Microsoft has unveiled new test builds for Windows Insiders, marking a noteworthy shift in the realm of external storage management. The latest updates to Windows 11, specifically in Dev Build 26300.8170 and Beta Build 26220.8165, signal the removal of a long-standing limitation regarding FAT32 formatting.
This change allows users to format external drives up to 2TB in size using FAT32 through the Command Prompt, a feature that has been eagerly anticipated by many. As highlighted in a recent blog post from the Windows Insider team, Microsoft has officially stated, “We’re increasing the size limit for formatting FAT32 volumes via the command line from 32GB to 2TB.”
Historically, Windows imposed a 32GB cap on FAT32 formatting, a restriction that has persisted for decades. Users seeking to format larger storage devices with FAT32 were often forced to turn to third-party applications or execute specialized commands in Windows PowerShell. This limitation was not due to technical constraints but rather a decision made by Microsoft back in 1994, as noted by industry veteran Dave Plummer in a recent social media post.
I wrote this Format dialog back on a rainy Thursday morning at Microsoft in late 1994, I think it was. We were porting the bajillion lines of code from the Windows95 user interface over to NT, and Format was just one of those areas where WindowsNT was different enough from… pic.twitter.com/PbrhQe0n3K— Dave W Plummer (@davepl1968) March 24, 2024
It is important to note that this enhancement applies exclusively to the Command Prompt; the graphical interface for Windows remains unchanged, and the 4GB file size limit for individual files on FAT32 drives continues to apply.
What does this mean for you?
While NTFS is the preferred file system for Windows partitions, FAT32 remains a popular choice for external storage solutions. With the lifting of the 32GB limit, users can now utilize larger external drives without sacrificing the compatibility benefits that FAT32 offers across various systems.
Currently, this change is only available in the preview versions for Windows Insiders, meaning that the 32GB limit still stands for regular versions of Windows 11. The broader rollout of this feature will occur once it is fully integrated into the standard Windows 11 experience.
In addition to the capacity increase, Microsoft has also promised enhanced performance in the storage settings menu with these Insider builds. For a comprehensive overview of the new features included in these test versions, users can refer to the support page provided by Microsoft.
For those using Windows 11 Home, it’s worth noting that you may be missing out on the extensive benefits offered by Windows 11 Pro. To explore the differences, check out our comparison of Windows 11 Home and Pro. If you’re considering an upgrade, you can find it at a discounted price in the PCWorld Software Store: now just instead of .
This article was originally published in our sister publication PC-WELT and has been translated and localized from German.
