Format external drives on iOS 18 and iPadOS 18? Here is the information that emerged from the beta

The iPad is certainly one of the most popular choices when you need a reliable and up-to-date tablet, but it still has some shortcomings today. One of them is about to be filled thanks to iPadOS 18 and concerns the possibility of formatting external drives connected to your device, without needing to use a Mac. The same feature will also be available on iPhone with the arrival of iOS 18. The new feature was noticed in the developer beta version by Kaleb Cadle who declared:

Now in the Files app on iPadOS 18, when we right-click or hold on an external drive and select “Erase”, new options appear to format the drive. Currently, the available options are APFS, ExFAT, and MS-DOS (FAT), the same format options available in Disk Utility (except for macOS extension formats).

As for more advanced functions, like disk repair, they will remain available only in Disk Utility for macOS. Despite the new features that will arrive with the next update, it will still be difficult for iPad owners to completely “replace” a Mac (which Apple certainly does not intend to encourage). While waiting for the official arrival of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, check which of your devices will receive the update.