How to format an external hard drive

Devices:

Click the link below to jump to instructions for your device:

Mac Computer

  1. Open Disk Utility 
    1. Applications -> Utilities -> Disk Utility or use the search function to find Disk Utility
  2. On the left hand side, click on the external hard drive you want to format
  3. Along the top menu menu, cilck Erase
  4. Choose a name for the hard drive and select exFAT as the format
  5. Click Erase
  6. You will receive a pop-up noting when the format is complete

Windows Computer

  1. Open File Explorer
  2. Right click the external hard drive you want to format
  3. In the drop-down, click Format
  4. In the Format External HD pop-up, select exFAT for the File System then click Start
  5. Click OK on the warning that formatting will erase the hard drive
  6. You will receive a pop-up noting when the format is complete
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