Before you can organize your music on a USB, you need to figure out how your car radio will read the audio files, either by file name alphabetically or the order you copied them. You can figure this out by putting a few songs on a USB and playing them in your car. Then you can organize your complete library of songs.
Keep reading to learn more about the best file types for music to play in your car and how to organize music on USB for car stereo so you can always play the song you’re looking for.
Our top pick for the best car music USB drive is the compact SanDisk 256GB Ultra Fit USB.
How to Organize Music on USB for Car
You can easily format a USB stick for your car, plugging it into a computer and right-clicking on the UBS partition to access the context menu. Select the correct file system but leave the other parameters on their default setting.
Click OK, and the formatting will start.
You might need to click OK again on the pop-up window with a format warning.
To organize music correctly, you should also select the correct hierarchy. You will want to organize your music into folders to act as playlists. That way, you can more easily find the music you’re looking for. It can follow like so:
- Top Folder
- Folder 1
- Music 1
- Music 2
- Folder 2
- Music 3
- Folder 3
- Music 4
- Music 5
- Folder 1
And so on…
What Format does USB Have to be for a Car Stereo?
Most car systems use the FAT or FAT32 file format. Some new multimedia devices can use NTFS and exFAT files, but these require more significant amounts of storage to use.
Best formats:
- FAT
- FAT32
Can I use a USB stick to play music in my car?
If your car already has a USB port, you can most certainly use a USB to store and play music in your vehicle. If you don’t have a USB port, you can use the USB port on an FM transmitter to play the audio files.
This is a great cheap way to allow you to use a USB drive without upgrading your whole car stereo, which can be expensive.
If you do get an FM transmitter and want a phone mount, you can check out our article to find the best apple car play phone mount.
How do I store music on a USB stick?
Once you plug in your USB, you will have a window pop up prompting you to open the USB, or you can open Windows Explorer and click on the Flash Drive destination to open your USB.
Then you can easily drag and drop your music files or copy and pause the music files to transfer your music onto the USB.
Why is my USB not playing music in my car?
If your USB isn’t working, the solution could be as simple as removing it from the port and reinserting it. However, you might also need to check that the USB is in the correct mode, such as Player mode, before the USB can playback the music files.
Also, make sure the USB is formatted correctly for your car stereo, as outlined above.
How do I change the USB mode?
Plugin your USB into a computer and open the settings. Under System Settings, there should be an option for USB Mode. From there, you should be able to select the mode needed for playback on the UBS.
Cleaning the USB port
If your USB doesn’t work even after you have checked everything and reinserted it, then it could be that the USB port itself has particles inside of it that are disrupting the connection.
You will want to clean out any dust, food, or other debris that may be getting inside the port using compressed air.
Compressed air is the best method as it reduces the chance that you can damage the metal transistors on the USB port.
Is it Necessary to Format a New Flash Drive?
The USB is already prepared for use on a computer most of the time, so you won’t need to format it to transfer your music files.
However, it may be necessary to format the USB for your car since your stereo system may use a different file type for playback.
How to Play Music in a Car Without an Aux?
Many people use an aux cord to play music in their cars through their phones, but if this is not an option for you, you can always stick to a USB as we’ve outlined, a FM radio transmitter, a cassette adapter, or sound routing apps.
Many modern cars also have built-in Bluetooth, which can wirelessly connect with a phone and play music through the car’s stereo system.
Furthermore, iPhone users can utilize a system called Apple CarPlay to listen to their music apps right off their phone, all through an integrated stereo system.
Final Thoughts
The best way to organize your music on a USB is alphabetically by file name or in the order they are added to the UBS. Which works best for you will depend on how your car stereo system reads the files.
Ultimately, you will want to organize your music into folders to act as playlists. That way, you can more easily find the music you’re looking for.
