Format button is so close to the unmount

[Kathrin1]

Every time I plug in my external drive to clear space on my phone, I can't stop wondering why the FORMAT button is right next to UNMOUNT. It would make so much more sense if UNMOUNT came first and FORMAT was last. Sure, there are extra steps before formatting, but simply reordering the buttons would remove that constant worry

[RedDogRabbit]

This is on a Tablet, right? 

If you swipe down to see the Notification Pull Down, I think that it SHOULD give you the option to just Unmount the external storage? 

At least that's what I see on my S25 Ultra. 

[Kathrin1]

Nope. That screenshot is from my S24. Files app is updated

[RedDogRabbit · Accepted solution]

Are you using the Files app to see what is in the screen shot you posted? 

As I said, when I want to Unmount the USB OTG device from my S25 Ultra, I swipe down from the top to view the expanded Notification Panel, and "Unmount USB Storage" is displayed all by itself, without "Format" visible. 

[RedDogRabbit · Accepted solution]

This is what I am talking about. 

 

The only options here are Open & Unmount, and they are at opposite sides of the screen. 

[Kathrin1]

Oh! Sorry, I didn't know that notification even had that option! Thank you!

[Urmi]

Hi Kathrin1,

You've raised a very valid concern—placing the FORMAT button adjacent to UNMOUNT can indeed lead to unnecessary anxiety, especially when managing important data. While formatting typically requires multiple confirmation steps, the proximity of these two critical actions increases the risk of accidental selection.

Why This Matters

• UNMOUNT is a routine, low-risk action used to safely disconnect external storage.

• FORMAT is a high-risk action that erases all data.

• Placing FORMAT last in the sequence would align with standard UX principles: low-risk actions first, high-risk actions last.