Where Does WinMerge Store Settings?
WinMerge preferences in the registry plus user data folders, and the switches for portable style use.
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WinMerge splits storage in two. Display and comparison preferences live in the registry under a Thingamahoochie key, a legacy of the original author handle. User data such as replace lists, color schemes and backups live as files, defaulting to Roaming AppData with Documents as a supported alternative.
That split surprises people who copy only one half. The Options dialog also offers Export and Import for the ini based settings, which is the cleanest migration path. Command line users get /noprefs for default only runs and /cfg for one shot overrides.
Where WinMerge stores this, by platform
%APPDATA%\WinMerge
Preferences key is HKCU\SOFTWARE\Thingamahoochie\WinMerge. User files default to %APPDATA%\WinMerge with subfolders like ReplaceLists and ColorSchemes. Switch the file side to Documents\WinMerge in settings if you prefer it visible.
Frequently asked questions
how do i back up winmerge settings
Export the registry key HKCU\SOFTWARE\Thingamahoochie\WinMerge with reg export, and copy the WinMerge user data folder. Import the .reg file and restore the folder on the target machine with WinMerge closed.
can i run winmerge portably without registry settings
Launch with the /inifile switch pointing at an ini file. WinMerge then loads and saves settings there instead of the registry, which is the documented route to portable behavior.
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