How to export, import, backup, and transfer settings to and from AutoCAD products

Autodesk Support

Feb 10, 2025


Products and versions covered


Issue:

How to export, import, backup, and transfer settings (Options, User interface, templates, etc.) for AutoCAD products?
 

Solution:

The following are the procedures to export, import, and back up custom settings for both Windows and MacOS.

Notes :

  • Importing settings does not work between different release versions of AutoCAD. For example, settings cannot be exported from AutoCAD 2014 and then imported into AutoCAD 2018. Instead, able to use the Migrate From a Previous Release utility for this.

  • Importing settings does not work between different types of AutoCAD. For example, settings cannot be exported from AutoCAD and then imported into AutoCAD LT, or exported from AutoCAD Architecture and imported into AutoCAD Mechanical, etc.

  • Importing settings only works with the same language install of AutoCAD. For example, settings cannot be exported/imported to and from an English and German installation of AutoCAD, etc.

  • Exporting settings does not included drawing templates (DWT). If want to include them in a backup, can either copy them manually or have to use the command "Reset Settings to Default" and choose the option "Back up and Reset Custom Settings". In the ZIP-backup file the templates are saved.

 

Windows

Utilities for importing and exporting AutoCAD settings are in the Start menu. For AutoCAD versions that do not have these utilities available. See How to manually transfer AutoCAD settings.

  • For Windows 11.
    1. Click Start.
    2. Select All Apps.
    3. Expand AutoCAD.
    4. Export AutoCAD Settings / Import AutoCAD Settings.
  • For Windows 10.
    1. Click Start.
    2. Expand AutoCAD.
    3. Export AutoCAD Settings / Import AutoCAD Settings.

Notes :

  • If the Import/Export options cannot be accessed from the start menu, the default folder location is: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\AutoCAD 20xx - English\Migrate Custom Settings.
  • Exporting saves all the settings to a ZIP file, while importing takes the ZIP and brings the settings back into the program. There is no need to manually extract the ZIP file to see or access its contents.

 

MacOS

AutoCAD for Mac has no utility to automatically back up or transfer settings. Do the following for all versions:

  • Exporting settings from AutoCAD for Mac.
    1. Launch AutoCAD.
    2. From the application menu, choose Reset AutoCAD for Mac.

Note: This automatically creates a backup of the current settings and stores it in an archive named Settings Backup <date/time>.tgz placed in ~home/Library/Application Support/Autodesk.

  • Importing settings into AutoCAD for Mac.
    1. Verify that AutoCAD is not running.
    2. Manually extract the TGZ file.
    3. Copy it to the settings folder(s) for the active program.
      • AutoCAD for Mac 2016 and newer : ~Home/Library/Application Support/Autodesk/AutoCAD 20xx.
      • AutoCAD for Mac 2015 and older (both folders):
        • ~Home/Library/Application Support/Autodesk/roaming/AutoCAD 20xx.
        • ~Home/Library/Application Support/Autodesk/local/AutoCAD 20xx

Note : The Library folder in the above path is a hidden folder. To access it, hold down the Option key while clicking the Go menu in the Finder, or alternatively, turn on hidden files in the system. See How to enable hidden files and folders in the Mac OS.

  1. Overwrite the existing folder(s) on the system.

Note : Keep a copy of the TGZ file to save a backup, to put on another computer, or to add to another user account on the same system.

Products:

AutoCAD for Mac; AutoCAD LT for Mac; AutoCAD Products;


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