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Where Does Wireshark Store Profiles and Settings?

Wireshark personal configuration folder with profiles, preferences and name resolution files on every OS.

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Wireshark keeps profiles (column layouts, filters, coloring rules) in a Profiles subfolder of its personal configuration dir. Global defaults live with the install and should stay untouched.

The About dialog prints the exact personal folder under Folders. Copy the Profiles subtree to migrate layouts without touching captures.

Where Wireshark stores this, by platform

Windows
%APPDATA%\Wireshark

Profiles underneath, plus preferences, dfilters and hosts. Confirm under Help, About Wireshark, Folders tab.

macOS
~/.config/wireshark

Same interior layout. In Finder use Go > Go to Folder for dotfolders.

Linux
~/.config/wireshark

Same layout. Capture permissions come from group membership (wireshark group), not from these files.

Frequently asked questions

How do I move Wireshark column layouts to a new PC?

Copy the Profiles folder into the personal configuration dir on the new machine with Wireshark closed.

Where is the global Wireshark config?

With the install (Program Files on Windows, app bundle on Mac, /usr/share on Linux). Personal files override it, so edit those instead.

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