Windows Terminal is a powerful tool for managing and customizing your command line experience in Windows 10. One of the key aspects of customizing Windows Terminal is modifying its settings, which are stored in a JSON file. In this article, we will explore the location of the Windows Terminal settings file and how you can access and modify it.
The Windows Terminal settings file is a JSON file that contains various configuration options for the application. These options allow you to customize the appearance, behavior, and functionality of Windows Terminal to suit your preferences. By modifying the settings file, you can change the default shell, add custom key bindings, define color schemes, and much more.
The location of the Windows Terminal settings file depends on whether you have installed Windows Terminal from the Microsoft Store or from the GitHub repository.
Windows Store Installation
If you have installed Windows Terminal from the Microsoft Store, the settings file is stored in your user profile directory. Here's how you can find it:
- Open File Explorer by pressing
Win + Eon your keyboard. - In the address bar, paste the following path:
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsTerminal_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState - Press
Enterto navigate to the specified location.
In the LocalState folder, you will find a file named settings.json. This is the Windows Terminal settings file. You can open it with a text editor, such as Notepad, to view and modify its contents.
GitHub Repository Installation
If you have installed Windows Terminal from the GitHub repository, the settings file is stored in a different location. Follow these steps to locate it:
- Open File Explorer.
- In the address bar, paste the following path:
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsTerminal_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState - Press
Enterto navigate to the specified location.
Similar to the Windows Store installation, you will find the settings.json file in the LocalState folder. Open it with a text editor to access and modify the settings.
Modifying the Windows Terminal Settings
Once you have located the settings.json file, you can start customizing Windows Terminal to your liking. Here are a few key settings that you can modify:
- "defaultProfile": Specifies the default profile to use when Windows Terminal starts. You can set it to the GUID of the desired profile.
- "profiles": Defines the list of profiles available in Windows Terminal. Each profile represents a different shell or command-line tool.
- "keybindings": Allows you to define custom key bindings for various actions in Windows Terminal.
- "schemes": Controls the color schemes used by Windows Terminal. You can define your own schemes or use pre-defined ones.
Make sure to save the settings.json file after making any changes. Once saved, the changes will take effect the next time you launch Windows Terminal.
It's worth mentioning that modifying the settings file requires some knowledge of JSON syntax and the available options. If you're not familiar with JSON or prefer a more user-friendly way of customizing Windows Terminal, you can also use the Settings UI provided by Windows Terminal. To access the Settings UI, open Windows Terminal and click on the down arrow icon in the title bar, then select "Settings". The UI allows you to modify the settings visually without directly editing the JSON file.
With the ability to modify the Windows Terminal settings, you can truly personalize your command line experience and make it work the way you want.
References
| Number | Source |
|---|---|
| 1 | Microsoft Docs - Customize your Windows Terminal settings |
| 2 | Microsoft Docs - Powerline setup in Windows Terminal |
| 3 | Windows Terminal GitHub Repository |