The differences between the three file formats: FAT32, NTFS, and exFAT

NTFS, FAT32, and exFAT are three commonly used file system formats today. However, not everyone understands the concepts of these three formats and the advantages of each one. Today, let's join Gpwebmedia.net in differentiating between the FAT32, NTFS, and exFAT formats.

Whenever reformatting a hard drive, partition, or any storage device, Windows allows users to choose a file system format (typically NTFS, FAT32, and exFAT). In fact, choosing NTFS, FAT32, or exFAT before formatting a partition or drive is crucial because it affects data storage and usage. Each type has its own pros and cons.

FAT32 is an older file system format. While FAT32 is very common, it is gradually becoming less popular as it does not support large file storage. NTFS is the format used by Microsoft for system partitions (Windows installation). exFAT was created to replace FAT32, and although it is not as popular as FAT32, more devices support exFAT than NTFS.

1. FAT32

FAT32 stands for "File Allocation Table 32" and has been widely used since Windows 95, primarily replacing the FAT16 format.

Advantages: FAT32 has been around for a long time, making it quite popular and highly compatible. Most USB storage devices are pre-formatted with FAT32 to ensure high compatibility, not only with computers but also with many other devices: music players, devices with USB ports, etc.

Disadvantages: FAT32 partitions cannot store files larger than 4GB. Additionally, a FAT32 partition must be smaller than 8TB.

2. NTFS

NTFS first appeared in Windows NT 3.1 and became available to personal users in the commercial version of Windows XP. When installing Windows, the default drive for Windows installation is NTFS. The maximum file size and partition capacity for NTFS are very large in theory, which you don't need to worry about at present.

NTFS has many advantages, especially in security features such as file access permissions, data recovery, creating copies for backup, encryption, and more. These features are crucial for system partitions, especially file access permissions.
The disadvantage of NTFS is its limited support across different platforms. NTFS is compatible with most Windows platforms, but it is not as stable on other operating systems. For example, Mac OS X can only read but not write to NTFS partitions. Some Linux versions support writing to NTFS partitions, but others do not. Some hardware devices also do not support NTFS. Generally, NTFS is suitable for formatting Windows installation partitions as well as system partitions on computers.

3. exFAT

exFAT was introduced in early 2006 and is supported on machines from Windows XP onward. This file system format is optimized for flash memory. Designed based on FAT32, exFAT overcomes many of FAT32's limitations.

Advantages: exFAT overcomes the file and drive size limitations of FAT32. If storage devices are formatted under exFAT, users can store files larger than 4GB without any issues. This is truly a valuable upgrade from FAT32 and is the best choice for external storage devices if you want both high compatibility and comfortable storage. Additionally, exFAT is more compatible than NTFS; Mac computers can read and write to exFAT partitions normally.

Disadvantages: Some systems do not support exFAT, such as Xbox 360 or PS3, though PS4 and Xbox One do support it. Some older computers only support FAT32 and do not support exFAT.

In summary, we have the comparison table below: