Nearly here! Microsoft ups the partition size limit of FAT32 from 32 GB to 2 TB in the latest beta of Windows 11

With the latest Beta Channel version of Windows 11, build 26220.8165, Insider Preview members will be able to set much bigger drive partitions when using FAT32. Instead of the current default limit of 32 GB, you'll now be able to go all the way up to 2 TB. Just like you could do two years ago.

It's only a short note in the release blog for the new Beta Channel build, but it says everything you need to know: "We’re increasing the size limit for formatting FAT32 volumes via the command line from 32GB to 2TB."

The thing is, when I read this statement, the first thing that popped into my head was 'hasn't Microsoft already done this?' And the answer to that question is yes, it has, almost two years ago. Admittedly, that was in a Canary Channel build, which is basically like a beta Beta Channel, but at least the new release means the change is likely to roll out into public versions of Windows fairly soon.

Not that you need to rely on Microsoft, if you want to set a FAT32 partition greater than 32 GB in size, because there are countless tools on the interwebs that let you do this, such as GUIFormat. And you should also note that this doesn't change FAT32's 4 GB limit for file sizes, as that's inherent to the number of bytes used to store the length of files in the directory.

But for those PC users who still need to have FAT32-formatted drives for old PCs or some funky homebrew setups, or even just for prepping a USB thumb stick that's bigger than 32 GB for doing a BIOS update, at least you'll soon be able to do it on Windows, without recourse to using another piece of software.

It's all a very minor update, of course, and arguably one that Microsoft should have rolled out years ago, but I'll take it. Now, if Redmond can just see to it that Windows will let me have the taskbar at the top of my screen, without using third-party software, then I'll be a slightly happier chappier.

Oh wait, it is doing that! Finally...

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