Where Do Flatpak Apps Keep Their Data?
Where Flatpak keeps per app data, user installs and system runtimes on Linux, and the command that lists them.
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Flatpak separates program from data cleanly. Each app writes settings, saves and caches to ~/.var/app/<app-id>, using the same reverse DNS ID as its store listing (org.mozilla.firefox, net.ValveSteam, and so on). Backing up one app means copying one folder.
Installs themselves split two ways: system wide files in /var/lib/flatpak, per user files in ~/.local/share/flatpak. The data folder stays in ~/.var/app either way, which is why reinstalling a Flatpak app keeps your settings while a deleted data folder wipes them.
Where Flatpak stores this, by platform
~/.var/app/[AppID]
Replace <app-id> with the full ID from flatpak list. Config usually sits in ~/.var/app/<app-id>/config, saves wherever the app puts them inside its folder. Deleting the folder resets the app completely.
Frequently asked questions
How do I reset one Flatpak app without touching others?
Delete ~/.var/app/<app-id> (with the app closed) for a full reset of that app alone. Shared runtimes in /var/lib/flatpak stay untouched, so other apps keep working. The app recreates defaults on next launch.
I installed the same app twice. Which copy runs?
Run flatpak list --app to see user vs system scope per app. User installs live in ~/.local/share/flatpak, system ones in /var/lib/flatpak. Same app ID can exist in both, with the user copy winning at launch.
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