{
  "slug": "logical-sector",
  "term": "Logical sector",
  "aliases": [
    "logical block (storage)"
  ],
  "definition": "A logical sector is the addressable data unit selected by a logical block address at a storage interface.",
  "note": "Its size describes the addressed interface, not the application's write size. In 512e it is 512 bytes; in 4Kn it is 4096 bytes.",
  "status": "shipping",
  "advantages": [
    {
      "text": "Explicit logical-sector sizes let software interpret address and transfer units without assuming 512 bytes.",
      "citationIds": [
        "microsoft-buffering"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    {
      "text": "The addressing unit can be smaller than the physical sector.",
      "citationIds": [
        "microsoft-buffering"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "physical-sector",
    "512e",
    "4kn-native",
    "block-storage",
    "partition-alignment"
  ],
  "supersedes": [],
  "supersededBy": [],
  "firstSeen": null,
  "lastSeen": null,
  "citations": [
    {
      "id": "microsoft-buffering",
      "title": "Microsoft: File buffering, alignment and file access requirements",
      "url": "https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/fileio/file-buffering",
      "accessed": "2026-10-12"
    },
    {
      "id": "hesela-sector-alignment",
      "title": "Hesela: 512e, 4Kn and alignment: geometry is not durability",
      "url": "https://hesela.com/analyses/sector-sizes-alignment-not-durability/",
      "accessed": "2026-10-12"
    }
  ],
  "updated": "2026-10-12"
}