How to Change a Flash Drive From FAT32 to NTFS

Format your flash drive as NTFS.

If you have a flash drive on your computer that you need to change from a FAT32 partition to a NTFS partition, you can do so by formatting the drive. This process will erase all of the data on the drive, so you must back up the data before you initiate the process. Once the drive has been formatted, you will be able to use it as an NTFS drive.

Things You'll Need

• Flash drive plugged into your computer

Instructions

1. Right-click "My Computer," click "Manage," open "Device Manager," expand "Disk Drives," and right-click on your flash drive.

2. Select "Properties," open the "Policies" tab, select "Optimize for Performance" and then click the "OK" button.

3. Open Windows Explorer (right-click the "Start" button and select "Explore"), right-click on your flash drive, and click the "Format" option.

4. Select "NTFS" from the file system type and then click "Start." When you see a popup indicating that the flash drive has been formatted, the NTFS formatting operation will be complete and the drive ready-to-use.

References

• NTFS: Format Flash Drive as NTFS