ChatGPT Desktop App Configuration File Location: Where Settings Are Stored

The ChatGPT desktop app stores its configuration in a JSON file named config.json located within an OS-specific directory under com.nofwl.chatgpt, using Tauri's standard configuration directory API.

The lencx/ChatGPT repository provides an open-source desktop client that persists user preferences—such as theme settings, window behavior, and script configurations—to the local filesystem. Understanding the exact ChatGPT desktop app configuration file location is essential for troubleshooting, manual backups, or advanced customization of the application.

Configuration File Location by Operating System

The application determines the base configuration directory using Tauri's AppHandle::path().config_dir() method, then appends the bundle identifier com.nofwl.chatgpt and the filename config.json. This results in the following ChatGPT desktop app configuration file locations across platforms:

• Windows: %APPDATA%\com.nofwl.chatgpt\config.json
• macOS: $HOME/Library/Application Support/com.nofwl.chatgpt/config.json
• Linux: $HOME/.config/com.nofwl.chatgpt/config.json

If the file does not exist when the application launches, the AppConf::load function automatically generates a default configuration and persists it to this location.

How the Configuration Path Is Determined in Code

In src-tauri/src/core/conf.rs, the AppConf struct implements the get_conf_path method to resolve the absolute path dynamically. This ensures the application respects platform conventions for user data storage.

pub fn get_conf_path(app: &AppHandle) -> Result<PathBuf, Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
    let config_dir = app
        .path()
        .config_dir()?                      // OS‑specific config base directory
        .join("com.nofwl.chatgpt")          // app‑specific subfolder
        .join("config.json");                // actual file
    Ok(config_dir)
}

The com.nofwl.chatgpt identifier is defined in src-tauri/tauri.conf.json as the bundle identifier, ensuring the configuration directory remains isolated from other applications.

Reading and Modifying Configuration Programmatically

The Rust backend exposes the get_app_conf command (registered in src-tauri/src/main.rs) that allows the frontend—specifically components like src/view/Settings.tsx—to retrieve and update settings.

Reading the current configuration:

let app_conf = AppConf::load(&app_handle).expect("Failed to load config");
println!("Current theme: {}", app_conf.theme);

Updating and persisting changes:

let mut conf = AppConf::load(&app_handle).unwrap();
conf.theme = "dark".to_string();               // change theme
conf.save(&app_handle).expect("Could not save config");

Loading user scripts from the same directory:

User scripts are stored in a scripts subdirectory within the same configuration folder. The application loads these via:

let script = AppConf::load_script(&app_handle, "my_script.js");

Related Configuration Files and Directories

Beyond the main config.json file, the com.nofwl.chatgpt directory contains additional user data:

File/Directory	Location	Purpose
config.json	com.nofwl.chatgpt/config.json	Primary settings file (theme, window state, language)
scripts/	com.nofwl.chatgpt/scripts/	User-supplied JavaScript files for customizing the ChatGPT web interface
tauri.conf.json	src-tauri/tauri.conf.json	Build-time Tauri configuration defining the bundle identifier

Modifying config.json while the application is running may cause the app to overwrite your changes on exit, as the AppConf::save method is called whenever settings are modified through the UI.

Summary

• The ChatGPT desktop app configuration file location varies by OS but always resides under the com.nofwl.chatgpt subdirectory of the system's standard application data folder.
• The path is constructed in src-tauri/src/core/conf.rs within the AppConf::get_conf_path function using Tauri's config_dir API.
• The file is named config.json and stores JSON-serialized settings including theme preferences and window behavior.
• User scripts are stored in a scripts subdirectory adjacent to the configuration file.
• The application automatically creates default settings if the configuration file is missing during startup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I manually edit the ChatGPT desktop app configuration file?

Yes. You can edit config.json using any text editor when the application is closed. The file uses standard JSON formatting to store settings like "theme": "dark" or "stay_on_top": true. However, avoid editing the file while the app is running, as the application may overwrite your changes when it saves its internal state on exit or settings update.

How do I back up my ChatGPT desktop app settings?

Copy the entire com.nofwl.chatgpt directory from your OS-specific configuration path. On Windows, archive %APPDATA%\com.nofwl.chatgpt\; on macOS, copy $HOME/Library/Application Support/com.nofwl.chatgpt/; on Linux, backup $HOME/.config/com.nofwl.chatgpt/. This preserves both config.json and any custom scripts in the scripts subdirectory.

Where are user scripts stored in the ChatGPT desktop app?

User scripts are stored in the scripts folder inside the same configuration directory as config.json. For example, on macOS, this would be $HOME/Library/Application Support/com.nofwl.chatgpt/scripts/. The application loads these JavaScript files via AppConf::load_script to inject custom functionality into the ChatGPT web interface.

How do I reset the ChatGPT desktop app to default settings?

Close the application completely, then delete the config.json file from the configuration directory. When you restart the app, AppConf::load will detect the missing file and automatically generate a new configuration with default values. Alternatively, delete the entire com.nofwl.chatgpt directory to remove both settings and cached user scripts.

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