When it comes to expanding the storage capacity on your Android device, using a micro SD card is a convenient and affordable option. However, in order to use a micro SD card with your Android device, you need to properly format it first. Choosing the right file system to format your micro SD card is important to ensure maximum compatibility and performance.
Quick Overview
The most commonly recommended file systems for formatting micro SD cards to be used in Android devices are FAT32 and exFAT. Here is a quick comparison:
- FAT32 – Works with all Android devices, but has a 4GB file size limit
- exFAT – Handles large file sizes, but may not work on older Android devices
In most cases, FAT32 is the best option, unless you need to store files larger than 4GB on your micro SD card. The following sections go into greater detail on how to format in each file system.
FAT32
FAT32 is generally considered the most reliable and compatible format for micro SD cards used in Android devices. Here are some of the advantages of using FAT32:
- Works with all versions of Android – FAT32 has been around for many years and all Android devices support it.
- Widely supported across devices – Can also be used with Windows PCs, Macs, digital cameras, etc. Makes transferring files between devices easier.
- Compatible with SDXC cards – SDXC (Secure Digital Extended Capacity) cards only work properly when formatted with FAT32.
- Better performance with smaller files – FAT32 is optimized for smaller files commonly stored on smartphones like photos, music, documents, etc. Less overhead than exFAT.
The main drawback with FAT32 is the 4GB maximum file size. While this is not an issue for most mobile apps and files, it can become a limitation if you need to store very large videos, ROM files, or disk images on your micro SD card.
How to Format Micro SD as FAT32
Formatting your micro SD card to FAT32 is easy to do on Windows, Mac, or even your Android device itself:
On Windows
- Insert your micro SD card into your computer’s card reader
- Open File Explorer and right click on the micro SD card
- Select “Format…”
- Under File System, choose “FAT32”
- Check the Quick Format box
- Click Start to begin formatting
On Mac
- Insert your micro SD card into your computer’s card reader
- Open Disk Utility
- Select your micro SD card on the left side pane
- Click Erase at the top
- Select “MS-DOS (FAT)” as the format
- Click Erase to begin formatting
On Android
- Insert your micro SD card into your Android device
- Download a file manager app like ES File Explorer
- Open the app and select your micro SD card
- Choose Format and then FAT32
- Tap Format to begin
The process takes just a few minutes and then your micro SD card will be properly formatted and ready to use.
exFAT
exFAT is a newer file system introduced in 2006 that can overcome some of the limitations of FAT32. Here are some benefits to using exFAT:
- No file size limit – Supports files larger than 4GB, up to theoretical limit of 16 exbibytes.
- Faster at writing and deleting large files – More efficient than FAT32 when dealing with larger video and ROM files.
- Used by some Android devices for adoptable storage – When you insert a micro SD card, some devices may automatically prompt to format as internal storage using exFAT.
However, there are a few downsides to keep in mind with exFAT:
- Not compatible with all Android devices – Mostly an issue with older Android versions (pre-4.4 KitKat).
- No journaling – Lack of journaling support means more chance of data corruption when unexpected removal.
- Higher overhead than FAT32 – File tables and directories take up more space.
Due to the compatibility issues, exFAT is generally not recommended for micro SD memory cards used in Android devices, except in certain situations where FAT32 does not meet your needs.
When to Use exFAT
Here are some cases where using exFAT instead of FAT32 makes more sense:
- Need to store files over 4GB – Video files, ROM files, disk images, etc.
- Using with newer Android devices – Android 4.4+ with SD card set as adoptable storage.
- Frequently writing and deleting large files.
Again, even in these cases, just be aware that exFAT may not work properly or at all on older versions of Android.
How to Format as exFAT
The steps to format your micro SD card to exFAT are very similar to FAT32 on all platforms:
On Windows
- Insert your micro SD card into your computer’s card reader
- Open File Explorer and right click on the micro SD card
- Select “Format…”
- Under File System, choose “exFAT”
- Check the Quick Format box
- Click Start to begin formatting
On Mac
- Insert your micro SD card into your computer’s card reader
- Open Disk Utility
- Select your micro SD card on the left side pane
- Click Erase at the top
- Select “exFAT” as the format
- Click Erase to begin formatting
On Android
- Insert your micro SD card into your Android device
- Download a file manager app like ES File Explorer
- Open the app and select your micro SD card
- Choose Format and then exFAT
- Tap Format to begin
After formatting, your micro SD card will now have the exFAT file system.
Other File System Formats
There are a few other file system formats that can be used with micro SD cards, but are not generally recommended or practical for use in Android devices:
NTFS
- Native Windows file system used on hard drives.
- Supports huge file sizes, permissions, compression, encryption.
- Read-only capability on Android, no reliable write support.
HFS+
- Default format used on Mac hard drives.
- Also supports large files, permissions, compression, encryption.
- Not directly supported at all on Android devices.
ext4
- File system used by Linux distributions.
- Compatible with Linux-based Android, but not widely supported.
- Lacks compatibility with other non-Linux systems.
While advanced users may find limited utility in these formats, FAT32 or exFAT remain the recommended choices for micro SD card use in Android.
Conclusion
To sum up, the ideal format for your micro SD card on Android is FAT32. It has the widest device compatibility and best performance for the types of files smartphone users typically store. The only reason to choose exFAT instead is if you explicitly need to store files over 4GB in size, and are using a newer Android device.
No matter which file system you choose, make sure to properly format your micro SD card before attempting to use it in your Android device. Simply inserting the card without formatting risks poor performance, corruption, or lost data.
Following the quick formatting steps outlined in this guide will ensure your micro SD card functions as expected. Then you can start transferring photos, apps, videos, music, and more to expand your storage and get the most out of your Android device.
