Where Is the Waybar Config File?
Where Waybar keeps its JSON config and CSS style on Linux, and which files to copy for a first setup.
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Waybar keeps two files side by side: a JSON config named config and a style.css for theming. Both live in ~/.config/waybar for user setups, with system defaults under /etc/xdg/waybar.
Copy the defaults down before editing. The man page lists several fallback paths, but in practice the XDG folder is the only one you need. Hyprland and Sway users usually autostart Waybar from the compositor config.
Where Waybar stores this, by platform
~/.config/waybar/config
JSON (or JSONC on recent builds) bar definition. Modules, layer, and output selection live here. Style comes from style.css in the same folder.
Frequently asked questions
How do I start a custom Waybar setup?
Create ~/.config/waybar/ and copy /etc/xdg/waybar/config and style.css into it, then edit the copies. Newer releases also accept config.jsonc. Restart Waybar or send SIGUSR2 to reload.
Does the style file live with the config?
Yes. Waybar reads config (or config.jsonc on new builds) plus style.css from the same folder. Keep the pair together when you back up or share a theme; one without the other looks broken.
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