By default, Windows computers will choose NTFS (New Technology File System) for you because that’s the native Microsoft filing system. Formatting your drive will wipe out all the data in it. Note: If you already used your external hard drive on a PC, be sure to back up any files on it. You can also find it in the left sidebar of File Explorer. If your external hard drive is working, your computer will automatically detect it, and the drive will appear under Devices and Drives next to your internal drives in the This PC window. So if your external hard drive already has important files on it, make sure to back them up before proceeding.
Note: Formatting your drive will erase all the existing files on it. How to Format a Hard Drive for Windows 10 Here’s how to format an external hard drive for Windows 10 or partition it. You might want a drive that works with Macs and PCs, or maybe you want to partition it, which will split it up into two different formats. While most external hard drives are already designed to work for Windows computers, there are times when you need to reformat one.
