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How to Reset / Move FreeCAD to Default Settings (Windows, Linux)

FreeCAD stores user settings in configuration files that are often hidden from plain view. If your FreeCAD setup becomes unstable, like toolbars disappearing, settings not saving, or weird startup behavior, resetting these files can help return the program to its default state.

This guide will walk you through how to reset your FreeCAD preferences on Windows and other platforms, plus how to move them between installations.

🔧 What Are FreeCAD Configuration Files?

FreeCAD saves custom settings like:

  • User interface layout (toolbars, themes)

  • Recently opened files

  • Preferences and tool configurations

These are stored in small files called user.cfg and system.cfg. Sometimes, these files can get corrupted after updates or crashes.

💥 When Should You Reset FreeCAD Settings?

You might want to reset your settings if:

  • FreeCAD doesn’t open correctly

  • Menus or workbenches are missing

  • Custom UI changes have broken something

  • You're troubleshooting a weird bugs

Backup Your FreeCAD Config Files

Close FreeCAD before proceeding.

  1. Find the Configuration Folder:

    • On Windows: Go to C:\Users\<your_username>\AppData\Roaming\FreeCAD. If you don’t see the AppData folder, you might need to enable the option to show hidden files.  Note: this can also be found by using %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\FreeCAD\

    • On Linux/macOS: The folder is usually at ~/.config/FreeCAD or  /home/username/.FreeCAD/

    • There are normally two files that contain: User settings: user.cfg and System settings: system.cfg on Linux the Toolbar configuration is stored separately in: $HOME/.config/FreeCAD/FreeCAD.conf

  2. Backup the Folder:

    • Copy the entire FreeCAD folder and save it somewhere safe.

  3. Restore When Needed:

    • If you're installing a new version or setting up on another computer, just copy the saved FreeCAD folder back to its original spot in your user profile.


Do You Want To Move / Restore?

If you want to move your settings to, say, another computer or you want to replace your current settings with the backed up version just copy them into the relevant places.

Do You Want To Reset?

To reset FreeCAD to its default state (including UI and toolbars) after you have backed up the files you can delete the originals from your, follow these steps:

For convenience, you can save these commands in a batch file (e.g., fc3dReset.bat) to create a one-click solution i.e for windows if you wanted to delete the files or change the script to, say, rename them .

del %AppData%\FreeCAD\system.cfg

del %AppData%\FreeCAD\user.cfg

By following these steps, you can reset FreeCAD to its default state. Save the relevant commands in a script for ease of use if needed.

Note: This may not reset the colour theme which can be reset from the preferences.

✅ Summary

Resetting FreeCAD settings can fix a wide range of issues and is a safe, beginner-friendly solution. Just remember to make a backup before deleting any files.

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