Where Does KiCad Store Settings and Library Tables?
KiCad stores settings in versioned folders that change with each release. Config paths for Windows, macOS and Linux plus library tables.
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KiCad versions its settings folders, so every minor release gets its own subfolder and upgrades never overwrite your old setup. Inside sit JSON preference files per editor, hotkey maps, and the symbol and footprint library tables. The folder name carries the version number, which is why guides always show a path ending in something like 9.0.
Projects are the separate half people conflate with settings. Your schematics and boards live wherever you created them; only preferences and library tables live in the config folder. KICAD_CONFIG_HOME overrides the base path if you need settings on a shared or portable drive.
Where KiCad stores this, by platform
%APPDATA%\kicad\[Ver]
[Ver] is the minor version, like 9.0. Holds per-editor JSON files, user.hotkeys, sym-lib-table and fp-lib-table. Set KICAD_CONFIG_HOME to relocate the whole tree. Stock templates stay under Program Files; only user settings live here.
~/Library/Preferences/kicad/[Ver]
Same versioned layout under Preferences. [Ver] matches your installed minor release. User projects default to ~/Documents, which is unrelated to this folder; back up both if you want settings plus work.
~/.config/kicad/[Ver]
Follows the XDG config convention directly. [Ver] matches your installed minor release. Plugin and Content Manager packages register in installed_packages.json here. KICAD_CONFIG_HOME and KICAD_DOCUMENTS_HOME relocate settings and user documents independently.
Frequently asked questions
how do i migrate kicad settings to a new version
Copy the versioned folder's contents into the new version's folder on first launch, or let KiCad prompt and import. Review the library tables afterward; version upgrades remap stock library paths and occasionally drop custom entries. Keep the old folder until the new install proves itself.
does uninstalling kicad delete my settings
Yes, that is per-user data the uninstaller deliberately leaves. The folder holds preferences, hotkeys, library tables and Plugin Manager packages. Delete the versioned folder for a true clean slate, or keep it to preserve your setup across reinstalls.
where are kicad library tables stored
They live in the same versioned config folder: sym-lib-table for symbols and fp-lib-table for footprints. Back those two files up with the rest of the folder. If libraries break after an upgrade, re-point the tables in Preferences, Manage Libraries rather than reinstalling everything.
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