Choose a security level using the slider. If you have previously stored sensitive data on the drive, click the Security tab.Ĩ.
Choose a format from the dropdown menu.ħ. In the window that drops down type a name for the formatted drive in the box next to Name.Ħ. Click on the USB drive in the sidebar and then choose Erase from the toolbar at the top of the window.ĥ. Once you’ve copied any files you need from the USB drive to your Mac, go to Applications>Utilities and double-click on Disk Utility.Ĥ.
The process of reformatting it will wipe all the data from it.ģ. Make sure it has no files on it that you need. Open a new Finder window and click on the drive. Plug the drive into a USB socket (if you have a recent MacBook or MacBook Pro that only has USB-C connectors, you’ll need a USB-C to USB-A adaptor).Ģ. It’s exactly the same procedure if you need to reformat a flash drive on a Mac. So, if you’ve bought a USB drive that’s formatted as Fat32, or any other format other than Mac OS Extended (also known as HFS+) or APFS, here’s how to format a USB drive on Mac. Drives formatted as Fat32 can be read from and written to by macOS, but it’s not optimal and you’re more likely to run into problems than if you use macOS’ native format. That’s because most of the computers in the world run Windows, and Windows uses a different file system, usually one known as Fat32. However, unless it’s been designed for use with a Mac, it won’t be formatted using macOS’ preferred file system (either Mac OS Extended or APFS, depending on which version of macOS you’re running). Nowadays, when you buy a USB drive, you can use it right out of the box with your Mac.
Test it out in a free version and head over to the tips below.įeatures described in this article refer to the MacPaw site version of CleanMyMac X. This is our app that cleans old caches, system junk, and large hidden files. All of these will promise an improved file transferring experience that comes with USB Type-C technology.If you want to erase all unwanted files from your macOS, download CleanMyMac X. Though not all are made the same, with some coming with software that allows for automatic backups, many of these have USB Type-A connectors at the other end that help you store/offload your movies, videos, music and other content from non-Type-C PCs and devices to your MacBook without the need of a USB adapter. In the case of the latter, USB-C flash drives are great for transferring files from your Macbook/Air/Pro to your USB-C-supported computers and devices and vice versa. With its ability to charge your (non-Apple) phones faster and a faster data transfer and battery charging rate, it is no wonder the "port of the future" is slowly becoming a part of nearly every computer and computing device right now, including the latest MacBooks. The USB Type-C format has been present in many products since 2015, when Apple's entry-level 12-inch MacBook was first unveiled.