Provided by: exfatprogs_1.2.9-1_amd64 
NAME
mkfs.exfat - create an exFAT filesystem
SYNOPSIS
mkfs.exfat [ -b boundary_alignment ] [ -s sector_size ] [ -c cluster_size ] [ -f ] [ -h ] [ -L
volume_label ] [ -U volume_guid ] [ --pack-bitmap ] [ -v ] device
mkfs.exfat -V
DESCRIPTION
mkfs.exfat creates an exFAT filesystem by writing on a special file using the values found in the
arguments of the command line. It is invoked automatically by mkfs(8) when it is given the -t exfat
option.
As an example, to make a filesystem on the first partition on the first SCSI disk, use:
mkfs.exfat /dev/sda1
OPTIONS
-b, --boundary-align=alignment
Specifies the alignment for the FAT and the start of the cluster heap. The alignment argument is
specified in bytes or may be specified with m/M suffix for mebibytes or k/K suffix for kibibytes
and should be a power of two. Some media like SD cards need this for optimal performance and
endurance, in which case alignment should be set to half of the card's native boundary unit size.
If the card's native boundary unit size is not known, refer to the following table of boundary
unit sizes recommended by the SD Card Association.
Card Capacity Range Cluster Size Boundary Unit
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
≤8 MiB 8 KiB 8 KiB
>8 MiB ≤64 MiB 16 KiB 16 KiB
>64 MiB ≤256 MiB 16 KiB 32 KiB
>256 MiB ≤1 GiB 16 KiB 64 KiB
>1 GiB ≤2 GiB 32 KiB 64 KiB
>2 GiB ≤32 GiB 32 KiB 4 MiB
>32 GiB ≤128 GiB 128 KiB 16 MiB
>128 GiB ≤512 GiB 256 KiB 32 MiB
>512 GiB ≤2 TiB 512 KiB 64 MiB
The default is always 1 MiB.
-s, --sector-size=size
Specifies the sector size of the exFAT file system. The size argument is specified in bytes or
may be specified with k/K suffix for kibibytes and must either 512, 1024, 2048 or 4096 bytes. The
default value is the sector size reported by the device, or 512 bytes if the device sector size
cannot be determined.
-c, --cluster-size=size
Specifies the cluster size of the exFAT file system. The size argument is specified in bytes or
may be specified with m/M suffix for mebibytes or k/K suffix for kibibytes and must be a power of
two. The default value is described in the following table:
Card Capacity Range Cluster Size
──────────────────────────────────────
≤256 MiB 4 KiB
>256 MiB ≤32 GiB 32 KiB
>32 GiB 128 KiB
-f, --full-format
Performs a full format. This zeros the entire disk device while creating the exFAT filesystem.
-h, --help
Prints the help and exit.
-L, --volume-label=label
Specifies the volume label to be associated with the exFAT filesystem.
-U, --volume-guid=guid
Specifies the volume GUID to be associated with the exFAT filesystem. It can be given in the
standard, hypenized UUID format like aaaabbbb-cccc-dddd-eeee-ffff00001111. Note: The volume GUID
cannot be used to set the the 8-letter ID reported by blkid or used as the filesystem UUID in
/etc/fstab.
--pack-bitmap
Attempts to relocate the exFAT allocation bitmap so that it ends at the alignment boundary
immediately following the FAT rather than beginning at that boundary. This strictly violates the
SD card specification but may improve performance and endurance on SD cards and other flash media
not designed for use with exFAT by allowing file-system metadata updates to touch fewer flash
allocation units. Furthermore, many SD cards and other flash devices specially optimize the
allocation unit where the FAT resides so as to support tiny writes with reduced write
amplification but expect only larger writes in subsequent allocation units — where the exFAT
bitmap would be placed by default. Specifying --pack-bitmap attempts to avoid the potential
problems associated with issuing many small writes to the bitmap by making it share an allocation
unit with the FAT. If there is insufficient space for the bitmap there, then this option will
have no effect, and the bitmap will be aligned at the boundary as by default.
-q, --quiet
Prints only error messages while creating the exFAT filesystem.
-v, --verbose
Prints verbose debugging information while creating the exFAT filesystem.
-V, --version
Prints the version number and exits.
SEE ALSO
mkfs(8), mount(8),
mkfs.exfat(8)