Quick Format
If unchecked, each sector of the new volume will be formatted. This means that the new volume
will be entirely filled with random data. Quick format is much faster but may be less secure because
until the whole volume has been filled with files, it may be possible to tell how much data it contains
(if the space was not filled with random data beforehand). If you are not sure whether to
enable or
disable Quick Format, we recommend that you leave this option unchecked. Note that
Quick
Format can only be enabled when encrypting partitions/devices.
Important: When encrypting a partition/device within which you intend to create a hidden volume
afterwards, leave this option unchecked.
Dynamic
Dynamic VeraCrypt container is a pre-allocated NTFS sparse file whose physical size (actual disk
space used) grows as new data is added to it. Note that the physical size of the container (actual
disk space that the container uses) will not decrease when files are deleted on the VeraCrypt
volume. The physical size of the container can only increase up to the maximum value that is
specified by the user during the volume creation process. After the maximum specified size is
reached, the physical size of the container will remain constant.
Note that sparse files can only be created in the NTFS file system. If you are creating a container
in the FAT file system, the option Dynamic will be disabled (“grayed out”).
Note that the size of a dynamic (sparse-file-hosted) VeraCrypt volume reported by Windows and by
VeraCrypt will always be equal to its maximum size (which you specify when creating the volume).
To find out current physical size of the container (actual disk space it uses), right-click the container
file (in a Windows Explorer window, not in VeraCrypt), then select Properties and see the
Size on disk value.
WARNING: Performance of dynamic (sparse-file-hosted) VeraCrypt volumes is significantly worse
than performance of regular volumes. Dynamic (sparse-file-hosted) VeraCrypt volumes are also
less secure, because it is possible to tell which volume sectors are unused. Furthermore, if data is
written to a dynamic volume when there is not enough free space in its host file system, the
encrypted file system may get corrupted.
Cluster Size
Cluster is an allocation unit. For example, one cluster is allocated on a FAT file system for a one-
byte file. When the file grows beyond the cluster boundary, another cluster is allocated.
Theoretically, this means that the bigger the cluster size, the more disk space is wasted; however,
the better the performance. If you do not know which value to use, use the default.
VeraCrypt Volumes on CDs and DVDs
If you want a VeraCrypt volume to be stored on a CD or a DVD, first create a file-hosted VeraCrypt
container on a hard drive and then burn it onto a CD/DVD using any CD/DVD burning software (or,
under Windows XP or later, using the CD burning tool provided with the operating system).
Remember that if you need to mount a VeraCrypt volume that is stored on a read-only medium
(such as a CD/DVD) under Windows 2000, you must format the VeraCrypt volume as FAT. The
reason is that Windows 2000 cannot mount NTFS file system on read-only media (Windows XP
and later versions of Windows can).
