Where Is the Ghostty Config File?
Ghostty config file locations on macOS, Linux and Windows, and which one wins when several exist.
Last updated
Ghostty reads a plain text file where each line is a key = value pair. On Linux it lives at ~/.config/ghostty/config.ghostty, and macOS accepts the same path plus a native one under ~/Library/Application Support/com.mitchellh.ghostty/.
When several candidates exist, Ghostty picks in a fixed order and the macOS Application Support copy wins over the XDG one. Run ghostty +show-config to see exactly which file loaded. Older installs may still use the bare name config instead of config.ghostty; both are searched, so either works.
Where Ghostty stores this, by platform
~/Library/Application Support/com.mitchellh.ghostty/config.ghostty
Native macOS path, wins on conflict. The XDG path ~/.config/ghostty/config.ghostty also works on Mac. Confirm the winner with ghostty +show-config.
~/.config/ghostty/config.ghostty
Primary location ($XDG_CONFIG_HOME if set). Plain text key = value format; changes apply with ctrl+shift+, and no restart is needed.
%LOCALAPPDATA%\ghostty\config.ghostty
Experimental Windows builds only, and the layout may still move between releases. Confirm with ghostty +show-config rather than assuming this path.
Frequently asked questions
Which config file is Ghostty actually using?
Run ghostty +show-config. It prints the loaded file path plus every active option, which settles it instantly when the macOS and XDG copies disagree.
Why is my config named config instead of config.ghostty?
The filename changed around version 1.2.3 from config to config.ghostty. Ghostty still searches both names in order, so an old file keeps working. Rename it at your leisure.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.