Where Does balenaEtcher Store Settings?
Where balenaEtcher keeps its config.json settings file on Windows, Mac and Linux, and when to edit it by hand.
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balenaEtcher is mostly stateless. It flashes an image and forgets the job. The only persistent file is a small config.json kept in the standard Electron storage path for your OS.
That file appears after the first launch, not after install. Portable builds may never write it to the expected place. When a toggle is missing from the interface, the answer is usually one key in this file. Close the app before editing, since Etcher rewrites the JSON on quit and drops outside changes. Portable builds differ.
Where balenaEtcher stores this, by platform
C:\Users\[Username]\AppData\Roaming\balena-etcher\config.json
Single JSON file with app settings. Created on first launch. Edit with Etcher closed or the app overwrites your change on quit.
~/Library/Application Support/balena-etcher/config.json
Same config.json as Windows. Open it through Go to Folder in Finder since Library is hidden.
~/.config/balena-etcher/config.json
Same config.json layout. Older deb packages used a balena-etcher-electron variant name, so check that sibling if this path is empty.
Frequently asked questions
How do I change a hidden Etcher setting?
Close Etcher first, then open config.json in a text editor and change the value. The app rewrites the file on quit, so edits made while it runs get lost. Back up the file before touching it.
Why did Etcher forget my settings after an update?
The installer build preserves config.json across updates. The portable zip and some AppImage setups start fresh each time. Back up the file before updating if you run the portable build.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.