Windows Was Unable to Complete the Format Error

It is obvious to find problems when working with anything technical. However, this article will discuss the error message “Windows was unable to complete the format.” You might have encountered this error often while trying to format your Storage Disks, SD Card, or other external drives.

It isn’t comforting, especially when trying to make things go smoother. This error prevents you from using your USB driver or any other means of media transfer. Luckily, we have a few solutions to help you fix the issue.

Also Read- FIX: The Remote Computer Requires Network Level Authentication

Best Methods to Fix “Windows was unable to complete the format” Error

Below are the handpicked ways to fix Windows that could not complete the format issue. Go through these ones individually and you can easily solve your problem.

1. Using Disk Management

Among the best effortless solutions, seeking Disk Management can be relatively easier. The Disk Management program helps you manage your system’s different drives.

To fix the issue through Disk Management, follow the steps below:

1. First, open the Disk Management Program from the Windows Menu.
2. Next, select the specific drive where you created the error message. Next, right-click on it and click on format.

Hopefully, these easy steps will work out and help resolve your problem.

2. EaseUS Partition Master

Applying the EaseUS Partition Master to your “Windows was unable to complete the format” can be a practical option. It is a disk management program available for both Windows and Mac.

Even the free version of this software can be a great solution to your problem. It lets you format your Disk into your preferred file systems like exFAT, NTFS, and more.

1. To use this option, first run the EaseUS application.
2. Now, right-click on the drive you want to format. And choose the ‘Format’ option.
3. Next, select your preferred file system and Cluster size to format the partition. Then, finally, click, “OK.”
4. After clicking “OK,” a warning pop-up will appear. Click “OK” again to continue the process.
5. Finally, click the Execute Operation option and select “Apply” to start formatting your drive.

This Disk Management software runs effective formats on your hard drive. It is an easy way to overcome such Windows issues.

3. Using Command Prompt

The Windows Command Prompt is much of a basic to format your Hard Drive. In this case, just a few command lines must do your job. The simple steps mentioned below will guide you throughout the process.

1. First and foremost, launch the Windows Command Prompt from the menu.
2. Next, type the command “format C: /fs.ntfs. And finally, hit the enter button to format your preferred Disk.

In this command line, “format C: /fs.ntfs,” the letter “C” signifies which drive to be formatted. If you are having a problem with the D Drive. Then, the code becomes “format D: /fs.ntfs,” where D denotes the D Drive. This is the easiest yet most accurate way to format your storage disks.

4. Removing Write Protection And Reformatting The Target Device

Windows cannot format your storage device directly if your device is locked or password-protected. As a result, you would at first need to unlock the device before starting the formatting process. But, no worries, it’s nothing like rocket science. The steps are pretty much simple and not even time-consuming.

1. Firstly, you need to connect the device to your PC.
2. Unlock and then remove the password from the particular device.
3. Now, reformat the device using any of the methods discussed above.

5. Using AOMEI Partition Assistant

Last, yet another friendly way of managing Disk Partitions efficiently. This tool can be beneficial and works just fine with different versions of Windows. Moreover, you can even use it as some migrate OS and effortlessly convert the MBR/GPT Disks, too, without losing data. To begin, you can download the freeware from the link below.

Download AOMEI Partition Assistant

Once you are done with the download, follow the steps below to get over with it:

1. First, select the Disk you want to format.
2. Right-click on it and choose the Advanced option. Next, go to the Check Partition on the sub-menu.
3. Lastly, fix all the errors by selecting the “Check partition and fix errors in this partition by using the chkdsk.exe” option.

From Editor’s Desk

Errors are usually expected when working with software or hardware. However, there is always a solution to every problem. Thus, these are some of the solutions to our problem today. Let us know which method worked for you.