> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.parallels.com/landing/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.parallels.com/landing/pdfm-ug/parallels-desktop-for-mac-27-users-guide/parallels-desktop-preferences-and-virtual-machine-settings/adding-and-removing-devices/support-for-virtual-and-physical-drives.md). # Support for Virtual and Physical Drives This section lists the types of disks that can be used by Parallels virtual machines and provides information about basic operations you can perform on these disks. ### Supported Types of Hard Drives Parallels virtual machines can use virtual or physical drives as their hard disks. ### Virtual Hard Drives The capacity of a virtual hard drive can be set from 100 MB to 2 TB. When you create a virtual machine, the disk is created in an expanding format, which means that you can continue installing applications and downloading movies, music, etc. The disk will grow in size proportionally. ### Physical Drives Parallels Desktop allows you to connect physical drives directly to virtual machines as internal disks. When connected this way, physical drives work faster than via USB. You can either boot virtual machines from such drives or connect them as secondary and work with the drive data. ### Optical Drives and Disc Images Parallels Desktop can access real drives and images of CD/DVD/BD discs. Parallels Desktop has no limitations on using multi-session CD/DVD discs. A virtual machine can play back audio CDs without any limitations on copy-protected discs. If your Mac has a recording optical drive, you can use it to burn optical discs from a virtual machine. Parallels Desktop supports disc images in the ISO, CUE, and CCD formats. {% hint style="info" %} **Note:** DMG disk images made with macOS Disk Utility are also supported by Parallels Desktop. When creating such an image, make sure you create a *read-only* and *uncompressed* image without any encryption. {% endhint %} --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.parallels.com/landing/pdfm-ug/parallels-desktop-for-mac-27-users-guide/parallels-desktop-preferences-and-virtual-machine-settings/adding-and-removing-devices/support-for-virtual-and-physical-drives.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.