How to format an external drive using iPhone/iPad

2024-10-12 18:00:00

The application Files (Files) do iOS/iPadOS 18 brought a very useful function for those who usually use external drives with iPhones and iPads to view and edit their photos and videos.

Now it has become possible to format these drives, as SSDs 1, pendrives or memory cardsfor example. See how simple it is to do this!

<img width="3840" height="2500" src="https://macmagazine.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/10-extensoes-arquivos.png" class="attachment-medium_large size-medium_large wp-post-image" alt="Viewing document extensions in the Files app” />

How to view document extensions in the Files app [iPhone e iPad]

Pedro Henrique Nunes

16/11/2022 • 07:30

With the external drive connected to the iPhone/iPad, open the Files app, tap the “Explore” tab and, if it is inside a folder, select the back button (in the top left corner) until you reach the home screen.

In the “Locations” section, keep your finger pressed on the drive, choose “Erase” and then tap one of the formatting options.

In total, three formatting options are available:

• APFS (Apple File System): recommended to open on devices with macOS, iOS and iPadOS systems on drives with flash memory (i.e. not recommended for conventional hard drives).
• ExFAT (Extended File Allocation Table): Adopted by the SD Card Association as the standard file system for SDXC cards larger than 32GB.
• MS-DOS (FAT): also compatible with PCs, cameras and other devices.

When you’re ready, tap “Erase” (yes, apparently, Apple forgot to translate this part of the system into Portuguese).

Footnotes

1 Solid-state drivesor solid state drives.

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