Some people think USB flash drives are outdated, but that’s untrue, and they are still practical for playing offline content via your TV’s USB port. Some USB sticks might not work on your TV, but it’s usually a formatting error that can be resolved by changing their file system.

So which USB drive format is best for your TV? The answer isn’t so simple, because every TV is different and compatible with certain file and video formats. Some TVs will detect your USB stick, but won’t see or detect the files you want to play. Today I’ll clear up which is the best USB drive format for your TV, so you won’t have issues enjoying your videos.

Common Drive Formats

USB stick file systems

There are three common drive formats which each have their own pros and cons. It’s best to learn more about them and see what they offer before trying to find the best option for your TV.

FAT32

FAT32 (File Allocation Table 32) is the oldest file system that was introduced over 30 years ago with Windows 95. It’s also the most common and has the widest device compatibility. It works on most devices, including Windows and Mac computers, and consoles. Fat32’s disadvantage is that it supports a maximum file size of 4GB. This is fine for smaller files, like documents or MP3s, but won’t work for large movie files which often exceed this capacity.

exFAT

exFAT (Extended File Allocation Table) is the modern successor to FAT32 with all of its strengths and none of its weaknesses. This file was introduced in 2006 as a FAT32 replacement and is widely compatible with modern TVs, game consoles and other devices. The advantage over FAT32 is that it doesn’t have a 4GB file restriction and can handle larger files, including 4K movies.

NTFS

NTFS (New Technology File System) was released back in 1993 as a more secure and fault-tolerant alternative to FAT32. This format supports file permissions and encryption and uses a journaling system to track file changes and make recovery easier. It’s the default format of Windows drives and has a massive eight petabyte file limit.

The downside of NTFT is that it’s mainly used on Windows systems and isn’t as widely adopted across other devices compared to FAT32 and exFAT, although this is changing. One of the reasons is because Microsoft owns the rights to NTFS and charges royalties for its use.

What’s the best USB drive format for your TV?

It depends on your TV

This depends on your TV and your requirements. FAT32 is the best bet if you want to use the same memory stick on various devices, including older models. However, the 4GB limitation can eventually be an issue if you want to play larger files.

exFAT probably has the widest compatibility with the latest TVs and there’s no file limitations to worry about. NTFS is best if you’re also using your stick on your Windows laptop, and it doesn’t have a file size limit either. Some new TVs support NTFS and others don’t. You’ll need to test your stick on your TV or read the manual to know if it will work.

How do you format a USB stick for a TV?

Just a few easy steps

Formatting a USB stick is easy and takes a minutee. First ensure there’s no critical information on it as the process will erase all data.

1. Insert the USB stick into a free port.

2. Open Windows Explorer and right-click on the stick

3. Navigate to Format and click on it.

4. Select the format you want from the dropdown list and click on Start

5. You’ll get a warning that formatting will erase all the data on the disk

6. Click on OK

7. A message will pop up to tell you when formatting is complete

Which video formats do most TVs support?

Each has pros and cons

Your TV might support all these file systems, but could still have issues playing your videos because it doesn’t support the video formats. So what is a video format in the first place? You can think of it as a container that stores a video’s video and audio codecs. Codecs are tools which compress files to a manageable size and decompress them when they’re played. Here are some of the most common video formats.

MP4

MP4 (MPEG-4 Part 14) is widely compatible with most TVs and offers the best size to video quality ratio. The file sizes are generally small, and the compression can slightly reduce image quality. It’s the most modern format on this list and supports subtitles and the most popular video and audio codecs.

AVI

AVI (Audio Video Interleave) is an older codec format that usually has very large file sizes due to using less compression. It offers high-quality video and is the best option for professional use. It’s compatible with most systems, but sometimes isn’t practical due to its file sizes.

MKV

MKV (Matroska Video Format) is a versatile file format that offers high-quality video and audio. The file sizes are quite large, but it’s often because they can store multiple audio and subtitle tracks in a single file.

Which video format is best for USB content?

Check compatibility before deciding

MP4 probably has the widest compatibility and will work with all your devices. MKV is a better option for larger, higher-quality video files, but might not work on all TVs. If you have any issues with these, refer to your TV’s manual to check if they’re supported.