Disk Format Windows 10 [updated] Jun 2026
Find the drive in the list. If it’s brand new, it may appear as "Unallocated."
This is a powerful "pro" method used when Windows encounters errors or for "cleaning" a drive entirely.
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Are you formatting a or trying to wipe an old one to sell it?
For maximum security, consider using specialized third-party software (like DBAN or Eraser) that overwrites the drive multiple times with random data, making recovery impossible. Find the drive in the list
the drive or volume and select Format (or New Simple Volume for unallocated space).
| File System | Maximum File Size | Maximum Volume Size | Best Used For | |-------------|-------------------|---------------------|----------------| | | 16 EB (practically limited by Windows) | 256 TB (practical) | Internal system drives, large external drives, Windows-only environments | | FAT32 | 4 GB | 2 TB | Compatibility with old devices (game consoles, cameras, older OSes) | | exFAT | 16 EB | 128 PB (practical) | USB flash drives, cross-platform use (Windows/macOS/Linux) | Select 'Drive 0'
Windows 10 introduced a modern settings interface that handles drives effectively.
Switching between NTFS (best for Windows) and exFAT (best for Mac/PC sharing). Data Erasure: Quickly wiping a drive to start fresh.
You cannot format the C: drive while Windows is running. To format your primary drive, you must boot from a Windows installation USB.
This is the quickest way to format a removable USB drive or a secondary internal data partition. Open and click on This PC . Right-click the drive you want to format and select Format .