Microsoft is finally removing the 32GB formatting limit for the FAT32 file system that has been in place in Windows for years. The change, which appeared in the latest Canary test build of Windows 11, marks the end of a restriction that users have been facing for years. The limit was implemented during the development of Windows 95 in the mid-1990s and has remained a limitation that has prevented users from creating large FAT32 partitions ever since.
FAT32 was a widely used file system in the past, but has now been replaced by more modern alternatives. However, due to compatibility requirements with older devices, FAT32 is still used, especially on portable storage devices such as USB sticks and SD cards. One of the most notable limitations of this file system is that a single file cannot be larger than 4GB, and the formattable partition size is limited to 32GB. Although Windows operating systems can read FAT32 partitions larger than 32GB, it has become necessary to use third-party software to create partitions of this size.
This change, which Microsoft recently announced, will allow users to create partitions up to 2TB for the FAT32 file system via the command line. However, this update will only be applied via the command line for now. There has been no update to the graphical interface (GUI) used for formatting to remove this limitation. This has created an expectation among users that Microsoft should reconsider this interface, which it has ignored for many years.
The 32GB limit of the FAT32 file system was set by Dave Plummer, a former Windows developer, during the development of Windows 95. Plummer stated that this limitation was a rather arbitrary choice at the time and has had a lasting effect over time. This choice, made in the circumstances of that day, has remained a limiting factor for many users since then.
This update from Microsoft will provide significant convenience, especially for users who want to remain compatible with older hardware and devices. Older devices often do not support more modern file systems, and therefore require older file systems such as FAT32. Thanks to this update, users will be able to share large files and data more easily with such devices.
However, one of the major drawbacks of FAT32, the 4GB limit for a single file, will not change with this update. This will continue to make it difficult to store large video files and games on this file system. Therefore, it will continue to be important for users to choose the right file system according to their needs.
This step by Microsoft can be considered as one of the updates it has made to the old structures of Windows. Such updates are important for Windows to better respond to the needs of modern users. However, in a period when the use of old file systems such as FAT32 is gradually decreasing, removing such restrictions will benefit a limited user base. It is eagerly awaited whether Microsoft will take such steps to improve the user experience in the coming period.