Where Does QGIS Store Profiles and Plugins?
Where QGIS 3 keeps profiles with settings, plugins and the project database on Windows, Mac and Linux.
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QGIS 3 organizes per user state into profiles. The default profile holds the settings ini, the qgis.db database and the Python plugins folder. Projects themselves live wherever you saved them.
The profile root moves per OS but the inside layout stays the same. The fastest way to find it is inside QGIS through the User Profiles menu. That command opens the right folder on any platform without guessing. Copying the profile folder carries styles, plugins and settings in one move, which beats reinstalling each piece.
Where QGIS stores this, by platform
C:\Users\[Username]\AppData\Roaming\QGIS\QGIS3\profiles\default
Active profile root with QGIS3.ini, qgis.db and python plugins beneath it. Open it from Settings, User Profiles, Open Active Profile Folder.
~/Library/Application Support/QGIS/QGIS3/profiles/default
Same profile layout as Windows. Plugins sit in python plugins under the default folder. Use Go to Folder in Finder to reach Library.
~/.local/share/QGIS/QGIS3/profiles/default
Same profile layout under the XDG data dir. Plugins sit in python plugins under the default folder. Custom profiles are siblings of default.
Frequently asked questions
QGIS crashes on startup after installing a plugin. How do I fix it?
Rename the python plugins folder inside your active profile to plugins.bak and restart. QGIS then starts without third party plugins. Rename it back piece by piece to find the broken one.
How do I move my QGIS setup to a new computer?
Use Settings, User Profiles, Open Active Profile Folder to open the exact profile root for your OS. Back up that whole folder to carry settings, styles and plugins to another machine in one move.
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