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Fix: exFAT Drive Not Showing up on Windows 11
Quickly format the drive and get it running
7 min. read
Updated onJanuary 23, 2024
updated onJanuary 23, 2024
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Key notes
The exFAT file system continues to be widely used for external drives, given its enhanced compatibility and support for large storage. These drives work on both Windows and MacOS. But there are instances when exFAT drives do not show up in Windows 11.
Also, users found the exFAT is unavailable when formatting drives in Windows 11, though the problem is usually linked to the USB flash drive and not the OS.Extensible File Allocation Tableor exFAT has reportedly been problematic for many.
So, why is exFAT not working in Windows 11? Here are the possible reasons:
How do I get Windows 11 to recognize my exFAT drive?
Before we head to the slightly complex solutions, here are a few quick ones to try:
If none work, move to the fixes listed next.
1. Mark the drive as active and assign a drive letter
Often, after initially formatting and setting up an external drive using the exFAT file system on MacOS, it may not show up on Windows 11 due to some inconsistencies. And simply marking it as active and assigning a drive letter should do!
2. Reformat the drive
When exFAT is not showing up on Windows 11, reformatting the drive will do the trick! And with Diskpart, you can eliminate any trivial bugs that are preventing the format from going through.
3. Update the driver
When it’s incompatible oroutdated driversto blame for the exFAT drive not recognized in Windows,updating the driversshould work. Also, if Windows can’t find one, head to the manufacturer’s website, locate the latest version, andmanually install the driver.
On the other hand, you can successfully update any driver on your PC with a leading driver solution that securely updates old or incompatible drivers.
➡️Get IObit Driver Booster
4. Run the Check Disk (Chkdsk) utility
5. Repair the corrupt system files
Corrupt system files are known to trigger a range of issues, including cases where Windows exFAT is not recognized. So, if the file system doesn’t appear when formatting a flash drive, simplyrun the DISM commandsand the SFC scan.
Can I format exFAT on Windows 11?
Yes, you can format USB flash drives with the exFAT file system drives in Windows 11. We have a special guide that explains how tochange exFAT to FAT32 on your USB drive, so don’t miss it.
If exFAT is unavailable as a File System, check whether the drive in question is a built-in hard drive. exFAT shows up for most flash drives and external hard drives, but it’s not recommended for internal HDDs or SSDs.
When an exFAT drive is not showing up on Windows 11, re-formatting it usually does the trick. You can evenformat an external hard drive that is not visibleif that turns out to be the case.
Besides, if it’s not an absolute requirement,format the USB drive to FAT32or NTFS for better compatibility with Windows.
If you know any other solutions that work in this case, drop them in the comments section below.
More about the topics:USB flash drive,Windows 11
Kazim Ali Alvi
Windows Hardware Expert
Kazim has always been fond of technology, be it scrolling through the settings on his iPhone, Android device, or Windows PC. He’s specialized in hardware devices, always ready to remove a screw or two to find out the real cause of a problem.
Long-time Windows user, Kazim is ready to provide a solution for your every software & hardware error on Windows 11, Windows 10 and any previous iteration. He’s also one of our experts in Networking & Security.
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Kazim Ali Alvi
Windows Hardware Expert
Kazim is specialized in hardware devices, always ready to remove a screw or two to find out the real cause of a problem.
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