Where Does Mathematica Store Settings and Packages?
Mathematica splits user files between a Base Directory for packages and a User Directory for settings and history.
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Mathematica keeps two homes per user: a Base Directory for installed packages and system wide user files, and a User Directory for preferences, history and auto saves. Notebooks themselves live wherever you save them.
Ask the program itself with $BaseDirectory and $UserBaseDirectory rather than guessing, since versions and install types shift the paths. Paclets download into the base tree and accumulate across updates.
Where Mathematica stores this, by platform
%APPDATA%\Wolfram\Mathematica
User directory with preferences and history. Base directory sits in %USERPROFILE%\Documents\Wolfram Mathematica for user packages. Evaluate the dollar variables to confirm on your install.
~/Library/Mathematica
User directory on Mac. Base directory is ~/Library/Wolfram. Same split: settings versus packages, notebooks wherever you put them.
~/.Mathematica
User directory on Linux with base at ~/Wolfram. Evaluate $UserBaseDirectory and $BaseDirectory inside Mathematica for the exact paths on your machine.
Frequently asked questions
where are mathematica packages installed
In the Base Directory's Applications folder, shown by evaluating $BaseDirectory. The PacletManager adds downloaded paclets there automatically.
how do i reset mathematica preferences
Quit Mathematica and rename the User Directory for your OS. Relaunching rebuilds defaults. Packages in the Base Directory survive the reset.
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