Where Does IrfanView Store Its Settings?
IrfanView keeps settings in small INI files, with 32 and 64 bit builds reading different filenames.
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IrfanView distrusts the registry so thoroughly its author says so in interviews. Every setting lives in a plain INI file, editable by hand and copyable between machines with zero ceremony.
The catch is bitness. The 32 bit build reads i_view32.ini and the 64 bit build reads i_view64.ini, and neither acknowledges the other's file. Installs can also redirect the INI into Program Files or AppData, so the Properties dialog's printed path beats every guide.
Where IrfanView stores this, by platform
%APPDATA%\IrfanView
Settings live in i_view32.ini or i_view64.ini by build. A stub INI in Program Files can redirect to AppData via its INI_Folder line.
Frequently asked questions
How do I move settings to a new PC?
Open Properties and check the Start/Exit tab, which prints the live INI path. Copy that exact file to the same location on the new PC. Match the bitness or rename: 32 bit reads i_view32.ini, 64 bit reads i_view64.ini.
IrfanView forgets settings every launch. Why?
The INI or its folder is read only, often from installing as admin and running as a user. Point the install at an AppData INI folder or clear the read only flag. Cleaner tools wiping the INI cause the same symptom.
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