Where Does MyPaint Store Brushes and Settings?
MyPaint splits settings.json and custom brushes across XDG folders. Config and data paths on Linux and Windows, plus reset steps.
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Modern MyPaint follows XDG conventions. Interface settings (settings.json, keybindings) live in the config folder, while brushes, backgrounds and scratchpads live in the data folder. Old installs used a single ~/.mypaint directory that still works if present, which explains duplicate-looking setups.
Brushes are the fragile part. Deleting the whole settings tree for a reset also deletes custom brushes, so export those first. Migrate 1.1-era installs by copying settings.json and brushes into the new spots, then fix any scratchpad path still pointing at the old directory.
Where MyPaint stores this, by platform
%LOCALAPPDATA%\mypaint
Config and data combined here, including settings.json and the brushes tree. Very old installs used a .mypaint folder in the user profile instead.
~/.config/mypaint
settings.json and keybindings here; brushes and backgrounds under ~/.local/share/mypaint. Honors XDG_CONFIG_HOME and XDG_DATA_HOME. Legacy ~/.mypaint still loads if it exists.
Frequently asked questions
How do I reset MyPaint to defaults?
Close MyPaint and delete settings.json in the config folder for UI settings, or the whole folder for a factory reset. Save custom brushes elsewhere first since they live in the data folder that goes with it.
Where do custom MyPaint brushes go?
Into the brushes tree under the data folder (~/.local/share/mypaint on Linux, %LOCALAPPDATA%\mypaint on Windows). Brush group order comes from brushes/order conf files. Restart MyPaint to pick up additions.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.