Share this article
Improve this guide
How to Read FAT32 on Windows 10: All You Need to Know
Everything you need to know about the FAT32 file system
3 min. read
Updated onMarch 21, 2024
updated onMarch 21, 2024
Share this article
Improve this guide
Read our disclosure page to find out how can you help Windows Report sustain the editorial teamRead more
Key notes
FAT32 is acomputer filesystem architecture used by storage devices. This standard appeared first on Windows 98, and it’s still used today.But many remain unaware of how to read FAT32 on Windows 10.
Since thissystem architectureis so popular, today, we’ll answer FAT32-related questions, such as whetherWindows 10can read FAT32 drives.
Can Windows 10 read FAT32?
Yes, FAT32 is still supported inWindows 10. If you have a flash drive formatted as a FAT32 device, it will work without any problems.
You can read it without any extra hassle onWindows 10. This ensures that users can easily read and access data on drives formatted for a previous OS iteration, delivering seamless compatibility.
Is FAT32 UEFI bootable?
FAT32 can be bootable; the UEFI system can’t boot from NTFS devices, only FAT32.
If you want to install a new version of Windows, you’ll need to format your flash drive as a FAT32 to boot from it.
Which is better, FAT32 or exFAT?
The key differences between FAT32 and exFAT
Here’s a quick comparison between FAT32 and exFAT.
FAT32:
exFAT:
Overall, exFAT doesn’t have the limitations of FAT32, most notably the file size limit, so it’s almost always a better choice. However, if you’re looking for better cross-system and hardware compatibility, FAT32 might be a better choice.
Is NTFS faster than FAT32?
According to users, there’s no speed difference between NTFS and FAT32. However, some benchmark results claim that NTFS is faster than FAT32.
As the end-user, you probably won’t notice much of a speed difference between the two.
How do I know if my USB is formatted to FAT32?
Can you install Windows on FAT32?
No, FAT32 is an olderfilesystem, and you can’t install anoperating system. Since Windows Vista, you can onlyinstall anoperating systemto NTFS drives.
If you’re using FAT32, you mustformatit to NTFS to install anoperating system.
There you go! These are some of the most common questions regarding the FAT32, so we hope you found this article helpful.
Before you leave, read ourdetailed comparison of FAT32 and NTFSand find out which is better. You can also check our guide ontransforming exFAT to FAT32 format on Windows.
For any queries or to share valuable information we missed, drop a comment below.
Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Milan has been enthusiastic about technology ever since his childhood days, and this led him to take interest in all PC-related technologies. He’s a PC enthusiast and he spends most of his time learning about computers and technology.
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s one of the Troubleshooting experts in our worldwide team, specializing in Windows errors & software issues.
User forum
0 messages
Sort by:LatestOldestMost Votes
Comment*
Name*
Email*
Commenting as.Not you?
Save information for future comments
Comment
Δ
Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s specialized in Windows errors & software issues.
