5 Ways to Format A Hard Drive or SSD in Windows 11 24H2 (2025)

There are multiple reasons why you may need to format a hard drive or SSD on your Windows 11 PC. For instance, when you wish to clean up your storage device, fix errors, remove viruses, or prepare it for a fresh installation, it comes into the picture. Thankfully, Windows 11 provides multiple secure ways to format internal or external drives. So, whether you’re setting up a brand-new SSD or wiping an old hard drive for reuse, this hands-on guide has got you covered. Read on to…

Format A Hard Drive or SSD in Windows 11 24H2

First and foremost, make sure to copy all important files to another drive or cloud storage for an extra layer of safeguard. Be warned that formatting deletes all existing data on the drive. Creating a backup prevents accidental data loss.

1. Format a Drive Using File Explorer (For Secondary Drives)

• To get going, launch the File Explorer on your PC using Windows + E.
• In the left sidebar, click on This PC.

• Right-click the drive you want to format and select Format.
• In the Format window, choose the File System:
  • Use NTFS for Windows-based systems.
  • Use exFAT for compatibility with macOS and Windows.
• Select Quick Format (or uncheck it for a full format).
• Click Start, then click OK to confirm.
  Reason: This is the simplest and quickest way to format secondary drives or external USB drives from within Windows.

2. Format a Drive Using Disk Management (For New or Unallocated Drives)

Notably, you can also format a hard drive with the help of disk management on your PC.

• To do so, press theWindows + X and choose Disk Management.
• After that, locate the disk you want to format from the list.
• If it’s a new or unallocated drive, right-click on the Unallocated space and select New Simple Volume.
• Follow the on-screen wizard to assign a drive letter and file system, then format the volume.
• For existing drives, right-click the partition and select Format, then choose your file system and allocation unit size.
  Reason: Disk Management offers greater control, especially when initializing or partitioning brand-new drives that don’t show up in File Explorer.

3. Format the Primary Drive (C:) Using Windows Installation Media

It’s worth pointing out that you can also format the primary drive (C:) using the Windows installation media.

• To begin with, you need to first download the Windows 11 Media Creation Tool from Microsoft’s official website and create a bootable USB.
• Then, you have to boot your PC from the USB installer (change boot order in BIOS if needed).
• On the Windows Setup screen, click Install Now.
• Choose Custom: Install Windows only (advanced).
• You’ll see a list of drives and partitions. Select the one you want to format (usually Drive 0 Partition 1).
• Click Format, then proceed with installation.
  Reason: You cannot format the drive that Windows is currently running on. Booting from an external installer allows you to format the C: drive safely before reinstalling Windows.

4. Use Command Prompt (Advanced Users)

Are you a command prompt champ? If the answer is yes, there is a high chance you’d be glad to know that you can format your hard drive using the command prompt as well.

• To get started, launch the Command Prompt as Administrator (cmd > Run as Administrator) on your PC.
• Type diskpart and press Enter.
• Type list disk to display all connected drives.
• Type select disk X (replace X with your disk number).
• Type list partition, then select partition X to choose the partition.
• Type format fs=ntfs quick (or use exfat for external compatibility).
  Reason: This method is useful for power users and offers precise control, especially when formatting drives that aren’t behaving correctly in the GUI.

5. Format an External SSD or HDD via Settings (Optional Method)

Last but not least, the Settings app also offers a pretty neat way to format an external SSD or HDD on Windows 11.

• To get going, head over to the Settings app > System > Storage.
• Now, scroll down and click Advanced storage settings.

• Next, select Disks & volumes.
• Find the drive, click the three-dot menu, and select Format.

Wrapping up…

There you have it! Formatting a hard drive or SSD in Windows 11 is a simple but powerful process. Whether you’re refreshing an old disk, setting up new storage, or wiping everything clean for a fresh start, Windows gives you several easy-to-follow tools to get the job done. Just remember to always back up your data and choose the right file system format for your needs.