How to Restore GIMP Configuration from a Backup After Uninstalling PhotoGIMP

After uninstalling PhotoGIMP, delete the modified configuration directory at ~/.config/GIMP/3.0 (Linux/macOS) or %APPDATA%\GIMP\3.0 (Windows) and replace it with your backup folder to restore your original GIMP settings.

PhotoGIMP transforms the standard GIMP interface into a Photoshop-like environment by overwriting core configuration files in the Diolinux/PhotoGIMP repository. When you remove this customization, you must manually restore your previous setup by replacing PhotoGIMP's files with your pre-installation backup. This guide provides the exact terminal commands and file paths needed to restore GIMP configuration from a backup after uninstalling PhotoGIMP across all major operating systems.

How PhotoGIMP Modifies Your Configuration

PhotoGIMP works by replacing specific configuration files inside GIMP's user profile directory. According to the project's [README.md](https://github.com/Diolinux/PhotoGIMP/blob/master/README.md), the installation process overwrites shortcuts, tool layouts, and session data without touching your custom brushes, plugins, or fonts. This means restoring a backup returns GIMP to its exact pre-installation state.

Locate Your GIMP Configuration Directory

Before restoring, identify where GIMP stores its configuration files on your system. PhotoGIMP targets the version-specific 3.0 folder within these standard locations:

• Linux and Unix-like systems: ~/.config/GIMP/3.0
• Windows: %APPDATA%\GIMP\3.0
• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/GIMP/3.0

Your backup should contain a copy of this entire 3.0 folder from before you installed PhotoGIMP.

Step-by-Step Restoration by Platform

The restoration process follows the same pattern across all platforms: remove the PhotoGIMP-modified directory, then copy your backup to the original location.

Linux and Unix-like Systems

Open a terminal and execute the following commands. Replace ~/GIMP-3.0-backup with the actual path to your saved backup.

# Remove the PhotoGIMP-modified configuration

rm -rf ~/.config/GIMP/3.0

# Restore your original settings

cp -r ~/GIMP-3.0-backup ~/.config/GIMP/3.0

If you already deleted the configuration folder manually, skip the rm command and proceed directly to the cp command.

Windows

Use Command Prompt or PowerShell to restore your configuration. Adjust the backup path to match where you stored your copy.

:: Remove the PhotoGIMP configuration
rmdir /s /q "%APPDATA%\GIMP\3.0"

:: Restore from backup (example path: C:\Backup\GIMP-3.0-backup)
xcopy /E /H /K /Y "C:\Backup\GIMP-3.0-backup" "%APPDATA%\GIMP\3.0"

Alternatively, you can manually delete the %APPDATA%\GIMP\3.0 folder in File Explorer and copy your backup folder to the same location.

macOS

In Terminal, use these commands to remove the modified configuration and restore your backup. Note the escaped space in the path.

# Delete the PhotoGIMP configuration

rm -rf ~/Library/Application\ Support/GIMP/3.0

# Restore your backup (adjust source path as needed)

cp -R ~/Desktop/GIMP-3.0-backup ~/Library/Application\ Support/GIMP/3.0

After copying completes, launch GIMP. Your previous keyboard shortcuts, toolbar layout, dock positions, and custom preferences will load exactly as they were before PhotoGIMP was installed.

Configuration Files Restored from Backup

Restoring the entire 3.0 folder brings back the following critical files that PhotoGIMP modifies:

• shortcutsrc — Photoshop-style keyboard shortcuts
• toolrc — Tool ordering and default settings
• sessionrc — Window layout and panel positions
• dockrc — Dock and panel configuration
• gimprc — General GIMP preferences (canvas size, grid settings, etc.)
• contextrc — Active tool and color context
• templaterc — Pre-defined canvas templates
• theme.css — UI theme customizations
• action-history — Recent actions log
• colorrc, devicerc, modifiersrc — Additional fine-grained preferences
• splashes/ — Custom splash screen assets

Because PhotoGIMP only touches these configuration files and leaves brushes, plugins, and fonts untouched, restoring the backup ensures only your interface preferences revert to their original state.

Summary

• PhotoGIMP overwrites configuration files in the 3.0 directory but does not modify plugins or brushes.
• To restore GIMP configuration from a backup after uninstalling PhotoGIMP, delete the current 3.0 folder and replace it with your backup copy.
• Use rm -rf and cp -r on Linux/macOS, or rmdir and xcopy on Windows to perform the restoration.
• Launch GIMP after copying to automatically load your restored settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does PhotoGIMP store its configuration files?

PhotoGIMP stores its modified configuration inside the standard GIMP user directory at ~/.config/GIMP/3.0 on Linux, %APPDATA%\GIMP\3.0 on Windows, and ~/Library/Application Support/GIMP/3.0 on macOS. The installation process replaces files like shortcutsrc and sessionrc within this folder.

Will restoring a backup delete my custom brushes or plugins?

No. Restoring your GIMP configuration backup only affects interface settings, shortcuts, and preferences stored in the 3.0 configuration folder. Custom brushes, plugins, scripts, and fonts stored in separate directories remain completely unaffected by this restoration process.

Can I restore GIMP configuration without a backup?

If you did not create a backup before installing PhotoGIMP, you cannot restore your previous custom settings. You must either manually reconfigure GIMP to your preferences or delete the 3.0 configuration folder entirely, which forces GIMP to generate fresh default settings upon next launch.

How do I know if PhotoGIMP is completely removed?

PhotoGIMP is completely removed when the 3.0 configuration folder contains only your original files (or fresh defaults) and no PhotoGIMP-specific assets remain. Check that the shortcutsrc file no longer contains Photoshop-style key bindings, and verify that no PhotoGIMP splash screens exist in the splashes/ subdirectory.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}