exFAT disk not appearing on Windows 11/10

When certain Windows users connected their exFAT disk, their system refused to acknowledge it and the disk did not appear in the File Explorer. In this article, we will address this problem in detail and explore possible solutions. So, if the exFAT disk is not appearing or the exFAT disk is not mounting on your computer, this article is for you.

Resolve exFAT disk not appearing on Windows 11/10

If the exFAT disk is not appearing on your computer, follow the solutions mentioned below to resolve the problem.

1. Connect to a different port
2. Set the unrecognized disk as active
3. Reformat the disk

Let’s discuss each solution in detail.

1] Connect to a different port

There is a possibility that the port you are using for your disk is not functioning. In that case, try connecting the disk to a different port and check if the problem is resolved. If after connecting to a different port, Windows recognizes the exFAT disk, you need to clean the faulty port. If that doesn’t work, consult a hardware expert.

2] Set the unrecognized disk as active

Now, let’s use the Disk Management application of Windows to set up the exFAT disk that was not recognized. We will designate it as active and assign it a new letter to make it accessible. You need to follow the steps listed below

1. Press Win + S, type “Disk Management” and click Open.
2. Locate the exFAT disk, right-click on it, and select Mark Partition as Active.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to mark the disk as active.
4. To assign a drive letter, right-click on the disk and choose Change Drive Letter and Paths.
5. Finally, follow the on-screen instructions to assign a letter.

Hopefully, this will resolve the issue.

Read: Windows not automatically assigning drive letters

3] Reformat the disk

You may encounter the issue due to bugs or glitches that occurred during formatting. In that case, we will reformat the disk and check if the problem is resolved. To do this, launch Command Prompt as an administrator by searching for it in the Start Menu. When the UAC prompt appears, click Yes. Now, execute the following commands in the given order:

diskpart

list disk

This command will list all attached disks. Identify the exFAT disk and run the following command by checking the size of the listed disks:

select disk drive-letter

Note: Replace drive-letter with the actual drive letter.

clean

create partition primary

format fs=exFAT

assign

These commands will reformat the disk and set the format to exFAT.

If you are unable to perform the aforementioned steps or find the correct disk, there is an alternative method. Follow the steps listed below:

1. Open Disk Management.
2. Locate the problematic disk, right-click on it, and select Format.
3. In File System, select exFAT, and change the Allocation unit size to 128K.
4. Check the box for Quick Format and click Ok.

Hopefully, this will resolve the issue.

That’s it!

Read: How to format a disk in exFAT for compatibility with both Windows and Mac

exFAT disk not mounting in Windows

Sometimes, the exFAT disk fails to mount in Windows. The disk appears in the File Explorer, but when clicked on, it shows the error message “Windows is unable to detect the file system”. In such cases, all you need to do is format the disk. You can refer to the third solution for instructions on how to format the disk. However, since it appears in the File Explorer, you can also format the disk from there. Right-click on the disk, select Format, set exFAT as the File System, specify the Allocation unit size and Volume label. Finally, check the box for Quick Format and click Start.

Read: Couldn’t Mount File, The disk image isn’t initialized

Why is exFAT not appearing on Windows 10?

As exFAT is not a native file system for Windows, there are times when your system fails to detect its presence. In such cases, you can either configure the disk using the Disk Management utility or format it.

Read: USB 3.0 External Hard Drive not recognized

How can I access an exFAT disk in Windows?

You can access the exFAT disk on Windows just like any other disk, i.e., from the File Explorer. However, there can be compatibility issues since exFAT is not one of the built-in file systems for Windows. In such cases, you can refer to the solutions mentioned earlier to resolve the issue.

Read: USB Device Not Recognized, Last USB device malfunctioned.