Where Does qBittorrent Keep Config and Torrent Backups?
Where qBittorrent.conf and the BT_backup folder of .torrent and fastresume files live on Windows, macOS and Linux, and what each holds.
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qBittorrent keeps two things apart: your settings, in one folder, and the database that remembers which torrents exist, in another. The second one is BT_backup, a folder of .torrent files with matching .fastresume files that rebuild your queue after a crash or a forced quit.
Neither folder holds your downloads. Those sit wherever you pointed qBittorrent at, so copying BT_backup to another machine moves your torrent list and none of the actual data. qBittorrent.conf is plain text, which makes it worth exporting before you upgrade.
Where qBittorrent stores this, by platform
%APPDATA%\qBittorrent
qBittorrent.conf lives here, at C:\Users\[Username]\AppData\Roaming\qBittorrent. The resume database sits in the other half, %LOCALAPPDATA%\qBittorrent\BT_backup. Both locations come from the project's own FAQ and have not moved between versions. Launching qbittorrent.exe with --portable swaps them for a profile folder beside the executable.
~/.config/qBittorrent
The project's FAQ lists this as the config folder on macOS, holding qBittorrent.conf. BT_backup sits at ~/Library/Application Support/qBittorrent/BT_backup. Some builds also write ~/Library/Preferences/qBittorrent and read from that instead, so the log line 'Using config directory:' tells you which one is live on your machine.
~/.config/qBittorrent
BT_backup is at ~/.local/share/qBittorrent/BT_backup on current releases; older ones used ~/.local/share/data/qBittorrent. Flatpak and Snap keep both folders inside their own sandbox directories, so if the standard paths are empty, check the project FAQ for the package-specific variant.
Frequently asked questions
where are my torrent files in qbittorrent
In BT_backup, not in your downloads folder: %LOCALAPPDATA%\qBittorrent\BT_backup on Windows, ~/Library/Application Support/qBittorrent/BT_backup on macOS, ~/.local/share/qBittorrent/BT_backup on Linux. Deleting it empties your transfer list.
what is qbittorrent.conf
Your settings as an INI text file: save paths, ports, ratio limits, WebUI options. Open it in any editor, and copy it somewhere safe before you upgrade or edit it, since one broken line can send qBittorrent back to defaults.
how do i back up my qbittorrent torrent list
Copy two folders: the config folder holding qBittorrent.conf, and the data folder holding BT_backup. Copy the downloaded files separately. Restoring means dropping both folders back into the same places before you start the client.
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