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Where Does Whalebird Store Local Data?

Whalebird desktop apps cache Mastodon sessions and timelines in per-OS Electron folders, with accounts server-side.

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Whalebird is an Electron Mastodon client, so its local state follows the per-OS app-data convention: cache, local storage, IndexedDB timelines, and preferences in a Whalebird folder. Your account and posts stay on the instance.

That makes local data disposable for troubleshooting and useless for migration. New machine means fresh install plus login; copying the folder between machines mainly invites session errors.

Where Whalebird stores this, by platform

Windows
%APPDATA%\Whalebird

Electron cache, timelines, and session files. Accounts and posts stay server-side; clear freely when the client wedges.

macOS
~/Library/Application Support/Whalebird

Same role as Windows. If the folder name differs slightly by release, search Application Support for Whalebird with the app quit.

Linux
~/.config/Whalebird

Same interior folders under the usual config root. Re-login refetches timelines from the instance.

Frequently asked questions

How do I reset a glitchy Whalebird install?

Quit Whalebird, clear the data folder for your OS, and log in again. Timelines and accounts reload from the server; only offline cache is lost.

Does clearing Whalebird data delete my posts?

No. Clearing local data drops cache and session files only. Posts, follows, and lists live on your instance and return after login.

Notice an outdated path? Let us know.