Right-click the drive you want to format. Double-check you have the correct drive letter to avoid wiping the wrong disk.
Type cmd in the search bar. Right-click Command Prompt → Run as administrator . how to format a drive in windows 10
Open File Explorer (Windows key + E).
Type list volume to see all partitions. Identify the correct volume letter. Right-click the drive you want to format
Select Format… from the context menu.
Note: Omit quick for a full format (much slower). Available in recent Windows 10 versions. cleaning an old drive
Formatting a drive prepares it to store data by creating a file system. It’s essential for new drives, cleaning an old drive, or changing a file system (e.g., from FAT32 to NTFS). Warning: Formatting erases all data on the drive. Always back up important files first.