How to Fix exFAT Drive Not Showing on Windows 11

When an exFAT Drive is not showing on Windows 11, users who depend on the exFAT file system for its interoperability and support for large storage volumes may feel somewhat let down because of the ease with which these external drives may be utilized to transfer files between Windows and macOS, making them an excellent choice for users of both operating systems.

However, when this issue occurs, the connection between the drive and the computer is typically to blame, however, this guide will explore various ways you can effectively overcome this problem and get your system working without any issues.

1. Repair the drive

A drive’s contents are virtually erased when it is formatted, and a new file system is created in its place. This can assist in resolving file system issues that might be preventing Windows from recognizing the device.

The file system may be damaged or corrupt if an exFAT drive does not appear in Windows 11. You can make a new file system and, hopefully, fix the problem by formatting the drive. There are two ways to do this.

1.1 Make use of the Disk Management

1. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialogue, type diskmgmt.msc in the text field and hit Enter.
   
2. Look for the faulty drive, right-click on it, and choose Format.
   
3. Next, type a Volume label into the text box, pick exFAT from the File system dropdown menu, select 128K as the Allocation unit size, uncheck the Perform a quick format button, then click OK.
   
4. After formatting the drive, check if the exFAT drive is now showing on Windows 11.

1.2 Make use of Diskpart

1. Hold Windows + R to open the Run dialogue, type cmd in the text field, then press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open the command prompt as an administrator.
   
2. Once you are in the command prompt, input the command below and hit Enter.
   diskpart
3. Next, run this command to get a list of all the available drives.
   list disk
   
   
4. Look for the ID assigned to the external drive, and run the command below (Replace X with the assigned number).
   select disk X
   
5. Now, run the command below to clear the disk.
   clean
   
   
6. Next, create a partition by running the command below.
   create partition primary
7. Set exFAT as the file system by using this next command.
   assign
8. This process should help fix this error. If you are having problems launching the command prompt, check out the linked guide for solutions.

2. Set the drive as active and specify a drive letter

A drive can be marked as active if it is the boot drive for the computer. This means that the drive will be used to start up the computer. By marking the drive as active, you can ensure that the drive is visible in Windows. Follow the steps below to achieve this.

1. Press Windows + S to open the Search bar, type  Create and format hard disk partitions in the text field, and select the required result.
2. Look for the exFAT formatted external drive, right-click on it, and pick Mark Partition as Active.
   
3. Right-click the external storage device once more and choose Change Drive Letter and Paths.
   
4. Next, select the Add button.
   
5. Select the radio button for Assign the following drive letter, select a letter or go with the default choice and click OK.
   
6. After following this process, check to see if the problem has been fixed.

3. Fix corrupt system files

On Windows systems, corrupt system files can lead to a number of issues, including the exFAT drive not showing in Windows 11 error. When system files are damaged, Windows may be unable to correctly access and use devices like external disks.

By repairing the damaged files and enabling Windows to correctly access the drive, fixing faulty system files can assist in fixing the exFAT drive not showing in Windows 11 problem. Corrupt system files in Windows 11 can be fixed by following the steps below.

1. Hold Windows + R to open the Run dialogue, type cmd in the text field, then press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open the command prompt as an administrator.
   
2. Input the following commands in the command prompt and hit Enter after each one.
   DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
3. Allow the program to finish running, then input this next command and hit Enter.
   sfc /scannow
4. Finally, after this command finishes running, verify to know if the error has been resolved.

4. Run the check disk utility

Windows comes with a built-in program called Check Disk (Chkdsk) that may be used to check a disk for faults and fix them. It can also be used to fix damaged sectors. A file system problem or a faulty sector on the drive may be to blame if Windows 11 does not recognize the exFAT drive. The Check Disk utility run can assist in fixing these problems.

1. Hold Windows + R to open the Run dialogue, type cmd in the text field, then press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open the command prompt as an administrator.
   
2. Next, copy and paste the command below and hit Enter.
   chkdsk /r
   
3. If you are asked to schedule a scan after a restart, type Y and press Enter.
4. Finally, restart your device and allow it to run the Check Disk scan to resolve this error.

5. Update your driver

Windows may fail to recognize the drive if the drivers are out-of-date or incompatible. When you update your drivers, you install the most recent version that is appropriate for your hardware and operating system. This can make it more likely that Windows will recognize and interact with the device correctly.

1. Hold Windows + X simultaneously and choose Device Manager.
2. Secondly, look for your Disk drive entry, expand it, right-click on the required drive and choose Update driver.
   
3. Next, select Search automatically for drivers.
   
4. Lastly, allow Windows to install the best drivers and see if the problem has been resolved.

Final Thoughts

We have finally come to the end of this guide. We have successfully looked at various steps to take when exFAT drive is not showing in Windows 11. These steps will definitely help you achieve a positive result if you carefully follow the instructions outlined.

If you have further questions, contanct us via the comment section below.