This is an old revision of the document!
Configuration Storage
WinSCP can store its configuration both to Windows registry and INI file. When installed, the configuration is stored by default into the registry. Portable versions use by default an INI file (if possible). To switch the storage see Storage tab of Preferences window.
- Removing Configuration
- Transferring or Backing up the Configuration
- Registry Key
- INI File Location
- Auto-selecting Storage
- Portable Configuration
- Pre-configuring WinSCP
Advertisement
Removing Configuration
You can clean up all configuration data stored on your machine.
Transferring or Backing up the Configuration
You can export your configuration into an INI file using Export button on Preferences dialog. To import the configuration on another location, copy the INI file into the directory that WinSCP is installed.1. You can then change the storage to make WinSCP import the settings from an INI file to the registry.
Note: In Windows 7 you should set WinSCP.exe to run with administrator privileges, or it may not load the INI file.
Registry Key
If you use registry as configuration storage, the configuration is stored under following key.
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Martin Prikryl\WinSCP 2]
INI File Location
INI file is located in the directory from which WinSCP was started. The INI file has an .ini extension and the same name as the executable.
You may also use an INI file in a different folder or with a different name using /ini switch.
Advertisement
Auto-selecting Storage
On startup, WinSCP is first looking for an INI file is located in the directory from which WinSCP was started2. If it does not find one, it looks for presence of its key in registry3. If it does not find that either, it creates an INI file in the default location.
Portable Configuration
Learn how to configure WinSCP for portable use.
Pre-configuring WinSCP
Learn how to distribute pre-configured version of WinSCP.
- On Windows 7 the file can be stored to
C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\WinSCP, if you do not have permissions to write directly to installation directoryBack - Unless different location was forced using
/iniswitch.Back - The key is created by installer, so installed WinSCP uses registry by defaultBack