[Top 8] Best USB Format Tools | USB Formatter Free Download

The USB format tool, also known as USB formatter, lets you solve many USB format problems. With the help of the recommended USB format tools on this page, you can easily format USB drive to FAT32 or NTFS, format a write-protected USB flash drive, format USB drive back to the original size, etc. Here is a list of the best 8 USB format tools in 2023 that you can't miss:

USB Format Tool Testing Statistics 

How did we pick the top 8 USB format tools? Here is a list of USB format tools testing statistics that you may feel interested:

When Do You Need USB Format Tool

According to Wikipedia, "Disk formatting is the process of preparing a data storage device such as a hard disk drive, solid-state drive, floppy disk, memory card or USB flash drive for initial use. In some cases, the formatting operation may also create one or more new file systems."

Accordingly, formatting is the quickest way to prepare a USB drive ready for data storage, and plus, it is the best way to troubleshoot many general USB issues.

When you meet any one of the following issues, you would like to format your USB drive or a pen drive with a reliable USB format tool:

• USB is slow in writing or transferring files.
• USB becomes RAW, not accessible, not formatted USB drive
• Remove data and restore USB drive to its full capacity.
• Can't save a single file bigger than 4GB on USB.
• Can't create a partition larger than 32GB on FAT32 USB drive.
• Windows was unable to complete the format while formatting a USB.
• Can't format USB with "the disk is write-protected" error.

You may also be interest in:

2023 Top 8 Best USB Format Tools for Windows 10/8/7/XP Users

To help you fix USB cannot format, USB drive is write-protected, USB format error, USB becomes raw, and more issues, here we collected top 8 best USB format tools in 2023 to help you out.

Pick up one and format your USB flash drive to fix the problems immediately: 

Among the top 8 USB formatters, EaseUS Partition Master is highly recommended as the TOP ONE USB format tool. It allows all Windows users to format their USB flash drive, external or internal hard drive, SD card, etc., to all any file system with ease.

After picking up the USB format tool, you may follow the tutorial below to format your USB flash drive with ease now.

#1. EaseUS Partition Master - The Best USB Format Tool in 2023

Many USB formatting tools are available online to help, like HP USB Disk Storage Formatting Tool, MMC Formatting tool, USB formatting software, etc. Which one is the best?

Here, we would like to recommend you try EaseUS Partition Master. Its powerful formatting capacity and easy-to-use features enable all levels of users to format their USB flash drive from all complex cases within a few simple clicks. Aside from formatting USB to FAT32, you can also apply this software to set up USB for different purposes.

Software Free Download:

Features You May Like:

• Format 128GB USB to FAT32
• Format USB to Fix "File Is Too Large for Destination File System" Error
• Format USB to EXT2/3/4, FAT16/32, NTFS, exFAT
• Convert USB from FAT32 to NTFS, or convert NTFS to FAT32 without Formatting.

Pros and Conse in EaseUS USB Format Tool:

✅Pros	⛔Cons
Format USB to FAT32/NTFS/Ext4/3/2/exFAT. Support Windows 11/10/8/7/XP/Vista, and allWindows Servers. The only bootable USB format tool.	Doesn't have a Mac version.

Editors' Thoughts:

https://t.co/dbjP8vktx8 EaseUS Partition Master: Partition management software
review #cybersecurity

— The latest Security News (@netsecu) August 9, 2022

Why Choose EaseUS Partition Master: 

Flexible, secure, and fast to execute USB formatting operation into multiple file system formats. 24*7 free online technical support. It takes the risk and difficulty out of resizing and managing hard disks and SSDs.

Tutorial: How to Format USB Flash Drive with EaseUS USB Formatting Tool

Now you can try the following guide to format your USB drive in Sandisk, Kingston, Panasonic, Lexar, Samsung, Sony, etc. with a few simple steps. 

Step 1. Select the USB drive to format.

Connect the USB drive or pen drive to your computer. Download and launch EaseUS partition software. Right-click the USB drive you intend to format and choose "Format".

Step 2. Set the drive letter and file system on USB.

Assign a new partition label, file system (NTFS/FAT32/EXT2/EXT3/EXT4/exFAT), and cluster size to the selected partition, then click "OK".

Step 3. Check "Yes" to confirm formatting USB.

Click "Yes" if you see the Warning window. If you have important data on it, back up the data in advance.

Step 4. Apply the changes.

Click the "Execute 1 Task(s)" button first, and then click "Apply" to format the USB drive.

If you think this USB format tool is efficient and it indeed helps you format the problematic USB to work again, please share it to help more people around you online:

#2. Windows File Explorer - Format USB Drive in Windows 11/10/8/7

Windows has default programs that let users format USB pen drives and a variety of hard drive storage devices as well. Windows File Explorer is one of them, though not a professional USB format tool, yet the easiest tool for formatting a USB flash drive or USB.

Note that File Explorer is not designed to solve every USB corruption issue, but it's good to have the first try when your USB drive starts malfunctioning.

Software Download:

File Explorer is a built-in file accessor that Windows users can directly open it by pressing 🪟Windows + E keys without downloading or installation. 

Features You May Like:

• Free
• Format USB to NTFS/FAT32, exFAT (on big USB drive)
• Delete and remove files from USB

✅Pros	⛔Cons
Format USB to FAT32/NTFS. Support Windows 11/10/8/7.	Can't format USB to Ext4/3/2.

Why Choose File Explorer:

Easy, direct, and accessible for every Windows user. 100% free. One of the most popular way of formatting USB.

Tutorial: Format USB Flash Drive Using File Explorer

Connect the USB flash drive to your computer, after Windows recognizes the USB, you can follow the steps below to format your USB drive now:

Step 1. Open File Explorer.

Step 2. Choose "This PC" from the left pane.

Step 3. Right-click the connected USB flash drive and select "Format".

Step 4. Under the File system section, set NTFS, FAT32 or exFAT for the USB.

Step 5. Tick "Quick Format" and click "Start".

Please share this easy way to format USB tool to help more of your friends on Facebook, twitter or Instagram to format USB easily:

#3. Windows Disk Management - Format a Not Working USB Drive

Disk Management is the other native Windows program that is available in Windows 10/8/7. It enables users to undertake many more tasks to manage a disk as they want.

Software Download:

Disk Management doesn't require software downloading and installation. You can directly press 🪟Windows + X keys, select "Disk Management" to open this tool on your PC.

Features You May Like:

• Free
• Format RAW USB to NTFS/FAT32/exFAT
• Create New Volume on USB
• Delete Volume on USB

✅Pros	⛔Cons
Format USB to FAT32/NTFS. Support Windows 11/10/8/7.	Can't format USB to Ext4/3/2. Can't efficiently format USB when it becomes RAW.

Why Choose Disk Management:

100% free, safe, and efficient to format USB. Windows administrators' quick menu for managing disk hard drives and USB drives.

Tutorial: Format (Inaccessible) USB Flash Drive in Disk Management

Step 1. Right-click on This PC and navigate to Manage > Disk Management.

Step 2. Right-click on the USB drive, and choose "Format".

Step 3. Set the allocation unit size and select NTFS, FAT32, or exFAT as the file system.

Step 4. Check "Perform a quick format" and click "OK" to start formatting the USB drive.

If the fixes indeed help a lot, don't hesitate to share them with your friends. Clicking the buttons below can quickly share the article.

#4. Windows Diskpart Command - Advanced USB Formatter for Professionals

Windows Command Prompt is a built-in tool in Windows that can troubleshoot all kinds of computer problems with various commands. You can efficiently format an external USB drive using the Diskpart command as the USB formatter.

Software Download:

Note that DiskPart is another free tool that is pre-installed in Windows operating system and Windows users can directly asscess this tool by pressing 🪟Windows + R keys, typing diskpart and hitting Enter. 

Features You May Like:

• Free
• Format USB to NTFS/FAT32/exFAT
• Delete USB Partition
• Create New Volume on USB

✅Pros	⛔Cons
Format USB to FAT32/NTFS. Support Windows 10/8/7.	Can't format USB to Ext4/3/2. Complex for beginners.

Why Choose DiskPart:

Free and effective way to format USB into NTSF/FAT32. Advanced users' pick. 

Tutorial: Format USB Flash Drive Using DiskPart Command

This method is somehow complex for many Windows beginners. Be patient and careful while utilizing this way to tackle some USB issues via formatting.

Connect your USB to the computer and start formatting it via DiskPart now:

Step 1. In Windows 10, press Windows + R keys and type cmd in the Search box.

In Windows 8/7, click the Windows icon and select "Search". Type command prompt in the Search box.

Step 2. Right-click Command Prompt and select "Run as administrator".

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

• diskpart
• list disk
• select disk + number (If the USB flash drive is disk 2, then enter disk 2)
• list volume
• select volume + number (If the USB flash volume is volume 10, select volume 10)
• format fs=ntfs quick (You can also replace ntfs with FAT32 or exFAT)
• exit

#5. HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool - Best USB Formatter for Windows XP

The HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool was created to format USB drives and desktop computers that were produced prior to 2012 and computers that run Windows XP. The formatting tool will work with newer Windows operating systems but results may vary.

Software Download:

You can open one of these links listed here in your browser and download HP USB Disk Storage Format tool on your PC immediately. 

• Download from cnet: https://download.cnet.com/HP-USB-Disk-Storage-Format-Tool/3000-2094_4-10974082.html
• Download from filehippo: https://filehippo.com/download_hp-usb-disk-storage-format-tool/
• Download from bleepingcomputer: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/hp-usb-disk-storage-format-tool/

Features You May Like:

• Free
• Format USB to NTFS/FAT32
• GUI Similar Interface, Windows XP Formatting Tool

✅Pros	⛔Cons
Format USB to FAT32/NTFS. Support Windows XP.	Can't format USB to Ext4/3/2. Only supports USB drives.

Editors' Thoughts:

HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool Free ... https://t.co/qn2wFjO0aw via @EaseUS

— Tracy (@Tracy33160226) March 7, 2023

Why Choose HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool:

Automatically detects and recongizes USB, and it's a portable tool to format USB to NTFS/FAT32. 

Guide: How To Format USB Drive with HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool

To achieve the best USB format result, Windows XP users can consider the USB Disk Storage Format Tool to format a USB drive, flash drive or pen drive.

Connect the USB drive to your Windows XP computer and start with the following tutorial:

Step 1. Launch HP Disk Storage Format Tool, click "Devices" and select the USB drive to format.

Step 2.  On the File System menu, select a file system. In the Volume Label input box, enter a new name for the reformatted USB.

Step 3. Click the Quick Format option to enable a quick format.

Step 4. Click Start to begin the USB formatting.

#6. Rufus - Windows Bootable USB Formatter

Rufus is known as a free tool what enables Windows users to create bootable USB drives and download Windows ISO images for installing or reinstalling the operating systems. However, it also offers a formatting feature that users can apply to format a USB drive to FAT32/NTFS/exFAT.

Software Download:

You can open this link in your browser and download the latest version on your PC: https://rufus.ie/en/.

Features You May Like:

• Free
• Automatically format USB to FAT32, NTFS, or exFAT.
• Support downloading multiple ISO images for different platforms.

✅Pros	⛔Cons
Format USB to NTFS/FAT32/exFAT Support Windows, Linux and other OS.	Can't format USB without downloading ISO files. Only for creating Windows bootable USB media.

Why Choose Rufus:

Enables users to format USB and create Windows or Linux bootable media by downloading and putting Windows/Linux ISO files into the device.

Guide: Format USB with Rufus & Create Bootable USB

Step 1. Launch Rufus and go to the device section to check if your USB drive is detected.

If not, select the target USB drive.

Step 2. At the boot section, select the ISO image you want to download.

Or, click "SELECT" to browse the downloaded ISO image file from your PC.

Step 3. Confirm the format options on your USB drive.

Based on the ISO image file, Rufus would automatically set a new file system to the USB drive and click "START".

#7. USB Disk Storage Format Tool - Old Fashioned USB Formatter

USB Disk Storage Format Tool is a freeware that supports Windows users to quickly format USB drives to NTFS, FAT32, or exFAT with ease. Being similar to HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool, this formatting utility also only formats USB drives on Windows PC.

Software Download:

You can download USB Disk Storage Format Tool from your PC by browsing this link in your browser: https://www.authorsoft.com/usb-disk-storage-format-tool.html.

Features You May Like:

• Free
• Automatically detects USB drives.
• Format USB to NTFS, FAT32 and exFAT.

✅Pros	⛔Cons
Format USB to NTFS/FAT32/exFAT Support scan, check, and correct disk errors.	Can't format USB to EXT. Can't format hard drives and SSDs.

Why Choose USB Disk Storage Format Tool:

Freeware and utility designed for formatting any USB storage devices into FAT32, NTFS, exFAT, etc. Formats USB only.

Guide on Formatting USB with USB Disk Storage Format Tool:

Step 1. Connect the USB to your PC.

Step 2. Launch USB Disk Storage Format Tool and confirm if your USB drive shows in the Device section.

If not, select your USB drive by clicking the down arrow in the Device section.

Step 3. Check the options that you wish to execute on your USB drive - "Quick Format", and click "Format Disk".

#8. HDD Low Level Format Tool - USB Low-Level Format Utility

Known as its name, HDD Low Level Format Tool is a utility that allows users to low-level format their storage devices and reset the device as fresh as new. Unlike normal USB formatters, this tool can directly reset a storage device to its factory settings. In other words, you can directy erase everything in a device with this tool.

Software Download: 

For now, you can open this link: https://hddguru.com/software/HDD-LLF-Low-Level-Format-Tool/ in your browser and download this free usb low-level format tool immediately.

Features You May Like:

• Free
• Low Level Format USB, HDD, SSD.
• List details and S.M.A.R.T information of the selected device.

✅Pros	⛔Cons
Free to low-level format USB Support low-level formatting HDD and SSDs.	Formatting speed gets decreased in the free edition. Request upgrading to pro edition for full formatting speed.

Why Choose HDD Low Level Format Tool:

Free to format all types of storage devices in a low-level formatting procedure. Format USB, SD card, external and internal HDDs/SSDs to original settings.

Guide on Low-Level Formatting USB with HDD Low Level Format Tool:

Step 1. Connect your USB to PC and launch the HDD Low Level Format Tool.

Step 2. Click "Continue for free".

Step 3. Select your USB drive and click "Continue".

Step 4. Go to the Low-Level Format tab, tick "Perform a quick wipe" and click "FORMAT THIS DEVICE".

The Bottom Line

On this page, we have provided 8 top USB format tools for you to pick one to effectively format your USB flash drive or external USB drives to the desired format. 

Remember that you should take a backup of all important data first, no matter why or how you want to format the USB.

Among the 8 USB format tools, EaseUS Partition Master is always ready for you to try. Besides basic formatting operations, this software also allows you to partition the hard drive, and clone disk, even migrate OS to another drive with ease.

People Also Ask

It doesn't matter if you have more questions about formatting a USB drive. Check the questions below, and if you have a similar doubts, follow and check the answer here:

1. How do I format a USB drive?

• Connect the USB drive or pen drive to your computer.
• Launch EaseUS partition software. Right-click the USB drive and choose "Format".
• Assign a new partition label, file system, and cluster size to the selected partition, then click "OK"

2. What happens when you format a USB?

1. 1. Remove existing data from USB.
2. 2. Reset the file system.
3. 3. Restore USB to full capacity.

3. Why can't you format a USB flash drive?

USB Flash drive formatting has its advantages. But File Explorer, Disk Management, or DiskPart can't format USB due to the following reasons:

• Virus Infection
• Bad Sectors
• Physical Damage
• Device Locked or Write Protected
• Incompatible File System

To resolve these issues and format your USB back to a normal state, you'll need the best USB format tool - EaseUS Partition Master, as recommended on this page for help.

4. What is the best USB format tool for Mac?

Regarding formatting USB drives on Mac computers, you should always remember to back up essential content in the USB drive to another secure location in advance. Then, you can pick one of the following listed USB format tools for Mac to execute the formatting task efficiently:

• Tool 1: Mac Disk Utility
• Tool 2: Mac Terminal Command
• Tool 3: EaseUS Partition Master (Format USB for Mac on Windows PC)

Note that if you are more familiar with Windows operating systems, you can refer to Tool 3 - EaseUS Partition Master to format USB for Mac on Windows PC with a few simple clicks.