Where Does MusicBrainz Picard Store Settings?
Picard keeps settings in Picard.ini and plugins in platform folders. Config and plugin paths for Windows, macOS and Linux.
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MusicBrainz Picard stores its settings in a single Picard.ini file whose home depends on OS: Roaming\MusicBrainz on Windows, ~/.config/MusicBrainz on macOS and Linux. Scripts, naming rules and plugin toggles all live in that one file, which makes migration a single-file copy.
Plugins live separately in per-platform plugin folders, and the Windows Store build sandboxes its config under Local\Packages instead of Roaming, the classic reason Store users cannot find their INI. The Options dialog exposes most settings, but the file itself is plain text for scripted edits. A -c command-line flag points Picard at any alternate config.
Where MusicBrainz Picard stores this, by platform
%APPDATA%\MusicBrainz\Picard.ini
Picard.ini holds all settings including scripts and plugin toggles. Plugins live separately at %LOCALAPPDATA%\MusicBrainz\Picard\plugins. The Windows Store build sandboxes config under Local\Packages instead. Copy the INI with Picard closed to migrate; delete it to reset.
~/.config/MusicBrainz/Picard.ini
Config at ~/.config/MusicBrainz/Picard.ini per Picard's own FAQ; plugins at ~/Library/Preferences/MusicBrainz/Picard/plugins per the troubleshooting docs. Same single-file migration story as Windows. The -c flag accepts alternate config paths for scripted runs.
~/.config/MusicBrainz/Picard.ini
Config at ~/.config/MusicBrainz/Picard.ini; plugins at ~/.local/share/MusicBrainz/Picard/plugins. Same layout the FAQ gives for all Unix-like systems. Copy the INI across Linux machines freely; plugin binaries may need reinstalling per distro.
Frequently asked questions
how do i move picard settings to a new pc
Copy Picard.ini to the same config path on the new machine with Picard closed. Scripts, tagger settings and plugin toggles travel with it. Reinstall the actual plugins separately or copy the plugins folder too. The Windows Store build keeps its config sandboxed under Local\Packages instead.
how do i reset picard settings
Delete Picard.ini with Picard closed and relaunch. The app recreates it with defaults, which clears corruption from bad upgrades. Your music files are untouched; only preferences reset. Back up the file first if it holds scripts you cannot rewrite from memory.
can i use a custom picard config file
Pass -c with your chosen file path on the command line. Picard documents this alongside debug and standalone-instance flags for scripted tagging workflows. Point each batch job at its own config to run different profiles without touching the default file.
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