FAT32 Versus exFATĪs we have already highlighted above, the key difference between the FAT32 and the exFAT filing systems is that exFAT supports larger-sized files than FAT32. Which File System To Chooseīefore we conclude which file system you ought to choose in different scenarios, let us briefly go over their comparisons. Use with Windows everywhere to enable better performance and enable security features. Incompatible with other major operating systems.A file path is limited to 255 characters only.Mac OSX and Linux can read NTFS partitions but can’t modify or write any data on the system. The maximum file size you can store on the NTFS file system is 16 EB while the maximum volume size is also 16 EB.

But since it is proprietary to Microsoft, it is not compatible with all operating systems. NTFS is the best file system to date when it comes to performance and security. Ideal Useįor USB flash drives or other external drives when saving files of size more than 4 GB are required. Performance degradation in case of larger drives and large no. While everything else is similar to FAT32, the maximum file size for the exFAT file system is 16 EB (ExaByte) and the maximum volume size is 24 ZB (ZettaByte).ĮxFAT is not compatible with Linux by default but you can run it using FUSE. exFAT (Extensible File Allocation Table)ĮxFAT was introduced to overcome the limitations of the FAT32 file system. Removable storage drives such as USB flash drives, Micro SD cards, small external hard drives.

Performance is degraded in case of large amount of files on a single volume.

This is why it is most suitable for storage devices with less space and where cross-platform compatibility is required, such as USB flash drives, Micro SD cards, etc. Its performance also slows down if there are a large number of files on a single volume.

That said, FAT32 also has its limitations, like it supports a maximum file size of 4 GB and volume size of 8 TB. Other operating systems such as Mac OSX, Linux, Unix also support this file system.

exFAT (Extensible File Allocation Table)ĭifferent file systems FAT32 (File Allocation Table)įAT32 is probably the most compatible file system as it is compatible with almost all operating systems, including all versions of Windows, starting with Windows 95.

Best filesystem for flash drive