Where Does RustDesk Store Config and Keys?
RustDesk client config, peers and the second service copy on Windows that breaks unattended access.
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RustDesk keeps client config in RustDesk2.toml (servers, relay, API, key) with peers in peers.toml: %APPDATA%\RustDesk\config on Windows, ~/.config/rustdesk on Linux, ~/Library/Application Support/RustDesk/config on Mac. Connection logs sit in a log sibling.
Windows hides a second copy that breaks unattended access: the installed service reads C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Roaming\RustDesk\config instead. Configure only the user copy and the GUI works while background sessions fail. Self hosters paste the server id_ed25519.pub content as the client key. Mobile apps use private storage with no stable path.
Where RustDesk stores this, by platform
%APPDATA%\RustDesk\config\RustDesk2.toml
Client config plus peers.toml and logs beside it. Portable exe uses the same user path unless overridden. Service copy in C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\...\RustDesk\config must match for unattended access. Redirect with --config, import with --import-config (app stopped).
~/.config/rustdesk/RustDesk2.toml
Client config, exportable via --import-config. Flatpak and AppImage sandboxes may relocate it. Self hosted server keys (id_ed25519) live in the server data dir, e.g. /var/lib/rustdesk-server or the Docker /data volume.
~/Library/Application Support/RustDesk/config/RustDesk2.toml
Client config equivalent to other OSes. Set servers via Settings, Network, Unlock Network Settings. Exact bundle prefix may vary by build; search for RustDesk2.toml if missing.
Frequently asked questions
RustDesk works when open but unattended access fails. Why?
The Windows service reads its own config copy under ServiceProfiles\LocalService, not your user one. Apply the same server settings to both copies (or use --import-config correctly) and background sessions connect.
Where do I put my self hosted server key in RustDesk?
Paste the contents of the server id_ed25519.pub file into the Key field (Settings, Network, unlocked) on every client. The .toml stores it under options as key afterwards.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.