Where Does urxvt Store Settings?
urxvt reads X resources, usually ~/.Xresources, at startup. Fonts, colors, perl extensions, and keys all live there.
Last updated
urxvt has no config file of its own. It reads X resources, conventionally kept in .Xresources in the home folder and loaded with xrdb. Every option carries the URxvt prefix, from fonts and colors to perl extensions and keybindings.
Some setups split resources across Xdefaults or sourced files, but the lookup mechanism stays the same. Daemon mode (urxvtd plus urxvtc) shares the same resources, so one file configures clients and server together. Perl extension options nest under their own prefixes.
Where rxvt-unicode stores this, by platform
/home/<username>/.Xresources
X resources file with URxvt prefixed options. Merge with xrdb after edits. Holds fonts, colors, extensions, and keys.
Frequently asked questions
How do I configure urxvt?
Add URxvt prefixed lines to .Xresources, then merge with xrdb. The app reads resources once at launch, so restart terminals after.
How do I migrate urxvt settings?
Copy .Xresources plus any sourced files to the new home folder. Font and extension availability decides whether it looks the same.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.