How To Erase And Format External Drives Using Your iPhone Or iPad

Formatting an external storage drive can serve various purposes, whether it's preparing a USB drive for a fresh start, clearing out an external SSD, or adapting a hard drive for compatibility with different operating systems. With the release of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, Apple has introduced a convenient option that lets you format storage devices directly on an iPhone or iPad. This feature works for various external storage devices, including hard disks, USB drives, and SD cards.

This new capability on the iPhone and iPad eliminates the need to rely on a PC or Mac to format an external drive, which is especially handy when you're on the go, working remotely, or simply without access to a computer. Below, we'll walk you through the process of erasing and formatting external drives on your iPhone or iPad, so that you can keep your devices ready to use wherever you are. So, let's dive in.

The Apple Files app allows you to format an external storage drive using one of three file systems:

• APFS: Optimized for Apple devices, Apple File System (APFS) provides faster speeds and improved file management on Apple hardware. Pick this format if you plan to use the drive exclusively with Apple devices like an iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
• ExFAT: Compatible with both Apple and Windows devices, ExFAT is a good choice if you need to share files across different platforms. It also supports larger file sizes, making it ideal for storing videos, images, and other big files.
• MS-DOS (FAT): Also known as FAT32, this format is widely compatible with most devices but has a 4GB file size limit. It's suitable for smaller files and situations where cross-platform compatibility is essential.

To format an external drive using the Apple Files app:

1. Connect the storage drive you want to format to your iPhone or iPad's charging port directly or with an appropriate adapter. 
2. Open the Files app, go to the Browse tab, and find your external drive under the "Locations" section.
3. Long press on the external drive, and select Erase from the resulting menu. 
4. Enter a new name for the drive and select your preferred format. 
5. Tap the Erase option in the top right corner and select Erase again to confirm. 

And that's about it. Your external drive is now formatted and ready to use with your specified file system.