Fix: The File is Too Large For The Destination File System
When moving or copying larger files over 4GB to a USB flash drive or external hard drive, do you receive an error message— The file is too large for the destination file system? Then in this post, we will share possible reasons and solutions to this problem.
Causes of the Error
- Attempting to transfer a file larger than the maximum file size supported by the destination file system: If the size of the files you wish to transfer exceeds 4 GB, attempting to transfer such files larger than the maximum file size supported by the destination file system will cause the error.
- Attempting to transfer a file larger than the available free space on the destination drive: The error File is too large for the destination file system will appear if you save files larger than 2GB to a FAT16 partition or bigger than 4GB to a FAT32 partition. The best course of action in these circumstances is to convert file systems.
Troubleshooting Steps
- Check the maximum file size supported by the destination file system: Before you transfer the files to the destination, check the maximum file size supported by the destination file system. To use exFAT, you must format the destination drive to NTFS. In contrast to FAT32, NTFS and exFAT permit storing files bigger than 4GB.
- Check the available free space on the destination drive: To see your total available space, how much space has been used by various contents and category types, and how much free space is still on your drive, choose Settings > System > Storage on your Windows PC.
- Try transferring the file to a drive with a file system that supports larger file sizes: To store enormous data, change the target device’s file system to NTFS or exFAT.
- Split the file into smaller parts and transfer them separately: If a file is too big, split it up or compress it before saving it to your USB. Even though it is in FAT32 format, it will make saving it to your USB device easier.
Fix: The File is Too Large For The Destination File System
1] Format the Destination Drive With a File System That Supports Larger File Sizes
The most straightforward approach for switching from FAT32 to NTFS is to format using File Explorer. But remember that it will delete all of the drive’s current contents. As a result, it is only recommended if your external hard disk or USB flash drive is empty of all files. You can back up any files already on your storage device by manually copying them or using free backup software in advance. Here is how to use the built-in format feature of Windows to accomplish it.
- Start by connecting your USB to your PC.
- Right-click on the drive and select the Format option from the context menu.
- Click on the drop-down box under the file system, choose NTFS, and click the Start button.
2] Use a Third-Party File Splitter Tool
If you can’t or don’t want to format for some reason, you can use file-splitting software that can split the file and then rejoin it together. The easiest way to split files is to use any archive tools.
Conclusion
Once you realize that the FAT32 file system is to blame for The file is too large for the destination file system, the remedy is straightforward: switch to a different file system.
The files on your storage device must be backed up before using any built-in Windows features or applications to convert the file system because the actions will delete any existing files. Therefore, using a third-party tool is recommended to convert FAT32 to another file system directly without losing any data.
