Understand U disk format in one article: FAT32, NTFS or exFAT?

php editor Xinyi will give you an in-depth analysis of the U disk format choice: FAT32, NTFS or exFAT? The choice of U disk format is related to the efficiency and compatibility of file storage and transmission. FAT32 is suitable for small-capacity USB flash drives, NTFS supports large-capacity files, and exFAT takes care of both. The article will take you through the features of each format so you can make the best choice based on your needs.

Tool materials:

System version: Windows 11 Home version

Brand model: SanDisk Extreme High Speed ​​CoolBean USB 3.2

Software version: DiskGenius 5.4.2.1239

1. FAT32 format

FAT32 is currently the most widely used file system format for U disks. It has good compatibility and can be used with almost all All computers and digital devices support the FAT32 format. However, the FAT32 format has an obvious flaw, that is, the size of a single file cannot exceed 4GB. If you need to store videos, games and other files larger than 4GB in a USB flash drive, the FAT32 format is not suitable. In addition, when the FAT32 format stores a large number of small files, the reading and writing speed will decrease.

2. NTFS Format

NTFS is the default file system format of Windows system. Its advantage is that it supports large file storage, access control, file compression and other functions. Theoretically, the NTFS format supports a single file up to 16EB, so there is no need to worry about the file being too large. At the same time, the NTFS format performs well when storing a large number of small files and has faster reading and writing speeds. However, the disadvantage of the NTFS format is poor compatibility. Some old devices and non-Windows systems may not be able to recognize NTFS formatted USB flash drives.

3. exFAT format

exFAT is a file system format developed by Microsoft specifically for flash storage devices, aiming to make up for the shortcomings of FAT32 and NTFS. On the one hand, exFAT breaks through the 4GB single file size limit of FAT32; on the other hand, exFAT maintains good cross-platform compatibility and is well supported in Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and other systems. Therefore, if your USB flash drive needs to share data between multiple different devices and also needs to store large files, exFAT is the best choice.

Content extension:

1. How to format a USB flash drive in Windows system? First, insert the U disk into the USB interface of the computer, open "My Computer", find the U disk letter, right-click and select "Format". In the formatting options, you can choose FAT32, NTFS, exFAT and other formats in the file system column according to your needs. It is worth noting that if the U disk has a large capacity (such as 128GB or more), the FAT32 format may not be selected by default. In this case, you can use a third-party partition tool to format it.

2. Will formatting the USB flash drive cause data loss? Simply put, yes. Because the formatting operation will delete the existing partition table and file system in the USB flash drive, all the original data in the USB flash drive will be lost. Therefore, before formatting the USB flash drive, be sure to back up important data to another safe place. If you accidentally format a USB flash drive, don’t panic. Using data recovery software, you have a high chance of recovering the lost data.

3. With the development of storage technology, solid-state U disks have become popular. They use flash memory particles as storage media. They have no mechanical structure, are shock-proof and drop-proof, and have faster reading and writing speeds. When purchasing a solid-state USB flash drive, in addition to paying attention to parameters such as capacity and price, you should also pay attention to the storage particles used in the USB flash drive. At present, mainstream solid-state USB flash drives mostly use TLC or QLC particles. The lifespan and performance of TLC particles are generally better than QLC particles, but the price is also slightly higher.

Summary:

Choosing the appropriate U disk file system format can avoid a lot of troubles in use. If your USB flash drive is mainly used for daily file storage and data sharing between devices, it is recommended to choose the FAT32 format or exFAT format with the best compatibility; if you need to store large files on the USB flash drive, give priority to the NTFS format or exFAT format; If your USB flash drive needs to be shared among multiple devices and systems and needs to store large files of more than 4GB, the exFAT format is the ideal choice.

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