Hello from Long Island NY

[reg26]

Thanks for letting me on the forum! I just received my new XT and want to purchase an SD card. I plan on searching for the largest one that will fit in my new XT. I am familiar with Garmin and have owned many in the past. Looking forward to learning

[jfheath]

Welcome to the forums.

Those 256Gb SD cards are very expensive if you don't need that much space. Work out what you want to store on there and buy one that is big enough for your needs !

The Max capacity was increased to 256Gb from what it might say in the manual.
The max number of MP3 files is increased to 5000.

I have not found a Garmin Update log for the XT, so I have shown as many screen shots prior to updating as I can - here:
viewtopic.php?t=1223

See update 2.70 and 2.80

[reg26]

They are only about 25 bucks on Amazon but you are correct and I'll probably get something smaller. Do they have to be formatted ? My unit arrived yesterday and I haven't even opened the box. I will start playing around with it tomorrow as today is Christmas . Thank you for your reply

[jfheath]

Formatted - Yes FAT32.

Most SD cards come formatted, but larger capacity ones are often formatted as exFAT. I have never used one larger than 32Gb in the XT, so mine are formatted as FAT32. However, since Garmin say the XT will accept up to 256GB now, I guess that means that they can be formatted exFAT. But I don't know this for sure. I mention this because the 256Gb capacity was a later software amendment. The manual may still contain the original specifications.

The memory card has gold contacts at one end. On the oppositie side at the other end, is a raised ridge, which helps when using a thumbnail to removing the card from a normal push in SD card slot.

This isn't a normal sprung loaded slot in the XT. When you put your memory card in, the silvered cover folds down onto the card and slides up against the raised ridge on the card. (So if your XT is face down and the power button is top right, the silver clip is pushed to the left to lock it in position.

[rbentnail]

I don't think I've ever gotten a straight answer:

Does the XT prompt the user to format an SD card if a new, unformatted one is inserted into the XT?

The 595 does just that. No need to do it on a computer, the 595 will do it for you.

[jfheath]

That is useful information Russ. Thankyou.

I've never had a card bigger than 32Gb in any of my Zumos, and every card that I have ever used has been formatted already. So for me, the question has never arisen.

[reg26]

I really want to use a 64gb card and can't believe that you can't buy a pre formatted FAT32 card. I'm told windows 10 can not do it but I hear a MAC can so I'm going to ask a friend who has one to see if he can help. Searching on YouTube and Garmin site it seems you must use a third party program to accomplish it with windows 10 and I'm not comfortable doing that. I did see on Garmins site that some of their units will format an sd card for you. But NOT the Zumo XT

[rbentnail]

I really want to use a 64gb card and can't believe that you can't buy a pre formatted FAT32 card. I'm told windows 10 can not do it but I hear a MAC can so I'm going to ask a friend who has one to see if he can help. Searching on YouTube and Garmin site it seems you must use a third party program to accomplish it with windows 10 and I'm not comfortable doing that. I did see on Garmins site that some of their units will format an sd card for you. But NOT the Zumo XT

If it were me, I would not believe the Garmin website. I'd buy a 2gb very cheap unformatted SD card and put it in the XT to see what happens. That's how I found out about the 595 doing it for me. There's lots of threads/posts about formatting and creating "this" specific file name for music and "that" specific file name for maps, blah blah. Turns out the 595 does all of that. Yes, file creation too, all of it. No computer intervention at all to set up the card on the 595. For the measly price of a 2 or 4 gb I'd give it a go before messing with something more expensive.