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• Ntfs Vs Fat32 For Mac
• Ntfs For Mac
• Format To Ntfs On Mac
• Ntfs Vs Fat32 For Mac
• Ntfs And Fat32 For Mac Hard Drive
• Ntfs Fat32 Mac Os

How to format FAT32 drive on Mac Step 1. Now here is how to format your FAT32 external drive on Mac. Go finder window on you Mac then click on Applications the image right. From there, you need to open disk utility. Therefore, scroll down until you see a folder Utilities Double click on it. Mac OS X 10.3 and outside have NFTS read capabilities but composing to an NTFS volume wants a third-party program utility such as Paragon NTFS for Mac. There are different hacks and workarounds for NTFS around the Mac, however, in any instance, NTFS is simply semi-compatible using OS X. NTFS on Linux systems is sporadic for both write and read.

Summary :

FAT32, NTFS, and exFAT are the three file systems users commonly use for Windows system. This article will illustrate to the differences between the three, analyzing their pros and cons, compatibility and usage in an all-rounded way.

A file system uses a set of rules to control how data is stored and retrieved on a storage device. And FAT32, NTFS, exFAT are three different file systems commonly used in Windows. Each of the file systems has their own pros and cons. If you know them well, you can choose the correct file system for different needs.

If you don’t know the differences between NTFS, FAT32 and exFAT file system, don’t worry, this article will tell you what you should know for the three kinds of file systems and give you a brief comparison of NTFS vs FAT32 vs exFAT.

NTFS vs FAT32

NTFS File System

NTFS is short for New Technology File System, created by Microsoft and introduced in 1993 with Windows NT 3.1. Windows NT and Windows 2000 are the primary operating systems using the NTFS file system. Nowadays, NTFS is the most widely used file system in Windows, especially for its system drive and most internal hard drives.

As a modern and advanced file system, NTFS has many features not available to FAT32 and exFAT. For detailed information, you can refer to following contents to learn its pros and cons, compatibility and usage.

Pros:

• Supports very large files and it nearly has no realistic partition size limit by changing cluster size
• Enables users to set file permissions and encryption as a file system with higher security
• Automatically restores the consistency of the file system by using its log file and checkpoint information
• Enables users to compress files, folders or the whole drive when they are running out of disk space
• Uses a change journal to help restore information quickly if power failure or other system problems occur
• Enables users to set disk quotas, limiting the amount of space users can consume
• No realistic file size or partition size limits

Cons: Not compatible with very old operating systems

Compatibility:

• Compatible with all versions of Windows
• Read-only with Mac OSX by default, and may be read-only by default with some Linux distributions
• Only a few Linux variants are able to provide write support for NTFS

Usage: An NTFS file system is perfect for your Windows system drive and other internal drives or external hard drives with large capacities that will just be used with Windows.

FAT32 File System

The FAT32 file system is also called File Allocation Table file system, which was created in 1977 by Microsoft. FAT32 is an older file system that’s not as efficient or advanced as NTFS, but does offer greater compatibility with other operating systems and removable storage devices.

The biggest FAT32 file system limit is that it cannot store a single file larger than 4 GB. So, sometimes you may come across 'File is too large for destination file system' error when using FAT32 file system.

Pros: Compatible with all versions of Windows, Mac, Linux, game consoles, HDTVs, bootable disk and practically anything with a USB port

Cons:

• Cannot store a single file which is larger than 4GB
• Cannot create a FAT32 partition that is larger than 8 TB (Windows only recognizes 2TB)
• Lacks the permissions and other security features built into the more modern NTFS file system
• Modern versions of Windows are unable to be installed to a drive formatted with an FAT32 file system

Compatibility:

• Compatible with removable flash drives and other forms of USB interface-based storage
• Compatible with all versions of Windows, Mac, Linux, game consoles, and practically anything with a USB port

Usage: Flash drives will often be formatted with FAT32 for maximum compatibility. If you want to use it on removable drives, you’d better format the drive to FAT32. Be sure not to store a single file that is larger than 4 GB.

NTFS vs FAT32

Compared with NTFS file system, FAT32 is more compatible with old operating systems and all kinds of removable storage devices. However, it has limits on file size and partition size, which may cause inconvenience if you want to store large files.

NTFS has more advantages than FAT32 in security, partition size, and file permissions and so on. If you are using a modern Windows operating system, you’d better format internal hard drives to NTFS. Besides, recent Windows system partition must be formatted to NTFS file system.

Some of you may wonder: I want to use NTFS file system as it has so many advantages. However, I have formatted my file system to FAT32 and stored important files in it. How can I convert FAT32 to NTFS without data loss?

Well, I do have a free method for converting FAT32 to NTFS without data loss. For users’ convenience, here I will show you detailed steps and screenshots about how to convert FAT32 to NTFS with freeware – MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Edition.

Free Convert FAT32 to NTFS Without Data Loss

MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Edition is a free partition manager trusted by tens of millions of users. As an expert in partition management, this partition magic can help you reconfigure hard disk, format partition, convert MBR to GPT without data loss, check file system, migrate Windows to HD/SSD, copy disk, perform disk surface test, wipe disk and so on.

Using this all-in-one partition manager to convert FAT32 to NTFS is very safe. Users can convert FAT to NTFS without causing any data loss.

Now, follow the steps as below to convert FAT32 to NTFS file system for free.

Step 1. Download MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Edition by clicking the following button. Install it on your computer and launch it to get the main interface.

Step 2. Choose the FAT32 partition that you want to convert and select convert FAT to NTFS from the left action panel.

Step 3. Click Start button to start the FAT to NTFS conversion.

Step 4. After the conversion is completed, you can click Close to exit the window.

By following the steps above, you can convert FAT32 to NTFS without any data loss.

exFAT File System

exFAT is the abbreviation of Extended File Allocation Table. It is a file system introduced by Microsoft in 2006, which is similar to FAT32 files system, but does not have the limits of FAT32 file system.

Designed to be a replacement for FAT32, exFAT is optimized for flash memory such as USB flash drives and SD cards, though some very older ones may only support FAT32.

Pros:

• More widely-compatible than NTFS, but not quite match FAT32’s compatibility
• Allows users to store files much larger than the 4 GB allowed by FAT32
• No realistic file-size or partition-size limits

Cons:

• Not as compatible as FAT32
• Lacks journaling functionality and other advanced features built into the NTFS file system

Compatibility:

• Works with all versions of Windows and modern versions of Mac OS X
• Compatible with Linux, but additional software will be needed

Usage: You can use exFAT file system when you need to create large partitions and save files larger than 4GB and when you need more compatibility than what NTFS offers. And for swapping or sharing large files, especially between OSes, exFAT is a good choice.

NTFS vs exFAT

NTFS is ideal for internal drives, while exFAT is generally ideal for flash drives. Both of them have no realistic file-size or partition-size limits. If storage devices are not compatible with NTFS file system and you don't want to limited by FAT32, you can choose exFAT file system.

FAT32 vs exFAT

Both of them are suitable for removable devices due to their compatibility. FAT32 is compatible with more very old operating systems. However, FAT32 has limits on single file size and partition size, while exFAT does not. Compared with FAT32, exFAT is an optimized FAT32 file system that can be widely used for removable devices of large capacity.

After comparing NTFS vs FAT32 vs exFAT, you can choose a suitable file system for your drive according to your needs.

Free Format Your Drive to NTFS, FAT32 or exFAT

If you want to switch a partition’s file system to exFAT, you need to format the partition, which is different from FAT and NTFS conversion. Here you can use MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Edition to format your storage device to NTFS, FAT32 or exFAT file system in one step. Let’s look at the detailed steps together.

Step 1. Download MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Edition by clicking the following button. Install and launch it to get its main interface.

Step 2. Right-click the drive you want to format and select Format Partition.

Step 3. At this window, you are allowed to specify partition label, file system as well as cluster size. You can format the drive’s file system to FAT32, NTFS, exFAT, Ext2, Ext3, satisfying all your needs. After resetting these parameters, you can click OK.

Step 4. Click Apply on the upper right corner to allow the pending operation.

Verdict

You see, it is not so hard to learn the differences between NTFS, FAT32 and exFAT file system. And each of them has their own advantages and disadvantages. If you don't know which file system you should format for your storage device, you may refer to above information in this article.

If you have any question about how to make FAT32 and NTFS conversion or how to format partition to NTFS, FAT32 or exFAT with MiniTool Partition Wizard, you can leave a message in the following comment zone and we will reply as soon as possible. If you need any help when using MiniTool software, you can contact us via [email protected].

NTFS vs. FAT32 vs. exFAT FAQ

1. Download MiniTool Partition Wizard Pro Edition on its official website and install it on your PC.
2. Choose the NTFS partition that you need to convert.
3. Select Convert NTFS to FAT feature from the left action panel.
4. Click Start button to convert NTFS to fat32 without losing data immediately.
5. Click Close to exit after the NTFS to fat32 conversion is completed.

NTFS and FAT32 are two types of file systems used in Windows operating system. In the following, you'll learn the differences between NTFS and FAT32, when to use NTFS or FAT32, and how to convert NTFS to FAT32 or vice versa.

NTFS vs. FAT32, Which Is Better

FAT32 is one of the oldest file system variants of FAT, used in earlier versions of the operating system such as DOS and Windows version before XP. Till now, FAT32 is still serving Windows users as the default format for some external storage devices such as SD memory cards, and USB flash drives.

NTFS is a newer file system after FAT, developed by Microsoft. NTFS, known as NT File System, is the default file system of the Windows NT family, including the latest Windows operating system.

Here is a comparison table between NTFS and FAT32, you can see more details between them:

Accordingly, FAT32 supports up to 4GB file and 2TB max volume size. In other words, you can only save single files smaller than 4GB to a FAT32 device. NTFS supports up to 16TB single file with 2 - 4 TB volume size in practice.

So which is better? Actually, as two widely used file systems on Windows PC, you can't directly say which one is better and which is not that good.

Due to different purposes, you will need to use a different file system for a Windows partition or external storage device partition, which is something we'll discuss in the next part.

When to Use NTFS or FAT32

Here are two cases that people posted online, looking for a way to convert NTFS to FAT32:

Case 1 -

'The USB Drive is NTFS, but the BIOS file won't be recognized by the computer. To resolve the issue, I need to convert the USB Drive format from NTFS to FAT32.'

Case 2 -

'I wanna back up my system partition and it is an NTFS partition. However, the backup application I use doesn't support NFTS and only FAT is supported. So I need to convert NTFS to FAT32.'

So when do you should use NTFS or FAT32？ Here, we listed some common usages of NTFS and FAT32 that can help you to determine whether you need NTFS or FAT32:

• To set the drive for installing Windows, NTFS is the best for Windows 10/8/7 and newer OS. FAT32 is for old OS (Windows XP and older).
• To transfer files on a non-Windows OS, FAT32 is the best choice. (As long as your file sizes are smaller than 4GB.)
• To set the best file system for your external storage device such as USB, SD card, etc, which are smaller than 64GB, FAT32 is the best.
• To set a default file system for most game controllers or game drives, FAT32 is the best. exFAT takes second place.

Obviously, FAT32 is wildly used especially on external storage devices and file transfer. So how to change the file system from NTFS to FAT32?

NTFS to FAT32 Converters Free Download

Here the following, we'll cover 4 FAT32 formatted that will help you effectively convert NTFS to FAT32 with ease.

• #1. Use EaseUS Partition Master - Easy
• #2. Use Windows File Explorer - Easy
• #3. Use Disk Management - Medium
• #4. Use DiskPart Command Prompt - Hard

All the four NTFS to FAT32 converters support all Windows OS, including Windows 10/8/7/XP/Vista, etc. The former converter is, the better it works to change the file system of your device.

Pick up the desired tool and follow the tutorial below to convert your device from NTFS to FAT32 with ease now.

Method 1. Convert NTFS to FAT32 with EaseUS Partition Master

Best for: Windows Beginners

Difficulty Level: Extremely easy

Capacity Limit: None

The easiest way is to use a third-party NTFS to the FAT32 format tool. EaseUS partition magic tool can help you do this job easily. It is a powerful tool that allows you to change the file system between NTFS and FAT32.

The software works perfectly in Windows 10, 8, 8.1, 7, XP, and Vista. It does more than simply formatting NTFS device to FAT32. It also supports to:

• Support other file systems, including exFAT, FAT16, Ext2/3/4, etc.
• Supports to Convert FAT/FAT32 to NTFS without formatting, no data loss.
• Supports formatting 64GB/128GB UBS to FAT32 without limit.
• Supports advanced features, including resizing partition, converting a disk to MBR/GPT, transferring OS, etc.

After backing up data, you can start to convert NTFS to FAT32 by formatting your device then. Here are the steps:

Step 1: Launch EaseUS Partition Master, right-click the partition you intend to format and choose 'Format'.

Step 2: In the new window, enter the Partition label, choose the FAT32 file system, and set the cluster size according to your needs, then click 'OK'.

Step 3: Then you will see a warning window, click 'OK' in it to continue.

Step 4: Click the 'Execute Operation' button in the top-left corner to review the changes, then click 'Apply' to start formatting the partition to FAT32.

Method 2. Change NTFS to FAT32 using Windows File Explorer

Best for: Windows Beginners

Difficulty Level: Easy

Capacity Limit: Device should be 32GB or smaller

As for most Windows users, another easy way to change NTFS to FAT32 is using Windows built-in FAT32 formatter - Windows File Explorer.

It's efficient and easy. Let's see how to format your storage device to FAT32:

Step 1. Connect your hard drive or external storage device to Windows PC.

Step 2. Double-click This PC/My computer to open File Explorer.

Step 3. Locate and right-click on the USB drive, select 'Format'.

Step 4. Set the FAT32 as the target file system, tick 'Quick Format' and click 'Start' to start the formatting.

When you finish the formatting, click 'OK' to confirm. Now, your device is with FAT32.

Method 3. Format NTFS to FAT32 Using Disk Management

Best for: Experienced Windows users

Difficulty Level: Medium

Capacity Limit: Device should be 32GB or smaller

The other method is to use Disk Management. Note that the FAT32 option will be unavailable in the drop-down box if the drive size you desire to format is larger than 32GB (Windows limitation). Also, back up data before your operations.

How can I convert the USB Drive format from NTFS to FAT32?

1. Right-click 'This PC' or 'My Computer' and click 'Manage', click 'Disk Management'.

2. Choose your USB Drive, right click the drive and choose 'Format'. Click 'Yes'.

3.Name the drive and select the file system as 'FAT32'. Click 'OK'.

4. You can find the format is FAT32.

When the formatting completes, you can find the format is FAT32 displaying in Disk Management.

Method 4. Format NTFS Device to FAT32 via DiskPart

Best for: Experienced or advanced users, administrators

Difficulty Level: Hard

Capacity Limit: Device should be 32GB or smaller

Unlike Windows File Explorer and Disk Management, DiskPart does more jobs than merely formatting devices. It also executes some advanced management jobs on Windows and Windows Server machines.

To use the DiskPart command line to change the file system to FAT32, you need to be very careful with the following steps:

Connect the storage device that you need to convert from NTFS to FAT32 to your PC.

Step 1. Type cmd in Windows Search, right-click on Command Prompt and select 'Run as administrator'.

Step 2. Type diskpart into the Command Prompt window and hit Enter.

Step 3. Type the following command lines and hit Enter each time:

• list disk
• select disk 0(Replace 0 with the disk number of your target device)
• list volume
• select volume 2(Replace 2 with the volume number of your device)
• format fs=fat32 quick

Step 4. When the formatting process completes, type exit to close DiskPart.

After this, your device is now with FAT32.

The Bottom Line

On this page, we explained what is NTFS, what is FAT32, and when to use NTFS or FAT32. As FAT32 obtains higher compatibility, we also provided 4 NTFS to FAT32 converters to help you change the file system of your device from NTFS to FAT32 with ease.

Note that before you convert to FAT32, copy your data to another drive or use backup and recovery software to back up data.

Ntfs Vs Fat32 For Mac

If you prefer an easy and effective FAT32 formatter, especially to format big devices (more than 32GB) to FAT32, EaseUS Partition Master is always ready to help.

People Also Ask

Ntfs For Mac

1. Can NTFS convert to fat32?

Yes, you can convert NTFS to fat32. But the common-used Windows built-in tools (Disk Management, Window File Explorer) only allows you to convert NTFS to FAT32 by reformatting this partition. Of course, that will cause data loss. Don't worry, try EaseUS Partition Master without formatting or data loss.

Format To Ntfs On Mac

2. Is NTFS better than fat32?

Ntfs Vs Fat32 For Mac

Which is better? Actually, as two widely used file systems on Windows PC, you can't directly say which one is better and which is not that good. FAT32 supports up to 4GB file and 2TB max volume size. In other words, you can only save single files smaller than 4GB to a FAT32 device. NTFS supports up to 16TB single file with 2 - 4 TB volume size in practice.

Ntfs And Fat32 For Mac Hard Drive

3. How can I convert NTFS to fat32 without formatting?

Ntfs Fat32 Mac Os

• Launch EaseUS Partition Master, right-click the partition you intend to format and choose 'Format'.
• Choose the FAT32 file system, and set the cluster size according to your needs,
• Then click 'OK'.