How to Format Bootable Pendrive [4 Safe Solutions]

"About two weeks ago, my Windows 10 failed to boot due to unknown reasons; then I took the advice which asked me to make my USB bootable to repair the system. Now the problem is fixed, and I want to convert the pen drive back to normal. Does anyone know how to do it?"

In this article, we provide you with one disk manager, EaseUS Partition Master, and other solutions.

Format Bootable Pendrive to Normal - 4 Ways

Creating a USB bootable disk can help you enter into the WinPE environment when the Windows system fails and prevents you from booting the PC. When you succeed, you may want to restore the bootable USB to normal so that you can use it as an external storage media.

Fortunately, formatting a bootable pen drive can make it a normal USB. Here, we have listed 4 effective methods, and you can choose the most suitable one.

1. Method 1 - Format Bootable Pendrive - EaseUS Partition Master
2. Method 2 - Format Bootable Pendrive with File Explorer
3. Method 3 - How to Convert Bootable Pendrive to Normal - Disk Management
4. Method 4 - Format Bootable Pendrive to Normal Using Diskpart

Method 1 Use EaseUS Partition Master - Easy and Safe

To fix "how to format a bootable USB", the most common methods you can find are using Windows built-in Disk Management and Diskpart. These two methods require users to be familiar with the command prompt, which is a bit difficult. If you are a novice, here we'd like to recommend an easy and handy tool - EaseUS Partition Master. 

Key features of EaseUS Partition Master:

• Easy Operation. Formatting a bootable USB in four simple steps and requires no command-line knowledge.
• Sustainable Use to Manage Partitions.  It supports you to resize, merge, clone, and format partitions effortlessly. 
• Partitions Converter & Wizards. Efficient MBR/GPT converter, Primary/Logical converter, Dynamic/Basic convert.
• 100% Safe. Approved by authorized agencies like PCWorld, Softonic, Tech Advisor, etc.

Download EaseUS Partition Master now, and follow the detailed steps below to format the bootable USB.

Step 1. Select the USB drive to format.

Connect the USB drive or pen drive to your computer. Download and launch EaseUS partition software. Right-click the USB drive you intend to format and choose "Format".

Step 2. Set the drive letter and file system on USB.

Assign a new partition label, file system (NTFS/FAT32/EXT2/EXT3/EXT4/exFAT), and cluster size to the selected partition, then click "OK".

Step 3. Check "Yes" to confirm formatting USB.

Click "Yes" if you see the Warning window. If you have important data on it, back up the data in advance.

Step 4. Apply the changes.

Click the "Execute 1 Task(s)" button first, and then click "Apply" to format the USB drive.

Method 2 - Format Bootable Pendrive with File Explorer

File Explorer is a universal method for formatting a bootable USB drive on Windows 10/11. Its familiarity and compatibility generally make it a solid choice.

Here's how to use this File explorer to format bootable USB:

1. Open File Explorer using Windows + E keys. Go to the This PC section and locate your bootable USB flash drive.
2. Right-click the bootable USB flash drive and choose Format.
3. Select the file system of your preference between NTFS and FAT32 and select the allocation size. The users can also restore the device's default settings by tapping Restore Device Defaults.
4. Hit Start to format your bootable USB.

Don't hesitate to share this article to let more users know how to restore a bootable USB to normal using File Explorer.

Method 3 - How to Format Bootable Pendrive to Normal - Disk Management

In Disk Management, you can also format the USB. Right-click the bootable drive and choose "Format." Then, follow the prompt to complete the formatting. Here are the detailed steps of perform bootable pendrive format:

Step 1. Click Start in the Run box, type diskmgmt.msc, and press "Enter" to start the Disk Management tool. 

Step 2. Right-click the bootable drive and select "Format". 

Step 3. Type a label to quickly identify the flash drive in the "Volume label" field.

Step 4. Select the proper file system, and click the "OK" button to continue.

Method 4 - Format Bootable Pendrive to Normal Using Diskpart

If you are familiar with the command prompt - build in Windows 11, Windows 10, and Windows 7/8/8.1, then Diskpart is another method you can apply. Below are the detailed steps.

Step 1. Click Start in the Run box, type diskpart, and press "Enter" to start the diskpart command prompt. 

Step 2. Type the following commands and press "Enter" after each move. 

list disk
select disk X (replace X with the disk number of your bootable USB drive)
clean
create partition primary
format fs=fat32 quick or format fs=ntfs quick (select one file system based on your own needs)
exit

After completing the steps, the USB flash drive will be formatted with the option that you specified.

You can learn more about these methods from the video below.

Foramt Bootable Pendrive to Normal with Actions Now!

This is all about how to make a bootable USB drive to normal. Simply put, you need to format the bootable USB. Formatting external storage devices is not difficult. Disk Management and Diskpart are both reliable tools. Moreover, you have a professional partition management tool - EaseUS Partition Master to help. Don't worry, go ahead and rescue your pen drive.

If we solve your error, you can click the button below to share with someone in need!

FAQs about Format Bootable Pendrive

If you still have questions about formatting bootable USB or pendrive, follow and find answers here immediately:

1. How Do You Format a Bootable USB Drive?

Here are the steps:

1. Open File Explorer using Windows + E hotkeys. Navigate to the This PC section and find the bootable USB flash drive.
2. Right-click the bootable pendrive and select Format.
3. Select the file system between NTFS and FAT32 and choose the allocation size. You can also restore the device's default settings by tapping Restore Device Defaults.
4. Then, press Start to format your bootable USB.

2. Can I format Bootable USB to Normal?

Yes, you can. Formatting can help you make a bootable pendrive to a normal USB. Here, you will get three effective methods: EaseUS Partition Master, Disk Management, and Diskpart.

3. Does Formatting a USB Make It Bootable?

No, formatting can't make a bootable USB. To make a USB bootable, you'll need to turn to reliable bootable USB creating solution, such as to make a WIndows bootable USB or to make a bootable USB partition manager.