Updated by

Linda

Written by

Tracy King

Last updated on April 19, 2024

SD cards and other external storage devices are essential tools for safely storing and transferring important files. If you're a Samsung SD card user, you might want to format old data or even format a 64GB SD card to FAT32 to store new files. But before proceeding, do you know what "formatting" means? And what are the best Windows formatting tools in 2023?

Samsung SD Card Format Tool for Free Download in 2022

Formatting is the best way to erase an SD card. When you format the SD card, it deletes all files, including any hidden ones.

In this article, we'll share the best SD card formatting software, including state-of-the-art disk management and formatting utilities for 2024. It also includes step-by-step guides on using each tool.

How do I format my Samsung SD card?

If you're unable to read information from your Samsung Micro SD card, or if you want to delete old files and save new ones, select the given settings and format the memory as follows:

Caution:
Formatting is irreversible. Back up all data before formatting.

Step 1. Open your Android Settings > Device administration.

Open your Android's Settings app, then tap Device administration.

Step 2: Select "Storage" to format the SD card.

Select the storage option for the SD card you want to format. Select the storage option for the SD card you want to format.

Step 3: Click “Advanced.”

Step 4: Under Portable storage, select SD card.

Under “Portable storage,” select your SD card.

Step 5: Tap Format.

Step 6: Read the warning, then select “Format SD card.”

Click “Format SD card,” then wait for the process to complete.

However, when you attempt to format the SD card, the device throws an error message saying “SD card cannot be formatted” as shown below, indicating that your SD card is having this issue. The article below will show you how to fix it:

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What is an SD Card Formatting Tool?

Indeed, SD cards are important storage devices for our valuable data, but we can't rely on them for long-term data storage. After some time, files may start getting corrupted. The regular formatting process doesn't clean the card properly.

Thus, it is essential to format it correctly with a specific SD card formatting tool to keep it working properly. An SD memory card formatting tool optimizes the data structure of the SD card according to the flash parameters defined by the SD Association. It takes care of quick formatting and creates a blank partition.

Thus, any sensitive information stored on the device is unrecoverable, making for a more secure format. There are different types of SD card formatting tools for Windows 7, Windows 10, and Windows 11. Windows has a function that acts as a specific formatting tool. However, with these features, you cannot format an SD card larger than 32 GB.

Still, you can use a reliable third-party formatting utility, like tools Partition Master. One of the advantages of this SD card formatter is that it strictly adheres to standards and works with all SD host devices. It also ensures that the FAT is aligned to the flash boundaries for optimal performance. Download and give it a try.

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Free Download and How to Use Samsung SD Card Format Tool

Samsung Format Utility is a tool designed specifically for Samsung external storage devices that allows you to format your Samsung SD card using either the NTFS or FAT32 file system. This utility can be used to convert from FAT32 to NTFS, or vice versa. We'll guide you through understanding the tool and how to use it.

What is Samsung SD Card Formatting Tool?

Samsung offers a specific formatting tool called Samsung SD Card Formatting Tool. It's a simple application designed for Windows computers that enables formatting for Samsung external storage devices, such as hard drives or SD cards. Using this utility, you can easily erase data from your Samsung SD card. It's user-friendly and can be easily run on any computer.

Once you've successfully downloaded and installed the SD Card Formatter tool, you can drag and drop any files and run it. In the main window of the Samsung SD Card Formatter, you can choose your Samsung device, the drive to format, the file system type, and the volume label. However, this tool offers limited formatting options, but it can quickly accomplish the task with its formatting mode according to the amount of data on your Samsung SD card.

Please use this Samsung SD Card Formatter tool with the following steps.

How to use the Samsung SD Card Format Tool?

Step 1: Download the Samsung Format Utility app on your Windows computer through your web browser.

Step 2. Right-click the downloaded file and select Extract.

Step 3: Choose where you want to save your extracted files.

Note:
Make sure the Samsung SD card is connected to your computer.

Format your Samsung SD card with Samsung Format Utility v2.5 Use Samsung Format Utility v2.5 to format your Samsung SD Card

Step 4: Double-click on "Formatter_v2.5.exe" and follow the on-screen instructions.

More SD Card Formatting Tools to format your SD card

We've mentioned three different ways to format an SD card. Windows 10/11 comes with Disk Management and File Explorer tools that can easily format SD cards below 32 GB. However, you might be looking for a simpler, more advanced, and effortless method that can format any size of SD card. Therefore, we recommend using the Partition Master tool, which can help you format any SD card hassle-free.

Solution 1: Format SD Card with Tool Partition Master

There could be various reasons to format an SD card, but formatting it with a partition tool is one quick solution. It is a reliable tool that can solve any formatting issues, even if your SD card is unreadable. It offers free advanced disk management solutions to users worldwide with an easy-to-use interface. This formatting tool can easily and quickly format SD cards larger than 32 GB to a file system, such as formatting to FAT32 file system.

It offers advanced disk partitioning options, and its formatting feature is one of the most used. It comes in handy for erasing data, especially if your SD card is damaged and unreadable by the system. However, it will completely wipe out all data from the unreadable SD card. You can use the tool's data recovery utility to restore important files.

"Partition tools are known for their user-friendly simplicity and wide compatibility, allowing anyone to use them without prior experience. They can enhance the performance and data writing speed of your Samsung SD card. Once installed on your Windows computer, the software will automatically detect and optimize the SD card, presenting you with user-friendly options."

To format SD card with Partition Master, follow the steps below:

Step 1: Right-click the partition on your SD card that you want to format and select “Format.”

Step 2. Specify a new partition label, file system (NTFS/FAT32/EXT2/EXT3/EXT4/exFAT), and cluster size for the selected partition, then click “OK”.

Step 3: Click "Yes" in the pop-up window to continue.

4. Click “Run 1 Task” from the toolbar, then click “Apply” to begin formatting your SD card.

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Solution 2: Format SD Card via Windows File Explorer

File Explorer is an app that comes built into Windows computers, and you'll use it all the time. Through this app, you can view all the files on your system and format your SD card most easily. Follow these steps for best results.

Step 1: Click the File Explorer icon or press the "Windows + E" keys to quickly open it in Windows 11/10.

Step 2: In the left pane, select "This PC".

Note:
Make sure the SD card is inserted correctly.

Step 3: Check if your SD card is listed under Devices, right-click on it, and select the “Format” option.

Format SD card using File Explorer

Step 4: In the Format window, choose your preferred file system from NTFS, FAT32, or exFAT.

Note:
Choose "NTFS" or "FAT32" for a 32 GB microSD card, and "exFAT" for a 64 GB microSD card.

Select “File Explorer” to format the SD card with the options you need.

Step 5: Click “Start” to begin the formatting process, and wait for it to complete.

Solution 3: Format Samsung SD Card via Disk Management

Disk Management boasts excellent features that make it an effective way to format an SD card. Users can perform various disk volume operations, such as formatting the disk, creating, or deleting partitions. Here are the detailed steps on how to format your SD card, which can also assist you in resolving errors preventing you from formatting the SD card: 1. **Connect the SD Card**: Insert the SD card into your computer's SD card reader or use an external USB card reader. 2. **Open Disk Management**: - On Windows 10/8: Right-click on the Start button, and select "Disk Management" from the context menu. - On Windows 7/Vista/XP: Right-click on "Computer" (or "This PC" in newer versions), choose "Manage," and then click "Disk Management." 3. **Identify the SD Card**: In the Disk Management window, locate the SD card under "Portable Devices" or "Disk Drives." It will usually be labeled as "Unknown" or have a drive letter assigned to it. 4. **Format the SD Card**: - Right-click on the partition representing the SD card and select "Format." - A Format dialog box will appear. Choose the file system you want to use (usually "FAT32" or "NTFS" for most devices). Keep the allocation unit size at its default setting. - Check the "Quick Format" option to speed up the process. - Click "OK" to start the formatting process. A warning message will appear, reminding you that formatting will erase all data. Confirm your action by clicking "Yes." 5. **Wait for Formatting Completion**: The formatting process may take a few minutes, depending on the size of the SD card. Do not remove the SD card during this time. 6. **Verify the Format**: Once the process is complete, the SD card should now have a drive letter assigned to it, indicating it has been formatted successfully. You can test it by saving some files to the card. If you still encounter issues formatting the SD card using Disk Management, try using alternative tools like SD Memory Card Formatter or third-party disk utilities. Additionally, ensure the SD card isn't damaged, and check for any potential software conflicts.

Step 1. Make sure your SD card is inserted into your computer. If it is, open File Explorer and right-click on "This PC."

Step 2: Click on "Manage," and then under "Storage," click on "Disk Management."

Step 3: Right click on the SD card of Samsung and choose “Format”. After setting the file system, click “OK”.

In “Disk Management,” select your SD card and format it.

Note:
This Windows feature is applicable to FAT32 formatted cards 32GB and below. If you want to format an SD card larger than 32GB to FAT32, you can use the Partition Master tool.

Conclusions

When you want to format a Samsung SD card, you need to follow specific steps to achieve the desired result. However, memory cards with a capacity over 32 GB cannot be formatted using the default Windows 10/11 tools. After reading this article, you'll learn how to use a professional tool – MiniTool Partition Wizard – to format your Samsung SD card. This tool is available for free download and allows you to complete the formatting process quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions about Samsung SD Card Formatting Tool

Here are the three most common questions about formatting an SD card:

1. What is the best format for an SD card?

FAT32 is more compatible. If you're unsure whether your device supports exFAT, format the card as FAT32. However, FAT32 is suitable for SD/USB cards with a capacity of less than 32 GB and doesn't allow storage or transfer of files larger than 4 GB. If your SD card is greater than 32 GB, you can use third-party SD card formatting tools like Partition Master.

How do I format my Samsung hard drive or USB drive?

There are usually two ways to format an external storage device, Disk Management and Windows File Explorer. However, these Windows features fail to format an SD card larger than 32 GB. Thus, it's recommended to use the advanced third-party tool Partition Master.

Why can't I format the SD memory card?

    • The SD card has bad blocks, affecting its readability.
    • You might be unable to format the SD card due to write protection.
    • The Windows operating system can't format data from a corrupted memory card.