how to format wd elements for windows 10

In the “Volume label” setting, confirm the name for the drive. Under the “Devices and drives” section, right-click the drive, and select the Format option. To format an internal or USB drive through File Explorer, use these steps:Ĭlick on This PC from the left navigation pane. Format hard drive on Windows 11 via File Explorer (Optional) Check the Enable file and folder compression option if you want to save space when storing files.Īfter you complete the steps, a new partition will be created and formatted using the specified settings. If you don’t select this option, the operation could take a long time.

(Optional) In the “Size” setting, specify how much storage to assign the drive.Ĭheck the Perform a quick format option. In the “File System” setting, select the NTFS option. In the “Drive Letter” setting, select the drive letter to make available on File Explorer. In the “Label” setting, confirm a label for the drive. Select the “Unallocated” space and click the Create volume button. Use the “File System” setting and select the NTFS option. To format an internal or external drive with an existing partition on Windows 11, use these steps:Ĭlick the Storage page on the right side. On Windows 11, depending on whether the HDD or SSD already has a partition or not, the format steps will be slightly different.

Format hard drive on Windows 11 via PowerShellįormat hard drive on Windows 11 via Settings.

Format hard drive on Windows 11 via Command Prompt.

Format hard drive on Windows 11 via Disk Management.

Format hard drive on Windows 11 via File Explorer.

Format hard drive on Windows 11 via Settings.

In this guide, you will learn the different ways to format an internal or USB external hard drive on Windows 11. Also, the ability to format a drive on Windows 11 can help fix errors and other logical problems.Īlthough it might seem like a tedious process, it’s not, and Windows 11 includes several ways to format a drive using the Settings app, File Explorer, Disk Management, Command Prompt, and PowerShell. If you plan to retire the storage drive, you may want to format it to erase your files to prevent praying eyes from accessing your data. When connecting a new hard drive, it’s best to wipe out all the data and apply a file system to allow the OS to read and write data to it. On Windows 11, you can format an internal or external hard drive in multiple ways, and in this guide, you will learn how.

How to format wd elements for windows 10