Can't Format SD Card to FAT32? Here's Why and How to Fix It

Updated by

Linda 

Written by

Tracy King 

Updated on April 22, 2024

Well, the other day I was on Reddit and came across two rather peculiar issues, which might seem like a widespread problem, but they actually aren't. The individual who posted the query on Reddit was in a state of panic because they couldn't format their SD card to FAT32 for their Nintendo 3DS.

You shouldn't, because we know how to fix it, and we're going to share the solution with you.

Continue reading to find out why you're seeing the error and how to format your SD card to FAT32 successfully!

# Why Can't I Format My SD Card to FAT32

Well, it's hard to really pinpoint what's causing the problem and why you can't format your SD card to FAT32, but we have a few guesses as to why it might be. They are:

Here are the translations in English:
• Your SD card is locked.
• Your SD card is infected with a virus or malware.
• The SD card can be set to read-only.
• Windows is unable to recognize, or it doesn't support, the file system of your SD card.
• The SD card is too large for FAT32.
• There are bad sectors on your SD card.
• There are file system errors on the SD card.
• And more...

But as promised, we know what fixes it. There's only one thing you need to do before you force your SD card to format to the FAT32 file system — backup existing data.

Back up all the content on your SD card to your PC, the cloud, or other external drives to avoid losing important files.

Now, follow along to fix the SD card that's failing to format to the FAT32 file system.

Solve "Can't Format SD Card to FAT32" Error on Windows 11/10

So we brought you a few solutions to try if you can't format your SD to FAT32. Curious to know what they are?

Here are the solutions you can attempt to fix an SD card that won't format to FAT32:

#1. Format Large SD Card (64GB, 128GB, or Larger) or Unsupported SD Card to FAT32 using SD Card Formatter Software

When Windows fails to convert SD card formats, don't worry because you have tools like Partition Master available. It's a comprehensive disk configuration and management tool that handles everything. Whether your SD card is 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, 128GB, or even larger, you can easily format the SD card to the FAT32 file system with it.

Even after several failed attempts at converting your SD file system, you can format the 128GB SD card to FAT32 using Partition Master with just a few clicks and a 100% success rate, whereas Windows built-in tools might fail.

You can also change the file system of your internal and external drives to FAT32 using tools like Partition Master.

Step 1. Find your SD card and right-click the partition you wish to format, then select "Format".

Step 2. 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. Click "Yes" on the pop-up window to continue.

Step 4. Click the "Execute 1 Task(s)" button on the toolbar, then click "Apply" to start formatting your SD card.

Actually, sometimes your SD card is recognized as an “Unsupported File System” by the computer. Don't worry. tools Partition Master will detect the drive and help you format it to the FAT32 file system.

Aside from altering file systems, you can utilize Partition Master to create or delete partitions, convert from MBR to GPT without data loss, copy the OS to another drive, and many other functions.

#2. Unlock the SD Card's Physical Switch and Format it to FAT32

Another reason why you might not be able to format your SD card is that it's set to read-only and has write protection. You'll need to disable these settings and then attempt formatting again.

Here's what you need to do: 翻译为英文是： This is what you need to do:

< strong > Step 1. < /strong> Remove your SD card, and on the right or left side, you should find a switch.

Step 2. Push it down if it was up, or push it up if it was down, to turn off write protection.

Step 3. Now open "File Explorer."

Step 4. Click on "This PC" in the sidebar.

Step 5. Click on your SD card and then choose "Format."

Format Drive on SD Card

Step 6. A new window will open. Select the "FAT32" option, and then click on "Start."

Now you should be able to format your SD card to FAT32 successfully. If you weren't able to, here's what you can do next.

#3. Repair File System Error and Format SD Card to FAT32 using CMD

If there's a file system error, your SD card might fail to format. Luckily, you can fix it easily with Command Prompt.

Follow the steps to resolve any sister error and successfully convert the SD card file system to FAT32:

Step 1. Click on the "Start" button, type "cmd," and then select "Run as administrator."

Step 2. After the Command Prompt opens, type and enter the command "sfc /scannow"

< strong > Step 3. < /strong > Close the Command Prompt, and then reopen it with administrative privileges.

Translate the following sentences into English:

Step 4. Type and enter the command "chkdsk C: /r"

Now try formatting your SD card, and it should work without any problems. If it doesn't, there's another thing you can try.

?Read More: How to Format SD Card Using CMD | Full Details

#4. Repair Bad Sectors, Remove Write Protection, and Format SD Card to FAT32

Fixing bad sectors can be a tedious process, but you can simplify it by using tools like Partition Master. With Partition Master, you can easily conduct a surface test, remove write protection, repair bad sectors, and perform various other tasks with just a few clicks.

Actually, you can use Partition Master to create a clone of your hard drive's partition, rebuild MBR, change cluster size, and more.

Try out the Partition Master tool today and partition your SD card without wasting any more precious time. For instance, you can follow the steps below to remove SD card write protection:

Step 1. Download and install Partition Master. Go to the Toolkit section and click "Write Protection".

Click Remove write protection

Step 2. Select your write-protected USB drive, external USB hard drive or SD card, and click “Disable”.

Format SD Card to FAT32 after Write-Protection Removal:

Step 1. Launch AOMEI Partition Assistant, right-click the partition on your external hard drive/USB/SD card which you want to format and choose the "Format" option.

Step 2. Assign a new partition label, file system (NTFS/FAT32/EXT2/EXT3/EXT4/exFAT), and cluster size to the selected partition, and then click "OK".

Step 3. In the Warning window, click "Yes" to continue.

Step 4. Click the "Execute 1 Task(s)" button in the upper-left corner to review the changes, and then click "Apply" to begin formatting your external hard drive, USB, or SD card.

Final Verdict

If you can't convert the file system of your SD card to FAT32, it's not a big deal because you have Partition Master.

It's an all-in-one disk fixer and configurator tool that you can put to any drive-related task and achieve a 100% success rate in just a few seconds.

Try Partition Master today and let us know if we were correct about your experience.

Frequently Asked Questions About Formatting SD Card to FAT32

Here are some additional questions about SD cards and the FAT32 file system format that we have chosen to address:

1. How to Format SD Card to FAT32 on Mac

这很简单，方法如下：

1. Open "Disk Utility." 2. Select your SD card. 3. Click on "Erase" at the top. 4. Give your drive a name, and then choose "FAT32" under "File System." 5. Press "Erase" to format your SD card to FAT32.

2. Do all SD cards support FAT32?

Yes, all SD cards support the FAT32 file system format. If they don't come formatted that way by default, you can convert them at any time using tools like Partition Master. Alternatively, you can accomplish this with the "Command Prompt" or "File Explorer" on your computer.

< b > 3. How do I force the SD card to format to FAT32?

If you're unable to format your SD card to FAT32 using the Command Prompt or Disk Management, you can give Partition Master a try. It's a comprehensive disk utility tool that also assists users in formatting their SD card to FAT32 if regular formatting attempts fail.

You can also use it to conveniently change the file system to something else, like NTFS or exFAT.