File too large – The file is too large for the target file system

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This message will help you if you cannot copy large files larger than 4 GB to a USB stick or SD card and you receive a message – file too large, the file is too large for the destination file system message when copying a large file.

I recently received the message File Too Large error when copying a 4.8 GB zipped file from my Windows 10 PC to a new 8 GB USB drive. If you receive such a message, even if you know there is enough space for the file, you must do the following to copy the file successfully.

There is a good chance that the USB drive is formatted in FAT32. Now, this file system has a built-in limit on the size of each file it can contain. It’s 4GB. Thus, although it can have files of 1 TB in total, it cannot exceed 4 GB individually. So you have to change the file system to NTFS.

File too large for destination file system

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Connect USB and open File Explorer. Right-click the USB drive letter and select Format. When the dialog opens from the File System drop-down menu, select NTFS instead of FAT32.

Select Quick Size and press Start button.

Alternatively, you can open a high command prompt and execute the following command:

convert X : /fs:ntfs /nosecurity

where X is the drive letter. For example in my case it is G, so the command would be :

convert G : /fs:ntfs /nosecurity

When the process is complete, try copying now.

I am sure you can copy the file.

Related topics:

1. 1. Safely remove non-functional hardware
  2. Remove the ejected USB drive from Windows without physically reconnecting it.

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