Preference filenames and locations in Photoshop CS6

Preferences files vary by name and location for each version of Photoshop. Use this document to find or re-create preferences files for Photoshop CS6.

To re-create the preferences files for Photoshop, start the application while holding down Ctrl+Alt+Shift (Windows) or Command+Option+Shift (Mac OS). Then, click Yes to the message, "Delete the Adobe Photoshop Settings file?"

Note: If this process doesn't work for you while you're using a wireless (Bluetooth) keyboard, attach a wired keyboard and retry.

Important: If you re-create the preferences by deleting the Adobe Photoshop CS6 Settings file, make sure that you only delete that file. If you delete the entire settings folder, you also delete any unsaved actions or presets.

Reinstalling Photoshop does not remove the preferences file. Before reinstalling Photoshop, re-create your preferences.

NEW Video! Julieanne Kost created a video that takes you through two ways of resetting your Photoshop preferences. The manual preference file removal method is between 0:00 - 5:05. The keyboard shortcut method is between 5:05 - 8:18. The video is located here.

Important: Apple made the user library folder hidden by default with the release of Mac OS X 10.7. If you require access to files in the hidden library folder to perform Adobe-related troubleshooting, see How to access hidden user library files.

Photoshop preference	Filename	Path
General settings	Adobe Photoshop CS6 Prefs.psp	Users/[user name]/Library/Preferences/Adobe Photoshop CS6 Settings
Actions	Actions palette.psp	Users/[user name]/Library/Preferences/Adobe Photoshop CS6 Settings
Camera Raw Preferences	Adobe Camera Raw 7.x Prefs	Users/[user name]/Library/Preferences
Color settings (Color management)	Color Settings.csf	Users/[user name]/Library/Preferences/Adobe Photoshop CS6 Settings
Custom Color settings (Color management)	Userdefined.csf	Users/[user name]/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Color/Settings
Custom proof setups (Color management)	Userdefined.psf	Users/[user name]/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Color/Proofing
Editing and painting tools	Brushes.psp, Contours.psp, Custom Shapes.psp, Gradients.psp, Patterns.psp, RepoussePresets.psp, Styles.psp, Swatches.psp, ToolPresets.psp	Users/[user name]/Library/Preferences/Adobe Photoshop CS6 Settings/
Paths	Adobe Photoshop CS6 Paths	Users/[user name]/Library/Preferences
Save for Web	Adobe Save For Web CS6 Prefs	Users/[user name]/Library/Preferences/Adobe/Plugins/Adobe Save for Web CS6/Photoshop
Filters and Effects	Adobe Adaptive Wide Angle CS6, Adobe Dicom CS6, Adobe Effect CS6 Prefs, Adobe Filter Gallery CS6 Prefs, Adobe Lens Blur CS6 Prefs, Adobe Lens Correction CS6 Prefs, Adobe Liquify CS6 Prefs, Adobe VanishingPoint CS6, Adobe Oil Paint CS6	Users/[user name]/Library/Preferences/Adobe/Plugins/[effect or filter name]/Photoshop
Lens Profiles (Created by the Lens Profile software)	Userdefined.lcs	Users/[user name]/Library/Preferences/Adobe/LensCorrection/1.0/Settings
Workspaces	[User Defined] Workspaces that have been modified	Users/[user name]/Library/Preferences/Adobe Photoshop CS6Settings/WorkSpaces Users/[user name]/Library/Preferences/Adobe Photoshop CS6Settings/WorkSpaces (Modified)
Third-party plug-in settings (for example, location of the plug-ins folder)	(varies)	Users/[user name]/Library/Preferences folder
Saved presets	[User defined]	Users/[user name]/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop CS6/Presets/[feature name]

Photoshop Preference	Filename	Path
General settings	Adobe Photoshop CS6 Prefs.psp (32-bit version) Adobe Photoshop X64 CS6 Prefs.psp (64-bit version)	Users/[user name]/AppData/Roaming/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop CS6/Adobe Photoshop CS6 Settings
Actions	Actions palette.psp	Users/[user name]/AppData/Roaming/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop CS6/Adobe Photoshop CS6 Settings
Camera Raw	Windows registry key .xmp files saved from Camera Raw dialog	HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Adobe/Camera Raw/6.0 Users/[user name]/AppData/Roaming/CameraRaw/Settings
Color settings (Color management)	Color Settings.csf	Users/[user name]/AppData/Roaming/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop CS6/Adobe Photoshop CS6 Settings
Custom Color settings (Color management)	Userdefined.csf	Users/[user name]/AppData/Roaming/Adobe/Color/Settings
Custom proof setups (Color management)	Userdefined.psf	Users/[user name]/AppData/Roaming/Adobe/Color/Proofing
Editing and painting tools	Brushes.psp, Contours.psp, Custom Shapes.psp, Gradients.psp, Patterns.psp, Styles.psp, Swatches.psp, ToolPresets.psp	Users/[user name]/AppData/Roaming/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop CS6/Adobe Photoshop CS6 Settings/Presets
Paths	Preferences are saved as value data in the SettingsFilePath value name in the Windows registry.	(Windows registry key) HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Adobe/Photoshop/60.0 Settingsfilepath value: Users/[user name]/AppData/Roaming/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop CS6/Adobe Photoshop CS6 Settings
Save for Web	Adobe Save for Web 11.0 Prefs Save for Web file	Users/[user name]/AppData/Roaming/Adobe/Plugins/Adobe Save For Web CS6/Photoshop Users/[user name]/AppData/Roaming/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop CS6/Optimized Settings/filename.irs
Filters and Effects	Adobe Effect CS5 Prefs, Adobe Filter Gallery CS5 Prefs, Adobe Lens Blur CS5 Prefs, Adobe Lens Correction CS5 Prefs, Adobe Liquify CS5 Prefs, Adobe Mondo Filter CS6, Adobe Oil Paint CS6	Users/[user name]/AppData/Roaming/Adobe/Plugins/[effect or filter name]/Photoshop
Lens Profiles (Created by the Lens Profile software)	Userdefined.lcs Adaptive lens profile files: .wac	Users/[user name]/AppData/Roaming/Adobe/LensCorrection/1.0/Settings Users/[user name]/AppData/Roaming/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop CS6/Optimize Settings
Workspaces	[User Defined] [Workspaces that have been modified}	Users/[user name]/AppData/Roaming/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop CS6/Adobe Photoshop CS5 Settings/Workspaces Users/[user name]/AppData/Roaming/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop CS6/Adobe Photoshop CS6 Settings/Workspaces (Modified)
Third-party plug-in settings (for example, location of the plug-ins folder)	Settings are stored as value data in the SettingsFilePath value name in the Windows registry.	HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Adobe/Photoshop/60.0
Saved Presets	[User defined]	Users/[user name]/AppData/Roaming/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop CS6/Presets/[feature name]

Photoshop Preference	Filename	Path
General settings	Adobe Photoshop CS6 Prefs.psp	Documents and Settings/[user name]/Application Data/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop CS6/Adobe Photoshop CS6 Settings
Actions	Actions palette.psp	Documents and Settings/[user name]/Application Data/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop CS6/Adobe Photoshop CS6 Settings
Camera Raw	Windows registry key  .xmp files saved from Camera Raw dialog	HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Adobe/Camera Raw/7.0 Documents and Settings/[user name]/Application Data/Adobe/CameraRaw/Settings
Color settings (Color management)	Color Settings.csf	Documents and Settings/[user name]/Application Data/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop CS6/Adobe Photoshop CS6 Settings
Custom Color settings (Color management)	Userdefined.csf	Documents and Settings/[user name]/Application Data/Adobe/Color/Settings
Custom proof setups (Color management)	Userdefined.psf	Documents and Settings/[user name]/Application Data/Adobe/Color/Proofing
Editing and painting tools	Brushes.psp, Contours.psp, Custom Shapes.psp, Gradients.psp, Patterns.psp, Styles.psp, Swatches.psp, ToolPresets.psp	Documents and Settings/[user name]/Application Data/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop CS6/Presets
Paths	Preferences are saved as value data in the SettingsFilePath value name in the Windows registry.	KEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Adobe/Photoshop/60.0 SettingsFilePath: Documents and Settings/[user name]/Application Data/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop CS6/Adobe Photoshop CS6 Settings
Save for Web	Adobe Save for Web CS6 Prefs	Documents and Settings/[user name]/Adobe/Plugins/Adobe Save For Web CS6/Photoshop
Filters and Effects	Adobe Effect CS5 Prefs, Adobe Filter Gallery CS5 Prefs, Adobe Lens Correction CS5 Prefs, Adobe Liquify CS5 Prefs, Adobe Adaptive Wide Angle	Documents and Settings/[user name]/Application Data/Adobe/Plugins/[effect or filter name]/Photoshop Documents and Settings/[user name]/Application Data/Adobe/Plugins/Adobe Lens Correction CS6/Photoshop Documents and Settings/[user name]/Application Data/Adobe/Plugins/Adobe Liquify CS6/Photoshop Documents and Settings/[user name]/Application Data/Adobe/Plugins/Adobe Adaptive Wide Angle CS6
Lens Profiles (Created by the Lens Profile software)	Userdefined.lcs	Documents and Settings/[user name]Application Data/Adobe/Plugins/Adobe Lens Correction CS6/Photoshop
Workspaces	[User Defined] Workspaces that have modified	Documents and Settings/[user name]/Application Data/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop CS5/Adobe Photoshop CS6 Settings/Workspaces Documents and Settings/[user name]/Application Data/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop CS6/Adobe Photoshop CS5 Settings/Workspaces (Modified)
Third-party plug-in settings (for example, location of the plug-ins folder)	Settings are stored as value data in the SettingsFilePath value name in the Windows registry.	HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Adobe/Photoshop/60.0
Saved presets	Saved presets	Documents and Settings/[user name]/Application Data/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop CS6/Presets/[feature name]

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Preference filenames and locations in Photoshop CS6

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