Change the file system from FAT32 to NTFS on flash drive, hard drive and SSD without losing data

If for some reason, for example due to a file size limit on the FAT32 file system, you can change a flash drive, hard disk, or partition of an SSD from FAT32 to NTFS without losing data and formatting if necessary, it is very simple to do, and the tools installed on Windows 10, 8.1 or Windows 7 are enough for this.

This article details how to convert a file system from FAT32 to NTFS on a flash drive, hard drive, or SSD while maintaining data integrity.

Change the file system from FAT32 to NTFS

To change the file system on a disk, flash drive, or other storage device from FAT32 to NTFS, Windows 10, 8.1, and Windows 7 have a built-in utility on the command line called convert.exe, respectively. The procedure for its use is as follows:

1. Run the command prompt on behalf of the Administrator. In Windows 10, this can be done using the search in the taskbar (enter the command "Command Prompt", then select "Start at the name of the administrator" or right-click on the command line and select the same item).

2. This step is optional, but it is recommended that you do this before converting FAT32 to NTFS. Enter this command (change the letter D to the letter of the disk on which the file system needs to be replaced): chkdsk D: / f and press Enter. In the example in the screenshot, the letter of the flash drive where the file system is changed is different.

3. After checking the disk for errors, enter this command (in this case, too, you change the letter to yours): convert D: / FS: NTFS

4. Wait for the change to complete. Keep in mind that on slow-moving hard drives, this can take a long time. At the end of the process, you will receive a notification that the file system modification is complete.

This completes the process, and the file system on the flash drive, disk, or any other storage device is converted to NTFS instead of FAT32.

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