Where Does X-Plane 12 Store Preferences and Settings?
X-Plane 12 preferences folder inside the install directory, which .prf files hold graphics versus keys, and Steam path.
Last updated
X-Plane 12 keeps settings inside its own install folder rather than AppData or Documents, in Output/preferences. Graphics and general options live in X-Plane.prf, keyboard assignments in a separate keys file, so resetting graphics never costs your bindings.
The install location itself varies because the installer lets you choose it. Steam builds default to steamapps/common/X-Plane 12. Copy the preferences folder to move a tuned setup to a new machine, and delete X-Plane.prf when graphics settings leave the sim unlaunchable.
Where X-Plane 12 stores this, by platform
C:\X-Plane 12\Output\preferences\X-Plane.prf
Example path; yours is wherever you installed the sim, or steamapps\common\X-Plane 12 for Steam. Keyboard bindings live in X-Plane Keys.prf beside it. Deleting X-Plane.prf resets graphics safely.
~/X-Plane 12/Output/preferences/X-Plane.prf
Same relative layout inside the install folder. Steam installs land under ~/Library/Application Support/Steam/steamapps/common/X-Plane 12 instead.
~/X-Plane 12/Output/preferences/X-Plane.prf
Identical relative layout. Native Linux build, no Proton layer involved, so the files edit cleanly with any text editor.
Frequently asked questions
X-Plane 12 crashes on launch after a graphics change. How do I fix it?
Delete X-Plane.prf from Output/preferences with the sim closed. It regenerates with safe defaults on next launch while your keyboard file and scenery stay untouched.
How do I move X-Plane 12 settings to a new PC?
Copy the whole Output/preferences folder into the new install. Custom scenery and plugins live in their own folders and travel separately, so copy those too if the new setup looks bare.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.