Where Are macOS App Preferences Stored?
Where macOS apps keep preferences as plist files, and the defaults command that reads and resets them.
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Mac app preferences live as plist files in ~/Library/Preferences, named by reverse domain (com.apple.Safari, com.microsoft.VSCode, and so on). Containers for sandboxed App Store apps sit under ~/Library/Containers instead, with their own Preferences subfolders.
The defaults command is the safe interface: defaults read prints a domain, defaults delete resets it. Direct plist editing fights the preferences daemon and usually loses, which is why seasoned Mac troubleshooters reach for Terminal before Finder here.
Where macOS stores this, by platform
~/Library/Preferences
Use Go > Go to Folder in Finder. Filenames are reverse domains plus .plist. Sandboxed apps keep theirs under ~/Library/Containers/<app>/Data/Library/Preferences instead.
Frequently asked questions
How do I reset one app settings without reinstalling?
Run defaults delete <domain> (find the domain with defaults domains or from the plist filename). Quit the app first or it rewrites the old values on exit. Deleting moves the app to factory settings without touching its documents.
Can I just edit the plist file in a text editor?
Modern macOS caches prefs through cfprefsd, so hand edits often revert or corrupt. defaults write flushes through the daemon correctly. If you must edit the file, use PlistBuddy or Xcode plist editor with the app quit, then kill cfprefsd to force reload.
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