How to Format an External Hard Drive

USB storage devices can be formatted differently for specific purposes, but generally FAT32 is the standard for large capacity storage if the device is to be used across various operating systems like Windows 10 and MacOS. Use the appropriate steps below to reformat your device. 

Note: You will lose all data when formatting your drive. Prior to doing so, back up all data you wish to retain before following these steps 

Windows 10:

1. Plug your USB storage device into the computer
2. Click the start menu icon in the lower-left corner of your screen
3. Search for and open File Explorer
4. In the left-hand side of the box that appears, locate and right-click the drive you wish to format
5. Select Format...
6. Under File system, select FAT32 for the best compatibility across different kinds of devices
7. Name the device whatever you'd like, and press Start

Apple MacOS:

1. Plug your USB storage device into the Mac
2. Click the magnifying glass in the top-right of your menu bar
3. In the search box that appears, search for and open Disk Utility
   1. Ensure you can see the sidebar by clicking the sidebar button
4. Right-click the target device under External
5. Select Erase…
6. Name the device whatever you'd like, and set the format to MS-DOS (FAT32) for the best compatibility across different kinds of devices
7. Click Erase