Inspiring

Question

Backing Up Photoshop Settings and Actions Completely

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
April 1, 2024
2 replies
2927 views

Hello,

I would like to know that should my Photoshop installation become unusable or if reinstalling from scratch, what folder should I backup that would include all my current settings, desktops, and most importantly, actions. If my primary actions are third party, would the core code for their complete operation also be included in this folder. I want to be able to simply copy and paste this folder and have the new PS open as before. I haven't had to do this as of yet, but just thinking of the worst.

Is it Adobe Photoshop 2024 Settings folder or something else?

Thank you for your attention.

Windows

Stephen Marsh

Community Expert

Always save to a preset file (.atn for action sets, .abr for brushes, .acv for curves etc.) - don't rely on preference .psp files.

https://prepression.blogspot.com/2017/01/photoshop-custom-action-file-backup.html

https://github.com/MarshySwamp/Backup-Photoshop-Settings-Universal

Mac OS Example:

/Users/username/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop 2021
/Users/username/Library/Preferences/Adobe Photoshop 2021 Settings
/Applications/Adobe Photoshop 2021/Presets

Win OS Example:

C:\Users\username\appData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop 2021\Presets
C:\Users\username\appData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop 2021\Adobe Photoshop 2021 Settings
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop 2021\Presets

https://prepression.blogspot.com/2017/11/downloading-and-installing-adobe-scripts.html

Kevin Stohlmeyer

Community Expert

@Stephen Marsh The custom action backup from 2017 is no longer needed. Adobe built this into Photoshop directly. Go to Edit>Presets>Import/Export Presets and it will allow you to choose which presets you want to migrate.

It puts them in a nice contained folder in a location of your choice. Great way to backup/migrate to another version.

This page lists everything that will export/import - including Workspaces (missing from the list).

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preset-migration.html

Kevin Stohlmeyer

Community Expert

@Brian_Ackin This page covers everything you need to do to migrated presets. The most important thing is to make sure you've saved them!

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preset-migration.html

B

Brian_AckinAuthor

Inspiring

Hi @Kevin Stohlmeyer , Thanks very much.

So, based on the last part of the page, it seems all I have to do is copy the Adobe Photoshop 2024 folder, and I am good to go for any future installations? Relying on others who have done this before, so want to be sure that's all there is to it. 🙂

Brian

D Fosse

Community Expert

Settings are in your Windows user account, and are separate from the program files.

A reinstall will not touch your preferences/settings. They will be 100% intact. If you uninstall, you can choose to keep preferences, and they will be there when you install again.

That said, you should always, always save out actions and brushes and other things you can't easily recreate. Not for a reinstall, but it could be that you need to reset preferences for troubleshooting. Then it will be wiped.

Also, Preferences are version specific. When you update to a new version you can easily reload actions and brushes if you have them saved out.

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