Knowing how to format a storage drive is a crucial bit of knowledge for any computer user. It's a common misconception that formatting is only for wiping a drive that's full of files you no longer need. It also means overwriting sectors so previously stored data cannot be recovered, setting the file system up anew, and scanning for bad sectors. It's always a good idea to format a USB drive before reusing it, even if you've deleted all the files previously stored on it. So, here's how to format a USB drive on Windows, and how to know which settings to choose when doing so.