Where Does PowerToys Store Its Settings?
Where PowerToys keeps settings.json and per module settings on Windows, and how to reset one broken module.
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PowerToys stores every setting as JSON under %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\PowerToys. The general settings.json sits at the root, and each module (FancyZones, PowerToys Run, Keyboard Manager and the rest) keeps its own settings.json in a named subfolder.
That split makes targeted resets easy. A broken zone layout means deleting the FancyZones folder only, never the whole tree. Logs sit in a logs subfolder beside settings, which is where to look when a module silently refuses to start.
Where PowerToys stores this, by platform
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\PowerToys\settings.json
Paste %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\PowerToys into Explorer. General settings are settings.json at the root. Back up the whole folder with PowerToys closed; restore by copying it back before launching.
Frequently asked questions
One PowerToys module misbehaves. How do I reset just that one?
Delete that module subfolder (or just its settings.json) while PowerToys is closed, then relaunch. PowerToys recreates defaults for the missing module and leaves every other module untouched.
How do I migrate PowerToys settings to a new PC?
Copy the whole %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\PowerToys folder to the same path on the new machine with PowerToys closed. FancyZones layouts, Run plugins and key remaps all come along. Version mismatches occasionally need a settings upgrade on first launch.
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