Credit: Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority
- The first betas of iOS and iPadOS 18 include a new option in the Files app that allows users to reformat external drives when erasing them.
- Beta testers can currently pick between the APFS, ExFAT, and MS-DOS (FAT) formats, which serve different purposes.
- Picking the APFS format allows users to encrypt the external drive using a password of their choice and opt for case sensitivity.
Apple has been gradually boosting its latest iPhones and iPads by introducing fresh power-user features with every annual OS update, and this year is no different. The first betas of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 pack a new functionality that allows testers to reformat external drives when erasing them.
The ability to erase connected external drives using the Files app on iPhones and iPads has existed for a while. As Kaleb Cadle discovered, though, iOS and iPadOS 18 upgrade this feature by allowing users to pick between three formats instead of being limited to a default one.