Video or film transfers to digital often result in file sizes that exceed 4GB. While transferring such files to your PC or Mac is typically not an issue, you may encounter difficulties when transferring them to certain USB drives, even if those drives have large storage capacities. If you’re unable to copy large files to USB drives using the traditional FAT32 file system, the problem may lie in the default file system of the flash storage device. By formatting your flash drive, you can switch the existing file system to exFAT, which is capable of accommodating files larger than 4GB.
If you download the files to your PC or Mac, they will play fine, but when moving large files (over 4GB) to a USB, there are known limitations.
Here are the steps to format your USB drive so that the files will transfer over.
PC Steps:
Connect the USB drive to your computer’s USB port.
Open “File Explorer” (Windows) or “Finder” (Mac) by pressing the Windows key + E (Windows) or clicking on the Finder icon (Mac) in the dock.
Locate the USB drive in the list of available drives. It is usually listed under “This PC” (Windows) or “Devices” (Mac).
Right-click on the USB drive and select “Format” (Windows) or “Get Info” (Mac).
In Windows:
A new window will appear. Under the “File System” dropdown menu, select “exFAT.”
You can also choose a name for the USB drive in the “Volume label” field (optional).
Make sure the “Quick Format” option is checked.
Click “Start” to begin the formatting process.
Apple Steps:
A window with drive information will appear. Note down any important details about the drive.
Click the “Erase” tab.
Under “Format,” select “exFAT.”
You can also enter a name for the drive in the “Name” field (optional).
Click the “Erase” button to start the formatting process.
A confirmation prompt will appear warning that formatting will erase all data on the drive. Make sure you have backed up any important files and click “OK” to proceed.
The formatting process will begin, and you’ll see a progress bar indicating the status. Wait for the process to complete.
Once the formatting is finished, you’ll see a message indicating the process was successful.
Safely eject the USB drive from your computer. In Windows, right-click on the USB drive and select “Eject.” In Mac, drag the USB drive to the trash or click the eject icon next to it in Finder.
Your USB drive is now formatted as exFAT and ready to use.