By Vernon Roderick, Last updated: September 16, 2020
- FAT32 Format is an aptly named tool that can format a storage device in the FAT32 file system. This version is designed specifically for the Windows 2000, XP, and Vista operating systems and will not work with newer versions, such as Windows 8, 8.1, and 10.
- FAT32format GUI, free download. Format partition software for Windows: User interface version of free and easy tool that formats hard disk drives, large or small, into FAT32 as opposed to the now-default NTFS format. Includes tests and PC download for Windows 32 and 64-bit systems.
Trusted Windows (PC) download FAT32 Formatter 3.01.2. Virus-free and 100% clean download. Get FAT32 Formatter alternative downloads.
NTFS is the most commonly used file system on Windows, but it's not very common on Mac. After all, it's not normally available. As such, users lean on formatting their SD cards to either FAT32 or exFAT, but lately, exFAT is receiving some criticisms.
In the end, FAT32 is the universal file system for Mac users, but of course, not everyone knows that. There are some that simply formats their SD card without checking the file system. This article will discuss how to format SD card on Mac to FAT32so you can have a better understanding of the file system that you're using.
Part 1. Why Would You Format an SD Card?
Before you start learning how to format SD card on Mac to FAT32, you first have to ask yourself, why would you need to format the drive in the first place? To begin with, it will erase all your data, so there's the risk, but what's the reward?
Firstly, before an SD card or even a microSD card can be used, it must be formatted in any way. That means it can be FAT32 or exFAT. However, it is still important to choose the right file system and not just pick either of them. This is so that it aligns with the specs of the SD card while minimizing the risks for issues.
Part 2. Before You Begin to Format SD Card on Mac to FAT32
There are also a couple of things you have to take note of before you can actually learn how to format SD card on Mac to FAT32. Below is a list of things that are recommended, and sometimes requires, for you to follow:
- Your system unit supports the formatting of drives with 64GB or 128GB of size
- It is recommended to use only SD cards that are Class 10 and up in terms of speed
- Test the SD card first before actually formatting it
- Avoid using Class 4 SD cards as they are prone to corruption and will show very slow performance. This might compromise the files inside the drive when turned to FAT32
- Avoid formatting fake SD cards to FAT32 as they may also compromise the files. Fake ones are most likely the very cheap ones compared to their actual value.
- If you can't follow the previous two tips, make sure you create a backup of your files first so you may not regret formatting them to FAT32
Once you have determined that your Mac supports 64GB or 128GB, and your SD card is reputable, then you are ready to learn how to format the SD card on Mac to FAT32.
There are two ways on how to format the SD card on Mac to FAT32. One involves the Disk Utility, while the other involves the Terminal. As you might've already guessed, we will be starting with the Disk Utility.
Part 3. How to Format SD Card on Mac to FAT32 with Disk Utility
The Disk Utility is a built-in tool of Mac. In short, it is already there as part of your Mac operating system, so there's no need to install anything. Before going through the steps, you might want to know that formatting the SD card is better done when it's still inside the camera. This is because it has a much more efficient method for formatting.
Either way, if you want to go ahead and learn how to format SD card on Mac to FAT32, here are the steps that you will need to follow:
- Connect the SD card to Mac.
If you have a built-in SD card slot on your Mac, simply insert the SD card there. In the case of microSD cards, put it into the cartridge of an SD card adapter, and then put the adapter into the slot. An SD card reader may also suffice.
- Launch Disk Utility Application.
There are also different ways to open Disk Utility. One way is to go to Applications > Utilities. There, select Disk Utility. Another way is to click on the magnifying glass at the top-right corner of the screen to go to Spotlight and search for Disk Utility. You can also access Spotlight by pressing Command + Space on your keyboard.
- Erase SD Card.
Now from the left side of the window, select the SD card that you want to format. If this is your first time formatting it, it's most likely unnamed; otherwise, you should know its name. Now from the options at the top bar, select Erase. This will prompt the system to ask for confirmation through a popup message. Solver add in mac. Just get through with the message.
- Configure Formatting.
You will get a popup window which should be the Format wizard. There will be two fields in this window. In the Name field, enter the name that you want to give the SD card. In the Format field which should be a dropdown menu, there will be multiple options. Select MS-DOS (FAT) if the SD card is 32GB or below. Otherwise, select exFAT since FAT32 won't work. Click on the Erase button.
- Wait for the Format to Finish.
This should format the SD card. It may take a while, depending on how large the SD card is. Nevertheless, click on the Done button once the formatting is completed.
That is how to format the SD card on Mac to FAT32using the traditional method, that is, by using the Disk Utility application. However, not every tool is made perfect. If there is some kind of issue that will prevent you from formatting the SD card, you can always try another method that is a bit more complex.
Part 4. How to Format SD Card on Mac to FAT32 with Terminal
A Terminal is likewise a built-in tool of Mac. It is basically a crucial part of every Mac operating system, similar to how Command Prompt is important to Windows PC. Since Terminal is basically the Mac counterpart of Command Prompt, you can expect your task to learn how to format the SD card on Mac to FAT32using Terminal to be more difficult than with the previous method.
With that being said, make sure to carefully follow these steps to avoid any serious issues:
- Connect Your SD Card to Mac.
Insert the SD card into your Mac computer. This can be done using the same method you used when you tried out the Disk Utility method.
- Launch Terminal.
There are a couple of ways to open Terminal. For one, you can go to Applications > Utilities > Terminal. You may also go to Spotlight the same way you did before. Then, type in 'terminal' and press Enter.
- Determine SD Card.
First, you have to determine the code representing your SD card. Type in the Distil list in the Terminal window. Now look for something like /dev/disk#. The # sign can be any number from 0. Remember this figure.
- Format the SD Card.
Now type in 'Sudo Diskutil eraseDisk FAT32 /dev/disk#'. All you need to change in this code is, the name that you want to use. Make sure to remove the <> signs. For /dev/disk#, replace # with the corresponding number of the SD card. This should be enough to format any drive. That's basically how to format SD card on Mac to FAT32with increased difficulty using Terminal.
Part 5. Alternative SD Card Formatting Method
Although we've talked about the two main methods on how to format SD card on Mac to FAT32, there's also another way to format the drive, and that would be by using a third-party tool.
There are a couple of SD card Formatters out there. They are most likely going to use the same system that Disk Utility uses, but it makes the job easier by compiling all the steps that you would have had trouble learning into one window. If you want convenience, then I suggest using third-party SD card Formatters. However, it's up to you to find a suitable SD card Formatter for you.
Part 6. Recover Files from a Formatted SD Card
As I have mentioned earlier, learning how to format an SD card on Mac to FAT32has its consequences. The biggest consequence might be the fact that you will lose your files in the formatted SD card. So what can you do to avoid losing those files permanently?
FoneDog Data Recovery allows users to from all kinds of drives. The best part about this is that it can recover from formatted SD cards. Simply put, I suggest checking out FoneDog Data Recovery if you want to have a contingency in case you lose important files through the formatting process.
Data RecoveryRecover deleted image, document, audio and more files.Get deleted data back from computer (including Recycle Bin) and hard drives.Recover loss data caused by disk accident, operation system crushes and other reasons.
Part 7. Conclusion
Not everyone knows how to format SD card on Mac to FAT32, especially since SD card Formatters are becoming more popular nowadays. This task is becoming more of an automatic task rather than a manual one.
Doom 3 for mac free download. However, since you now know how to do it, it shouldn't be a problem in the future. If you do encounter an issue, I suggest searching it up on the internet the same way you did today.
Not every USB drive can be used with a Mac out of the box, you'll need to format the drive to compatible with the MacOS extended file system. If you want to ensure full Mac compatibility on your USB drive or flash disk, just read this article. And you will find two ways which will teach you how to format a USB drive to FAT32 on Mac, including Disk Utility and Terminal command. And if you lost your important data because of formatting, you can use data recovery tool to recover data from a formatted USB drive on Mac.
What You Should Do First Before Formatting USB Drive on Mac
Yоu hаvе tо be sure that уоu know whаt уоu are doing whеn you execute thе соmmаndѕ thаt because you саn еrаѕе your еntirе hаrd drivе if уоu do this wrоng.
The only way to be sure of the content you are formatting is to first remove the USB drive from Mac, know the title of other storage disks, insert the USB disk again and note the name of the disk. Now you are sure not to be formatting a wrong disk this way. Next, drag the USB data to a safe location for backup/recovery measures before formatting it. Then you are set to get it done!
Which File Format to Choose When Formatting USB Drive on Mac
For PCs operating on macOS High Sierra or newer version, you can select from two options of file formats: Mac OS Extended and APFS. Diskaid for mac. Here is the difference, APFS format is not compatible with macOS versions older than High Sierra. Therefore, if you are sure to still insert your USB driver on older versions of macOS, then you should consider formatting as Mac OS Extended.
Also, if you are to use the USB drive as a destination for Time Machine, you should consider reformatting to Mac OS Extended as Time Machine cannot back up an APFS disk.
How to Format a USB Drive to FAT32 on Mac
As earlier stated, you need to first back up your USB drive before formatting the drive as you may not be able to recover the contents again. Now, you can follow the steps to be highlighted below to get it successfully formatted.
1Format a USB Drive to FAT32 in Mac OS with Disk Utility
Step 1. Insert the USB to be formatted to a Mac PC.
Step 2. Navigate to Applications > Utilities, and click it twice to open it.
Step 3. Select the drive you want to format and click on Erase.
Step 4. Rename the USB drive (optional), and choose the MS-DOS(FAT) for format.
Step 5. Then select Master Boot Record for scheme, hit Erase.
Step 6. Once the process is done, you are ready to reuse the drive with FAT32 file system to save data again.
The Disk Utility is a built-in tool of Mac. In short, it is already there as part of your Mac operating system, so there's no need to install anything. Before going through the steps, you might want to know that formatting the SD card is better done when it's still inside the camera. This is because it has a much more efficient method for formatting.
Either way, if you want to go ahead and learn how to format SD card on Mac to FAT32, here are the steps that you will need to follow:
- Connect the SD card to Mac.
If you have a built-in SD card slot on your Mac, simply insert the SD card there. In the case of microSD cards, put it into the cartridge of an SD card adapter, and then put the adapter into the slot. An SD card reader may also suffice.
- Launch Disk Utility Application.
There are also different ways to open Disk Utility. One way is to go to Applications > Utilities. There, select Disk Utility. Another way is to click on the magnifying glass at the top-right corner of the screen to go to Spotlight and search for Disk Utility. You can also access Spotlight by pressing Command + Space on your keyboard.
- Erase SD Card.
Now from the left side of the window, select the SD card that you want to format. If this is your first time formatting it, it's most likely unnamed; otherwise, you should know its name. Now from the options at the top bar, select Erase. This will prompt the system to ask for confirmation through a popup message. Solver add in mac. Just get through with the message.
- Configure Formatting.
You will get a popup window which should be the Format wizard. There will be two fields in this window. In the Name field, enter the name that you want to give the SD card. In the Format field which should be a dropdown menu, there will be multiple options. Select MS-DOS (FAT) if the SD card is 32GB or below. Otherwise, select exFAT since FAT32 won't work. Click on the Erase button.
- Wait for the Format to Finish.
This should format the SD card. It may take a while, depending on how large the SD card is. Nevertheless, click on the Done button once the formatting is completed.
That is how to format the SD card on Mac to FAT32using the traditional method, that is, by using the Disk Utility application. However, not every tool is made perfect. If there is some kind of issue that will prevent you from formatting the SD card, you can always try another method that is a bit more complex.
Part 4. How to Format SD Card on Mac to FAT32 with Terminal
A Terminal is likewise a built-in tool of Mac. It is basically a crucial part of every Mac operating system, similar to how Command Prompt is important to Windows PC. Since Terminal is basically the Mac counterpart of Command Prompt, you can expect your task to learn how to format the SD card on Mac to FAT32using Terminal to be more difficult than with the previous method.
With that being said, make sure to carefully follow these steps to avoid any serious issues:
- Connect Your SD Card to Mac.
Insert the SD card into your Mac computer. This can be done using the same method you used when you tried out the Disk Utility method.
- Launch Terminal.
There are a couple of ways to open Terminal. For one, you can go to Applications > Utilities > Terminal. You may also go to Spotlight the same way you did before. Then, type in 'terminal' and press Enter.
- Determine SD Card.
First, you have to determine the code representing your SD card. Type in the Distil list in the Terminal window. Now look for something like /dev/disk#. The # sign can be any number from 0. Remember this figure.
- Format the SD Card.
Now type in 'Sudo Diskutil eraseDisk FAT32 /dev/disk#'. All you need to change in this code is, the name that you want to use. Make sure to remove the <> signs. For /dev/disk#, replace # with the corresponding number of the SD card. This should be enough to format any drive. That's basically how to format SD card on Mac to FAT32with increased difficulty using Terminal.
Part 5. Alternative SD Card Formatting Method
Although we've talked about the two main methods on how to format SD card on Mac to FAT32, there's also another way to format the drive, and that would be by using a third-party tool.
There are a couple of SD card Formatters out there. They are most likely going to use the same system that Disk Utility uses, but it makes the job easier by compiling all the steps that you would have had trouble learning into one window. If you want convenience, then I suggest using third-party SD card Formatters. However, it's up to you to find a suitable SD card Formatter for you.
Part 6. Recover Files from a Formatted SD Card
As I have mentioned earlier, learning how to format an SD card on Mac to FAT32has its consequences. The biggest consequence might be the fact that you will lose your files in the formatted SD card. So what can you do to avoid losing those files permanently?
FoneDog Data Recovery allows users to from all kinds of drives. The best part about this is that it can recover from formatted SD cards. Simply put, I suggest checking out FoneDog Data Recovery if you want to have a contingency in case you lose important files through the formatting process.
Data RecoveryRecover deleted image, document, audio and more files.Get deleted data back from computer (including Recycle Bin) and hard drives.Recover loss data caused by disk accident, operation system crushes and other reasons.
Part 7. Conclusion
Not everyone knows how to format SD card on Mac to FAT32, especially since SD card Formatters are becoming more popular nowadays. This task is becoming more of an automatic task rather than a manual one.
Doom 3 for mac free download. However, since you now know how to do it, it shouldn't be a problem in the future. If you do encounter an issue, I suggest searching it up on the internet the same way you did today.
Not every USB drive can be used with a Mac out of the box, you'll need to format the drive to compatible with the MacOS extended file system. If you want to ensure full Mac compatibility on your USB drive or flash disk, just read this article. And you will find two ways which will teach you how to format a USB drive to FAT32 on Mac, including Disk Utility and Terminal command. And if you lost your important data because of formatting, you can use data recovery tool to recover data from a formatted USB drive on Mac.
What You Should Do First Before Formatting USB Drive on Mac
Yоu hаvе tо be sure that уоu know whаt уоu are doing whеn you execute thе соmmаndѕ thаt because you саn еrаѕе your еntirе hаrd drivе if уоu do this wrоng.
The only way to be sure of the content you are formatting is to first remove the USB drive from Mac, know the title of other storage disks, insert the USB disk again and note the name of the disk. Now you are sure not to be formatting a wrong disk this way. Next, drag the USB data to a safe location for backup/recovery measures before formatting it. Then you are set to get it done!
Which File Format to Choose When Formatting USB Drive on Mac
For PCs operating on macOS High Sierra or newer version, you can select from two options of file formats: Mac OS Extended and APFS. Diskaid for mac. Here is the difference, APFS format is not compatible with macOS versions older than High Sierra. Therefore, if you are sure to still insert your USB driver on older versions of macOS, then you should consider formatting as Mac OS Extended.
Also, if you are to use the USB drive as a destination for Time Machine, you should consider reformatting to Mac OS Extended as Time Machine cannot back up an APFS disk.
How to Format a USB Drive to FAT32 on Mac
As earlier stated, you need to first back up your USB drive before formatting the drive as you may not be able to recover the contents again. Now, you can follow the steps to be highlighted below to get it successfully formatted.
1Format a USB Drive to FAT32 in Mac OS with Disk Utility
Step 1. Insert the USB to be formatted to a Mac PC.
Step 2. Navigate to Applications > Utilities, and click it twice to open it.
Step 3. Select the drive you want to format and click on Erase.
Step 4. Rename the USB drive (optional), and choose the MS-DOS(FAT) for format.
Step 5. Then select Master Boot Record for scheme, hit Erase.
Step 6. Once the process is done, you are ready to reuse the drive with FAT32 file system to save data again.
2Convert/Format USB Drive to FAT32
Step 1. Connect the USB drive to your Mac PC.
Step 2. Click on cmd + space to run spotlight, input terminal then tap Enter key.
Step 3. Type diskutil list to find the location of your UB drive (eg: dev/disk2 is the USB drive in the below picture).
Step 4. Type sudo diskutil eraseDisk FAT32 MBRFormat /dev/disk2.
sudo gives you user right.
Diskutil calls disk utility program.
eraseDisk commands to format.
FAT32 sets the file system.
MBRFormat tells disk utility to format with a Master Boot Record.
/dev/disk2 is the location of the USB drive.
After the process completes, type diskutil list in command once more to check if the USB drive has been formatted successfully.
Format Usb Fat32 On Mac
If succeeded, you can use the USB drive with FAT32 file system to store data again.
How to Recover Lost Data after Formatting a USB Drive to FAT32 on Mac
Users perhaps format a USB drive by mistake. Only after formatting it, they would realize that they had lost important data. If you don' t have a backup for data, then you can recover lost data from formatted USB drive on Mac with this trusted data recovery software - iMyFone AnyRecover. You can now recover all kinds of data from formatted USB drive on Mac with only 3 simple steps.
Features of iMyFone AnyRecover:
- Your Comprehensive Mac Data Recovery Solution
You can get back your lost photos, videos, documents, compressed files, and numerous kinds of data from formatted USB drive easily.
Retrieve data from MacBook, any internal or external storage media: memory card, USB drive, virtual disk, HDD, SSD, and so on.
Resolve all data loss situations: formatted drive, trash emptied, partition lost, accidental deletion, virus attack, hardware failure and other cases.
It allows you to preview scanned files before recovery and select what you want to restore.
Sd Card Formatter Fat32 Windows 10
It supports data recovery on all types of USB drives. It also supports file formats like NTFS, HFS, FAT, exFAT, etc.
Follow the next steps to recover data after formatting USB flash drive on mac:
Step 1: Make sure you have connected your USB drive to your Mac successfully. Launch AnyRecover software on your system and select the formatted USB drive you are trying to recover from. And press the 'Start' button to start the scanning.
Step 2: The software will automatically begin the scanning process. This can help you recover your lost data from your formatted USB drive.
Fat32 Sd Formatter
Step 3: Immediately after the scanning process is complete, the software will list all the files in their respective file formats and folders. Tick on and confirm what you are going to recover, then click on 'Recover' button.
Conclusion
Fat32 Formatter For Mac Download
USB storage devices have become very popular these days because they are a very convenient way to store and transfer data. However, there could be times when you formatted disk, accidentally deleted files, your storage device could become damaged, or you could end up with data corruption due to operating system failures, viruses, software malfunctions or other problems that cause damage to your data stored on your USB storage device. If it is the case, do not panic, Just download iMyFone AnyRecover to get your lost data back quickly and easily.
