Formatting a USB flash drive involves preparing it for use by erasing all existing data and creating a new file system. This process is necessary when a flash drive is new, has become corrupted, or needs to be repurposed with a different file system.
Formatting a USB flash drive offers several benefits. It can erase any viruses or malware that may have infected the drive, allowing it to be used safely again. Additionally, formatting can improve the performance of the drive by optimizing its file system and removing any unnecessary files.