Where Does Password Safe Store Vaults and Config?
Password Safe keeps prefs in pwsafe.cfg with vaults as .psafe3 files anywhere. Security prefs encrypt inside the vault.
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Password Safe splits into vault and prefs. Vaults are .psafe3 files wherever saved (default ~/.pwsafe/pwsafe.psafe3 on Linux), encrypted under the master passphrase with security prefs stored inside alongside data. Non-security prefs (window geometry, MRU lists, toolbar) live in pwsafe.cfg: %LOCALAPPDATA%\PasswordSafe on Windows, ~/.pwsafe on Linux, overridable via PWS_PREFSDIR or -g.
That split decides backups: vault files carry everything valuable, cfg carries convenience. Registry days ended long ago; modern builds use the XML file on all platforms. Flatpak and distro packages follow the same ~/.pwsafe layout, so cross-install moves copy two paths at most.
Where Password Safe stores this, by platform
%LOCALAPPDATA%\PasswordSafe\pwsafe.cfg
Window state, MRU, toolbar prefs (non-security only). Vault holds the rest encrypted. Override via PWS_PREFSDIR or -g. Never hand-edit; only deltas persist.
~/.pwsafe/pwsafe.cfg
Same split: ~/.pwsafe/pwsafe.cfg for prefs, .psafe3 vaults wherever saved. Back the vault files first; cfg second. Flatpak and native share the layout.
Frequently asked questions
how do i back up password safe
Copy the .psafe3 vault file(s); that file is the passwords, openable on any OS with the master passphrase. pwsafe.cfg holds window state and MRU lists only. Losing passphrase plus vault means no recovery exists.
can i move the password safe config file
PWS_PREFSDIR env or -g flag overrides the default dir. Only non-default values persist; defaults never write. Never hand-edit the XML; unexpected values produce undefined behavior per the docs.
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