FAT32 is a file system developed by Microsoft. It is used on older Windows systems, USB sticks and alternative operating systems, for example.
The properties of FAT32
FAT32 stands for “File Allocation Table 32-bit” and is a file system that was introduced by Microsoft in the 1990s.
- The system was designed to overcome the capacity limitations of its predecessor FAT16, allowing for larger storage sizes and better compatibility with different operating systems.
- At its core, FAT32 is a system for organizing and managing data on storage media such as hard drives, USB sticks, or SD cards. When you save a file to a FAT32-formatted media, the file system helps manage the location and structure of that file so that it can be easily retrieved.
- The special thing about FAT32 is its broad compatibility. It is supported by almost all common operating systems such as Windows, Linux and macOS and is also popular with older devices and hardware. The file system makes it easy to transfer files and data between different platforms.
The advantages and disadvantages of FAT32
FAT32 remains a proven and versatile file system that is used on many devices and platforms thanks to its broad compatibility. However, the limitations in terms of file sizes and security cannot be overlooked.
- Wide compatibility: FAT32 is almost universally applicable. Whether on Windows, Mac, Linux or even on game consoles and smart TVs – FAT32 is supported by almost every device.
- Low system requirements: Since FAT32 has been in use since the 1990s, it is particularly efficient and resource-saving. Even older computers and devices can easily read and write data storage devices formatted with FAT32.
- Simple construction: FAT32 is simply structured, which makes troubleshooting and data recovery easier in case of problems.
- File size limit: One of the biggest drawbacks of FAT32 is its file size limitation of 4GB. This makes it impractical for storing large files, such as high-resolution videos or large data packets.
- Partitioning boundary: FAT32 only supports partitions up to 8 TB in size. While this may seem sufficient, modern hard drives can now have much larger capacities.
- Security aspects: FAT32 does not offer any built-in security features such as file encryption or permissions management, which makes it less secure compared to more modern file systems such as NTFS or exFAT.