Where Is the mintty Config File?
Where mintty keeps its text config across four candidate paths on Windows, and which file actually wins.
Last updated
mintty reads up to four config files in order on Windows with later files winning. A system wide file leads, then XDG style, Roaming and legacy home files follow. The last writable file in the chain receives saves.
That chain confuses everyone who edits one file while another shadows it. Cygwin, MSYS and Git Bash homes each resolve the tilde differently, so identical setups read different files. Themes live in folders beside the configs with the same precedence. Scrollback and bell choices share the chain, so test with the debug flag.
Where mintty stores this, by platform
~/.minttyrc
Legacy home config and the last writable file in the chain. XDG, Roaming and system siblings may shadow it. Debug flag prints the live order.
Frequently asked questions
Which mintty config file is actually active?
Launch once with the debug flag to print every file the terminal loads in order. The last writable file in that list receives saves from the options dialog. Point per theme launches at explicit paths to dodge the chain entirely.
How do I use a per theme mintty file?
Pass the config flag with your theme file path on the mintty command line. Theme files live in the themes folder beside the configs. The system wide file stays untouched while personal themes override it.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.