How to format an SD card to FAT32

This guide page shows multiple good methods you may use to format your micro SD card properly for use with the Nintendo Switch.

Notes

• Good programs: You should not use the formatting tools provided by your OS or simple programs which uses those tools (performance loss). The slightly popular guiformat is one such program and has additional bugs. Do not use guiformat.

• Starting payload: If you're unsure how to boot a payload, please see this page.

Hekate

You need

• Hekate - Get Hekate from its GitHub if needed

Format an SD card with Hekate - Steps

1. Launch into Hekate.
2. Select the Tools tab.
3. Select Partition SD Card.
   • If you get asked to back up your files, please do so.
4. Move the FAT 32 slider all the way to the end, and select Next Step.
5. Select Start.
6. Once finished, your SD card will be in the FAT32 format.

PC methods

Using Partition Wizard

• MiniTool Partition Wizard - Get MiniTool Partition Wizard (Windows only)

Format an SD card with MiniTool Partition Wizard - Steps

1. Connect your SD card to your PC.
2. Launch MiniTool Partition Wizard.
3. Select your SD card and right click on it.
4. Select Delete All Partitons and confirm by clicking Yes.
   • You will now have an empty partition called *:.
5. Select that partition, right-click on it, and click Create.
6. Do the following:
   1. In the Partition Label: box, write a name.
   2. In the File System: menu, select Fat32.
   3. In the Cluster Size: menu, select 64KiB.
7. Click OK to confirm the partition settings.
8. Click ✓ Apply and click Yes to apply the pending changes.
9. Your SD card will now be formatted to FAT32.

Format a partition with MiniTool Partition Wizard - Steps

1. Connect your SD card to your PC.
2. Launch MiniTool Partition Wizard.
3. Select your desired partition and right click on it.
4. Select Format.
5. Do the following:
   1. In the Partition Label: box, write a name.
   2. In the File System: menu, select Fat32.
   3. In the Cluster Size: menu, select
6. Click OK to confirm the partition settings.
7. Click ✓ Apply and click Yes to apply the pending changes.
8. Your partition will now be formatted to FAT32.

Using SD Card Formatter

⚠️ This tool will make 64GB or larger micro SD cards exFAT. Use Hekate afterwards if using this tool.

• SD Memory Card Formatter - Get SD Memory Card Formatter here (Windows & Mac)
  • Made by the SD Association, so of course it has a basic name.

Formatting an SD Card - Steps

1. Connect your SD card to your pc
2. Launch SD Card Formatter
3. Select your SD card from the drop down menu
4. Click Format
5. Your SD card will now be formatted to exFAT.
6. If the micro SD card is 64GB or larger:
   Use Hekate to make the card FAT32 like shown on the top of this page, or follow one of the CFW setup guides for emuMMC and make a partition for emuMMC.

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