What Is the Best Drive Format? APFS, HFS, NTFS & exFAT Explained.
To format an external hard drive on Linux: format external hard drive
Command line alternative (replace /dev/sdb1 with your drive): What Is the Best Drive Format
Choosing the right format depends on how you intend to use the drive: erases all data
Formatting prepares a drive for use by a specific operating system, erases all data, and fixes file system errors.