Where Does MATE Store Settings?
MATE stores settings in dconf (org.mate schemas) with app configs in ~/.config/mate. Back up both plus panel layouts.
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MATE centers on dconf with org.mate.* schemas since 1.6 (mateconf is long retired): background, panel, caja, marco, and daemon plugins all read GSettings backed by ~/.config/dconf/user. App-level files like caja scripts and themes sit under ~/.config/mate beside it. The mate-tweak tool and control center write the same store the CLI touches.
Relocatable schemas are the gotcha: panel objects address per-path, and only non-default keys appear in dumps, so backups look emptier than the desktop behaves. Dump with explicit paths and keep ~/.config/mate alongside. Caja desktop icons toggle per-icon via gsettings, which is also the scriptable route for fleet defaults.
Where MATE stores this, by platform
~/.config/dconf/user (plus ~/.config/mate)
org.mate.* schemas in the shared dconf db. Relocatable panel paths need explicit addressing; dumps show changed keys only. App configs in ~/.config/mate travel with it.
Frequently asked questions
how do i back up my mate desktop
Dump dconf (dconf dump /org/mate/) plus copy ~/.config/mate with the session stopped. Panels, applets, keybinds, and themes travel as two halves. Restore both for the identical desktop.
why are mate panel settings missing from dconf dumps
Relocatable panel schemas only show changed keys, which confuses dump readers. List schemas with gsettings list-schemas and keys per schema; panel objects need explicit :/path/ addressing. Unchanged values silently inherit defaults.
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