Why do people use USB drives despite having a larger space in their smartphones?
You cannot use your smartphone everywhere you need. Besides, there are some charging issues- your phone may remain out of battery.
But have you ever seen any such incidents with a USB drive? It’s a straight “NO.”
Therefore, people prefer USB drives to carry their data and other precious information. Also, it is compatible with all types of computers regardless of their operating system.
Before using a USB drive on a Mac, you need to format it. Any idea How to Erase and Format USB drives on a Mac?
If you move your head in a negative direction, go through this post. Here, you will have a potential solution. Let’s dig them out.
How to Erase and Format USB Drive on Mac?
When the USB drive has an incompatible file system, Mac is unable to read it. Hence, you need to format the drive first. Follow the steps below to format your USB drive on a Mac computer.
Step 1
Insert the USB drive
Before you format a USB drive on a Mac, you have to insert it. Also, ensure that the drive you are inserting has no files in it. Because formatting the drive will remove all the data inside the drive.
Step 2
Launch Disk Utility
If the Mac gets the drive properly, it will show the device on the screen. You can see the drive icon on the desktop. The computer will notify that the disk has been connected to the computer.
Now, you have to launch the Disk Utility. You can find it by searching it on the Search option. Go to the Search option located in the top-right of your screen. Then, type Disk Utility and launch it.
Step 3
Select your USB, erase it
Once you launch the Disk Utility, you have to select your USB drive. You will see a list on your left. From the list, you will find a highlighted option. Now, erase the drive.
Select the Erase function. It is at the top of the menu. You have to set the name of your drive and then select the Format option. The drive will be formatted.
You will see a progress bar that will show the formatting function. After completion of the formatting, you need to complete the process by selecting the “Done” option.
And you have successfully completed the formatting of your USB drive.
Advantages of using USB Drive
Everyone is familiar with the USB drives. And most importantly, people use it for convenience and ease of use. Moreover, they are helpful in different aspects.
A couple of the key advantages of USB drives are explained here. Let’s check them out.
Mobility
First of all, the size of a USB drive is relatively small. Therefore, you can carry the device to anywhere you want or need. This is smaller than a regular pen with ample storage. As a result, you can carry the USB drives using your pockets. Also, you can set it at a corner of your wallet as it occupies relatively less space.
Huge Storage
Surprisingly, a USB drive is able to hold a huge amount of data. There are USB drives with a storage capacity of around 2 terabytes. To some point, the space is more than a regular computer which has one terabyte on average.
Usable Everywhere
If you have a computer or laptop, you can use the USB drive. Compatibility is one of the best features of those drives. So, no matter where you go, you can use the drive to transfer your necessary files. Moreover, you can receive and deliver data using the USB drive. Sharing data is more convenient now than ever before.
Sustainable
At the same time, a USB drive lasts for a longer period. Being a smaller plastic or steel device, there are fewer chances of external or internal damage. But the scenario is not the same with a computer hard drive. Furthermore, a USB drive is hard to get damaged.
However, the files inside the drive can get corrupted. But you know How to Erase and Format USB Drives on a Mac. Thus, you can recover the drive and get a smooth service.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to Erase and Format USB Drive on Mac?
At first, you have to insert the drive on your Mac computer. Then launch the Disk Utility. The next step is selecting the USB drive and erasing it by providing certain commands.
The process is simple. An elaborate explanation is available in this post. You can also check it to get some comprehensive ideas.
Are there any negatives of USB drives?
Of course, there are certain negative aspects of a USB drive.
- First of all, it is relatively smaller in size. So, it may get lost or stolen at any time.
- Some of the drives arrive with weak security systems. If the drive is lost, you may face certain security issues. However, if you protect the drive with a password, you are free of worries.
- The drive may get corrupted for no reason. It may happen due to viruses or for the incompatibility of the device in different machines.
How Can I Delete Data From A USB drive?
Well. You can do it in two ways.
Method 1
If you want to remove any selected data, you need to insert the drive into your machine. Access into the drive. Select the data or item you want to remove. Then press the “Shift + Delete” buttons. The data from the drive will be deleted permanently.
Method 2
Formatting the device is the other solution. If you want to completely remove the data from the device, you can format it. The formatting will make the device empty.
To format the device, insert it into your computer. Your device will appear on the screen. If you are using the Windows operating system, right-click on the device. Select “Format” from the drop-down menu. And wait until the file is formatted.
Or if you are a Mac user, follow the steps mentioned in the article.
Last Words
Thank you for reading the post. Hopefully, knowing How to Erase and Format USB Drives on a Mac will help you solve the formatting issues. However, if you want to get some more ideas, share your needs. Inbox us with the information, and we will get you back.
And do not forget to share the post. It may help others to know the same and benefit in resolving USB drive formatting problems.
