How to format a Hard Drive in Windows 8

Description: This guide shows you how to format a hard drive or other drive using the built in format functions in Windows 8.

***NOTE THIS WILL ERASE EVERYTHING ON THE DRIVE***

  1. Press the Windows logo key on the keyboard and press the X key at the same time. Select Disk Management.
    Windows 8 Quick Access Menu, Disk Management
  2. Right-click the drive that needs to be formatted and choose Format.
    Windows 8 Disk Management
  3. Type what you would like the drive to be named next to Volume label:. Also choose which file format you would like to use. If you plan on transferring this drive between Apple computers and Microsoft computers, you will want to format using FAT32. If you are only using it on a Windows machine, you may choose NTFS. Also make sure that Perform a quick format is checked so you don't have to wait as long for the format process. Leave the Allocation size at Default.
  4. Choose OK on the next screen to complete the format.

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