Where Does TouchDesigner Store Projects and User Files?
TouchDesigner saves work as .toe project files wherever you place them, with user palettes, plugins, and license-adjacent config in the Derivative folders of your profile.
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TouchDesigner projects are .toe files living wherever you save them, from Documents to show drives. Everything the project references by path travels separately, which makes self contained project folders the professional habit.
User level content sits apart in Derivative profile folders: palettes, custom operators, and preferences that follow you across projects. Backing up means the project folder for work plus the user folders for setup. Version upgrades keep both readable in practice.
Where TouchDesigner stores this, by platform
%USERPROFILE%\Documents\TouchDesigner
.toe projects plus referenced media and components move as one folder. Relative paths survive machine moves, absolute ones do not.
~/Documents/TouchDesigner
Same user placed project layout as Windows. Palettes and custom pieces live in user folders. Keep shows self contained per folder.
Frequently asked questions
How do I move a TouchDesigner project?
Copy the .toe file plus any external assets it references like movies, TouchDesigner components, and Python libs. Absolute file paths inside break on new machines, so prefer relative project folders. Keep one folder per show.
Can I delete TouchDesigner cache files?
Yes for finished installs, since the cache rebuilds from operators on load. Keep it while iterating because shader compiles and thumbnails cost minutes. The .toe itself stays small regardless.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.