Where Does 86Box Store VMs and Config?
86Box tracks global prefs in 86box_global.cfg per OS, while each emulated machine lives in its own folder with an 86box.cfg inside.
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86Box separates global settings from machine definitions cleanly. The global file 86box_global.cfg holds manager preferences (system directory, update checks, UI state) in a per-OS location. Each emulated machine is a folder containing its own 86box.cfg plus disk images, NVRAM, and screenshots.
The manager's System Directory setting decides where machines live, and it is changeable in Preferences. Back up a machine by copying its folder. Back up the setup by copying the folder plus the global config.
Where 86Box stores this, by platform
C:\Users\[Username]\AppData\Local\86Box\86box_global.cfg
Global manager config. Machines live in the System Directory (see Preferences, changeable per install), each in a folder with its own 86box.cfg. vmm_disabled = 1 here turns the manager off entirely.
~/Library/Preferences/86Box/86box_global.cfg
Same split: global prefs here, machines in the System Directory. Use Open folder on a machine in the manager to jump straight to its files.
~/.config/86Box/86box_global.cfg
Same layout under XDG config. Machine folders hold drives, NVRAM, printer output, and screenshots beside their 86box.cfg, so one folder copy migrates a whole machine.
Frequently asked questions
Where is a specific virtual machine stored?
Open the manager, right-click the machine, and choose Open folder (or Show config file). The manager scans its System Directory for 86box.cfg files, so that menu always points at the real location.
Can I run 86Box portably from a USB drive?
Place the binary and its files in their own folder with a config beside the exe to run portably. Otherwise global settings live in the per-OS path above and machines in the System Directory from Preferences.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.