How to format hard drive on Windows, Mac computer simply and effectively

A full hard drive will cause your computer to lag and become stuck. To fix this, you need to format or reformat your hard drive. In today's article,  TipsMake  will guide you on how to format your hard drive on a Windows or Mac computer in the simplest and safest way.

What is hard drive format?

Formatting a hard drive is the process of erasing all data on the hard drive and preparing it for easy reuse. When performing this action, all folders, files, and information on the hard drive will be completely erased. In addition, the formatting process will create a new partition so that the hard drive can easily store new data inside.

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What is hard drive format?

When should I format my hard drive?

Formatting the hard drive will be performed in the following cases:

1. Computer running slow or having frequent problems: When the hard drive is filled with junk files, malware, or is severely fragmented, the performance of the computer can be significantly reduced. Formatting the hard drive helps to clear out old data and reset the system, helping to improve the speed and stability of the computer.
2. Preparing to Sell or Donate Your Computer: Before selling or donating your computer, formatting the hard drive wipes out all of your personal data, ensuring that private information doesn't fall into the wrong hands.
3. Reinstalling the operating system: When reinstalling the operating system, formatting the hard drive helps to facilitate the new installation to be performed on a clean system, eliminating previous software errors and conflicts.
4. Hard drive failure or malware infection: If your hard drive has a serious failure or is infected with malware that cannot be removed, formatting may be the solution to restore your system to normal.

Instructions on how to format a hard drive on a Windows computer

To format a hard drive on a Windows computer, you can do it in the following 3 ways:

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Instructions on how to format a hard drive on a Windows computer

Use default functionality in Windows

1. Step 1: Open File Explorer by pressing Win + E or clicking the folder icon on the taskbar.
2. Step 2: Find the hard drive that needs to be formatted in the list of drives. Right-click on that drive and select Format.
3. Step 3: A new window will appear with formatting options. You can choose the file system (NTFS, FAT32, exFAT), name the drive, and choose the partition size. For most users, the default options will be enough.
4. Step 4: After selecting the options, click Start to begin the formatting process. The system will warn that all data on the hard drive will be erased. Confirm and wait for the process to complete.

Using Disk Management tool

Disk Management is a tool in Windows that helps manage drives and partitions. To format a hard drive using Disk Management, follow these steps:

1. Step 1: Press Win + X and select Disk Management from the menu that appears, or press Win + R to open the Run dialog box, type diskmgmt.msc and press Enter.
2. Step 2: In the Disk Management window, find the drive that needs to be formatted. Right-click on the partition of that drive and select Format.
3. Step 3: The Format window will appear. You can choose the file system, partition size, and label the drive. Select the appropriate options and click OK to start the formatting process.
4. Step 4: Confirm the options and wait for the formatting process to complete.

Format hard drive during Windows reinstallation

1. Step 1: Boot your computer from the Windows installation disc or installation USB. You may need to change the boot order in BIOS or UEFI so that your computer boots from the installation media.
2. Step 2. When the Windows installation screen appears, select your language and other options, then click Next.
3. Step 3: Select Install now to start the installation process. When asked to enter a product key, you can enter it or skip it if you are using the trial version.
4. Step 4: Select Custom: Install Windows only when asked to select the installation type.
5. Step 5: In the Where do you want to install Windows? screen, you will see a list of drive partitions. Select the partition you want to format and click Format.
6. Step 6: Confirm to delete all data on the partition and wait for the formatting process to complete.
7. Step 7: After formatting is complete, select the partition to install new Windows and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

Instructions on how to format a hard drive on a Mac computer

Step 1: To start the hard drive formatting process, you need to open the Disk Utility application on your Mac. Open Finder -> Select "Applications" -> Open the "Utilities" folder -> Run "Disk Utility".

Step 2 : In Disk Utility, you will see a list of hard drives and their partitions on the left side of the window. Select the hard drive or partition you want to format.

Step 3:   After selecting your hard drive, click the 'Erase' tab at the top of the window. Here, you will need to choose the appropriate format. There are several popular formats on Mac:

1. APFS (Apple File System): This is the standard format for macOS High Sierra and later and is optimized for SSD drives. It offers better performance and strong security features.
2. Mac OS Extended (Journaled): Traditional format used for HDDs and older versions of macOS. It's still a good choice if you're using an older Mac or don't need the new features of APFS.
3. ExFAT: This format can be used if you need to share data between a Mac and a Windows computer. ExFAT supports large files and does not have the capacity limitations of FAT32.

Note that choosing the right format is very important as it affects the compatibility and performance of the hard drive.

Step 4:   Enter a new name for your hard drive in the 'Name' field. Then, click 'Erase' to begin the formatting process. Disk Utility will ask you to confirm this action. Make sure you have backed up all important data before continuing.

Step 5:  Once the format is complete, you should see your new hard drive in the list of hard drives in Disk Utility. Close Disk Utility and start using your new hard drive.

Note when formatting hard drive on computer

When formatting a hard drive on your computer, you need to pay attention to the following:

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Note when formatting hard drive on computer

Select the correct drive to format

This is the most important step in the formatting process. Selecting the wrong hard drive can result in the loss of important data. Make sure you double-check and confirm that you have selected the correct hard drive before formatting. If you have multiple hard drives or partitions, be careful to avoid confusion.

Choose the correct format standard

If you only use your hard drive on a Mac, APFS or Mac OS Extended (Journaled) are good options. However, if you need to share data with other operating systems, ExFAT may be a good choice. You need to understand the advantages and disadvantages of each format to choose the best one for you.

Backup important data before formatting

Formatting a hard drive will erase all data on it. Therefore, it is essential to back up important data before formatting. You can back up your data to an external hard drive, cloud storage service, or other storage medium. You need to check and confirm that all important data is fully backed up before starting the formatting process.

Along with the sharing related to how to format hard drive on computer above has helped you to do it successfully. If you have any questions or questions, please comment below the article so we can answer as quickly as possible.

David Pac

Update 11 February 2025