices support the exFAT format. However, exFAT is slightly slower than FAT32 and may not be recognized on some older devices.

3. NTFS file system

NTFS is the default file system format for Windows systems. It provides more advanced functions, such as file encryption, access control, disk quotas, etc. NTFS has no limit on the size of a single file or the capacity of a storage device, and its read and write speeds are also relatively fast.

However, the NTFS format is mainly used in Windows systems and has poor compatibility on other operating systems and devices. If you use an NTFS formatted USB flash drive, it may not be recognized on Mac, Linux systems and digital devices, and you need to install additional drivers to read and write.

Content extension:

In addition to the above three common U disk file system formats, there are also some other file system formats, such as HFS commonly used in Mac systems and ext3/ commonly used in Linux systems ext4 etc. However, these formats are rarely used on USB flash drives and have poor compatibility, so they are generally not recommended.

When choosing the U disk file system format, we need to weigh it according to our actual needs. If you need to frequently share files between different operating systems and devices, it is recommended to choose the exFAT format; if the U disk is only used on Windows systems and needs to store large files or use advanced features such as encryption, you can choose the NTFS format; if the U disk capacity If it is smaller (such as less than 32GB) and mainly stores some small files, using FAT32 format is also a good choice.

Summary:

The U disk file system format has an important impact on the performance and compatibility of the U disk. FAT32 has the best compatibility, but does not support single files above 4GB and storage devices above 32GB; exFAT overcomes the limitations of FAT32, supports large files and large-capacity devices, and has good compatibility; NTFS has the most powerful functions, but mainly Used for Windows systems, poor compatibility. We should choose the most appropriate U disk file system format according to our actual needs.

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