Formatting (actually re-formatting) a solid state drive (SSD) is a quick and simple process to restore the drive to a clean state, similar to when the drive was new. If you are looking to sell or donate your old drive, you will want to not only reformat your drive, but also erase all the data in a separate action.
Considerations before formatting an SSD
Backup important data first
Reformatting a drive will erase stored data for practical purposes, but in a way that allows the data to be recovered by some sophisticated means. Make sure you have backed up all files from the drive you want to format before reformatting the drive.
Make sure you’ve selected Quick Format
If you’re used to formatting a hard disk drive (HDD) you’ll notice that formatting an SSD is slightly different. SSDs use different technology than an HDD, so the formatting function is a different process for each.
That’s why it is important to make sure that the box marked Quick Format is checked before formatting an SSD. If unchecked, your computer will carry out a Full Format, which is safe for HDDs but would cause your computer to perform a full read/write cycle, which can shorten the life an SSD.
Enable TRIM to maintain SSD performance
If your computer’s operating system offers TRIM support, when enabled, your computer will automatically ensure that data saved to your SSD is managed correctly.
Reformatting and TRIM can be considered like defragmenting a hard drive, while the technology is different, the process achieves a similar result: removing saved files that are no longer needed. It’s important to note that solid state drives do not need defragmenting, the TRIM command is similar in effect to defragmenting.
When reformatting an SSD, the process fills the cells with 1s and 0s, replacing the original data, then TRIM, a separate command, informs the drive controller that the information is not real. So, while the “dummy” data remains, the SSD reads this information as available space.
Erasing personal data
If you’re trying to delete data to sell or donate the drive, Secure Erase wipes all the data from an SSD but it does not reformat the drive or permanently erase data. To permanently erase the data on the SSD so that it is unrecoverable, go to the manufacturer’s website to download software. For Crucial® SSDs, download our freeCrucial Storage Executive software tool.
How to format an SSD
To format or reformat your solid state drive using Microsoft® Windows®, follow these instructions:
1. Click on Start or the Windows button, select Control Panel, then System and Security
2. Select Administrative Tools, then Computer Management and Disk management
3. Choose the disk you’d like to format, right-click and select Format
4. Select the File System (usually NTFS) in the dialog that appears and enter the Allocation Unit Size (usually 4096) and check Perform a quick format
5. Click OK
With your freshly formatted drive, you can install the operating system or start installing programs.
©2017 Micron Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. Information, products, and/or specifications are subject to change without notice. Neither Crucial nor Micron Technology, Inc. is responsible for omissions or errors in typography or photography. Micron, the Micron logo, Crucial, and the Crucial logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Micron Technology, Inc. Microsoft and Windows are trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.
FAQs
In Windows, formatting is usually done from the Disk Management tool or File Explorer. You can get to both options by right-clicking the Windows Start button. Right-click the partition you want to format, and then select 'Format'. Select your File System and Allocation Unit Size.
How do I format a solid state SSD? ›
In Windows, formatting is usually done from the Disk Management tool or File Explorer. You can get to both options by right-clicking the Windows Start button. Right-click the partition you want to format, and then select 'Format'. Select your File System and Allocation Unit Size.
How do I format my SSD to full capacity? ›
To format an SSD from Disk Management:
- Right click on the Windows Start button. ...
- Right click on the partition you want formatted. ...
- Choose a format under the File system dropdown menu. ...
- Select your preferred Allocation unit size under the dropdown menu, or leave it set to the default. ...
- Check Perform a quick format*.
How to clear data using your BIOS/UEFI
- Enter your system BIOS / UEFI settings.
- Look for your drive and select it. ...
- Look for a Secure Erase or data wipe option. ...
- Perform the Secure Erase or wipe procedure, following any pertinent prompts or instructions that may arise.
Fix 6. Format SSD to Repair SSD Not Working
- At the start, search for "Disk Management" and press "Enter".
- Choose the SSD partition you want to format. Right-click it and select "Format".
- Select the file system and set the cluster size. Place a checkmark next to "Perform a quick format". Click "OK" to format the drive.
How to format an SSD
- Click on Start or the Windows button, select Control Panel, then System and Security.
- Select Administrative Tools, then Computer Management and Disk management.
- Choose the disk you'd like to format, right-click and select Format.
Formatting an SSD is the best way to boost its performance or clear out any potentially malicious malware whenever you move it to a new system, purchase one second hand, or plan to sell yours on to someone else.
Why is my SSD not showing its full capacity? ›
Your drive shows up smaller than advertised because storage drive capacity is calculated and reported slightly differently than other capacities in computing. If you look at the specifications of any storage device, you will see a note that says something along the lines of ”1 GB = 1 billion bytes.
What happens if SSD is too full? ›
What happens if the SSD is full? For any hard drive (SSD or HDD), the storage filling up issue is not good news. It will slow down your computer because running software and the system requires enough free space. In addition, it will prevent you from downloading, installing, and updating software and Windows.
How can I increase my SSD capacity? ›
Unfortunately, it is not possible to increase C: disk size using space on another drive. You may consider to buy larger SSD and clone your system to a new drive.
A factory reset, usually performed through the operating system (OS) or device settings, is not sufficient to securely erase an SSD drive. A factory reset typically removes personal files and restores the OS to its original state, but it doesn't guarantee that all data on the drive is permanently erased.
How many times can an SSD be wiped? ›
The endurance of SSDs that store three bits of data per cell, called triple-level cell flash, can be as low as 300 write cycles with planar NAND and as high as 3,000 write cycles with 3D NAND. Quadruple-level cell (QLC) NAND supports 1,000 write cycles with 3D NAND.
How do I clean my full SSD? ›
To access the tool from the menu, click Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Cleanup and select the drive. Run Disk Cleanup from the Accessories group under your start menu or by right-clicking on the drive under Computer. Select the types of items to delete and click OK to start the process.
What is the lifespan of a SSD? ›
On average, SSDs last between 5 to 7 years under normal usage conditions. However, this can vary based on the quality of the SSD, the intensity of usage and the factors mentioned above. But remember, like any superhero, they're not invincible — regular backups are essential in safeguarding your data.
How do I manually reset my SSD? ›
Select the SSD drive you want to reset and choose a USB flash drive which is required to create a bootable media for securely erasing SSD in BIOS mode. Then, the computer will restart, press a specific key to enter BIOS and perform the secure erase.
How do I fix my SSD Cannot format? ›
Solved: SSD Won't Format in Windows 11, 10, 8, 7 (Four Solutions)
- Solution 1. Remove write protection from SSD.
- Solution 2. Format RAW SSD via Diskpart.
- Solution 3. Format SSD via a third-party format tool.
- Solution 4. Format SSD with OS on it via bootable media.
Solved: SSD Won't Format in Windows 11, 10, 8, 7 (Four Solutions)
- Solution 1. Remove write protection from SSD.
- Solution 2. Format RAW SSD via Diskpart.
- Solution 3. Format SSD via a third-party format tool.
- Solution 4. Format SSD with OS on it via bootable media.
Reason: When your SSD has Windows operating system on it, you need to use it to boot your computer. Formatting the SSD with Windows on it will delete the operating system, and you can't start your computer without an operating system. So, Windows format tools will not be able to format the OS SSD in Windows.
How to format SSD without removing OS? ›
You should delete any other partitions on ssd.
- Navigate to Settings. ...
- Select "Update & security"
- Click Recovery in the left pane. ...
- Click Get started under Reset this PC.
- You'll see 2 options "Keep my files" and "Remove everything". Select second one.
- Click next, then reset, then continue.
