What is the maximum individual file size limit when using the MS-DOS (FAT) volume format?

The maximum individual file size limit for the MS-DOS (FAT) volume format is 4GB. This limitation is due to the way the FAT32 file system manages file storage. Each file in FAT32 is addressed with a 32-bit number, which allows it to represent a maximum size of 2^32 bytes. This calculation translates to 4,294,967,296 bytes, which is 4GB.

This limit is significant when considering compatibility with various operating systems and file transfer scenarios. Most modern file systems, such as NTFS and APFS, support much larger file sizes, which is crucial for handling large multimedia files and datasets. However, FAT32 remains in use, particularly for USB drives and external storage devices, due to its widespread compatibility across different systems and devices.

When working with FAT32, it's essential to keep this 4GB maximum file size in mind, as trying to store a file larger than this limit would result in an error or failure to save the file.