Microsoft Updates FAT32 Limit: From 32 GB to 2 TB

Microsoft Updates FAT32 Limit

Microsoft recently corrected a very old “mistake” by raising the maximum FAT32 partition size limit from 32 GB to 2 TB in the latest Windows 11 Insider Canary Preview Build. This change is an extremely significant update for FAT32, which was thought to be unused after Windows NT 4.0; the previous increase was made exactly 28 years ago.

FAT32 is no longer widely used in most devices today. Even the last examples of the system, such as SD cards, have largely transitioned to the exFAT format. Therefore, this change can be seen more as a correction that will please Windows enthusiasts rather than a practical change that will affect people, akin to forgiving a criminal who died nearly a century ago.

The fact that the Windows GUI partitioning tool still includes the 32 GB partition limit further reduces the likelihood that many will gain concrete benefits from this change. Retired Microsoft systems engineer Dave Plummer explains in a 2021 video on his YouTube channel “Dave’s Garage” why he chose the 32 GB partition limit. Plummer states that when he selected this limit on a “rainy Tuesday morning” in the mid-90s, he thought the decision would have a very short lifespan and would see an increase shortly thereafter. He says: “I set the limit at 32 GB and went about my day. I didn’t regret this choice until years later when SD cards magically reached the 32 GB size.”

Plummer also counters a common myth that Microsoft imposed the 32 GB limit to promote the adoption of the NTFS format. He emphasizes that NTFS was already widely adopted and, as far as he knows, Microsoft did not advertise this format or earn a single dime from licensing it. Instead, he states that the artificial limit on FAT32 was a measure to prevent waste of space, particularly when it comes to small files, rather than any malicious corporate strategy.

Plummer’s video provides a comprehensive and interesting narrative about how a decision he made almost arbitrarily one day has impacted the industry for nearly 30 years.