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Close League of Legends and the Riot Client, then copy the entire game Config folder to separate storage. On a default Windows installation, that folder is C:Riot GamesLeague of LegendsConfig. On macOS, Riot documents Applications/League of Legends/Config; inside the application bundle, the equivalent location is Contents/LoL/Config. A complete, dated folder copy is safer than selecting one file because League stores different game and client options across several .cfg and .ini files.
What a League of Legends settings backup does
A local backup gives you a recoverable copy of configuration files that can be lost or replaced by an accidental deletion, a failed local update, a reinstall, or a patch-related reset. It is also a practical way to move your setup to another computer. The backup is not guaranteed to contain every account-level preference: Riot confirms that hotkeys are saved on its servers, but does not promise that every client preference, item set, rune page, or other cloud-side value is represented in the local folder.
Use the backup as a recovery and migration aid, not as the sole source of truth for your account. Keep the original copy unchanged so you can return to a known-good state if a later edit or patch causes a problem.
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Which files matter?
The safest approach is to copy Config as a complete folder. Riot’s support documentation identifies the following files and file groups:
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| File or group | What it is used for | Backup guidance |
|---|---|---|
PersistedSettings.json |
Contains persisted settings, including the Input.ini portion Riot references when explaining file-based hotkey changes. |
Keep it with the rest of Config; preserve an untouched copy before editing. |
input.ini |
Riot’s keyboard-troubleshooting article identifies this as the input configuration file and describes deleting or resetting it when keystrokes are not detected. | Save it in the folder backup even if you are not currently troubleshooting controls. |
Other .cfg and .ini files |
Riot says these files describe configured game or client options. | Do not guess which individual file is important; copy the complete folder. |
File names and synchronization behavior can change with future patches. If a later client no longer matches these locations, check the current Riot Support instructions before replacing files.
Before you make the backup
- Finish any game and wait for the client to return to its normal home screen.
- Exit League of Legends and then close the Riot Client. Do not copy or edit live configuration files while either program is running.
- Choose storage that is separate from the gaming drive. A USB flash drive is a simple physical option; a second copy in encrypted cloud storage protects against drive failure but should not be left in a public or shared folder.
- Decide whether you need a quick replacement copy, version history, or both. An ordinary folder is fastest to restore; a dated ZIP archive records the state at a particular point in time.
Back up League settings on Windows
- Exit any active game. Close League of Legends, then quit the Riot Client completely.
- Open File Explorer and go to the League installation directory. Riot’s documented default is
C:Riot GamesLeague of Legends. If you installed the game somewhere else, open that installation directory instead. - Open the
Configfolder. - Copy the entire
Configfolder, not justPersistedSettings.jsonorinput.ini. - Paste it into a separate drive or storage service. Use a dated folder name such as
LoL-Config-2026-10-20so you can distinguish it from later copies. - Optionally create a ZIP archive of the copied folder, for example
LoL-Config-2026-10-20.zip. Keep the uncompressed copy if you want the quickest possible replacement, and keep at least one copy away from the gaming drive.
The copy operation should leave the original files in the installation directory untouched. If Windows reports that a file is in use, the Riot Client or a game process is still open; close it before trying again.
Back up League settings on macOS
- Quit League of Legends and the Riot Client.
- In Finder, locate the League application. Riot’s support pages use the shorthand path
Applications/League of Legends/Config. When the application is packaged as a bundle, open it with Show Package Contents, then followContents/LoL/Config. - Copy the complete
Configfolder to a dated location outside the application bundle. - Optionally make a ZIP archive in addition to the folder copy and store one copy on separate media or encrypted cloud storage.
Keeping the backup outside the application bundle matters because an update or reinstall can replace the bundle and remove files stored inside it.
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| Method | Portability | Recovery speed | Version history | Privacy considerations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uncompressed folder on a USB drive | High; easy to carry to another computer | Fast; copy files directly into Config |
Only if you keep separately dated folders | Anyone with the drive may read the files; protect the drive physically |
| Dated ZIP on a separate drive | High | Slightly slower because it must be extracted | Good; each archive records a restore point | ZIP contents are not automatically private; use encrypted storage if needed |
| Encrypted cloud folder | Available wherever you can sign in | Depends on download speed and service availability | Good if you retain dated copies rather than overwriting one file | Prefer encryption and a private account; never use a public or shared folder |
| Only the original installation folder | Low; tied to one computer and drive | Fast until that drive fails | None | No additional protection from hardware loss or reinstall |
For most players, the practical minimum is one dated copy outside the game drive. A second copy on separate storage gives you redundancy if the first device is lost or damaged.
Verify that the backup can be used
A backup that merely exists is not necessarily a usable backup. Without changing the original installation, perform these checks:
- Open the copied folder and confirm that it contains the files and subfolders present in the original, including
PersistedSettings.jsonand, where present,input.ini. - Check the folder or ZIP date and record which computer and operating system it came from if you maintain multiple setups.
- If you made a ZIP, open it and browse its contents before storing it. An archive that cannot be opened is not a recovery copy.
- Keep the original backup read-only in practice: do not use it as a workspace for experiments or manual JSON edits.
Restore settings after a reset or reinstall
Riot says that deleting Config clears in-game and client settings and that launching a custom game generates a new folder. That behavior provides a recovery path, but it also means you should preserve the newly generated folder before replacing it.
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- Finish the installation or update and launch it once if necessary so the game can create its normal folder structure.
- Exit League of Legends and close the Riot Client completely.
- Find the newly generated
Configfolder in the installation location for your operating system. - Rename that generated folder, for example to
Config-new-install, rather than deleting it. This gives you a safety copy if the restored files do not behave as expected. - Copy your backed-up
Configfolder into the same parent directory, or copy the backed-up files into the generated folder while preserving its structure. - Start the client and enter a custom game or practice environment to check controls and preferences before playing a consequential match.
There is no universal one-click restore command published by Riot. File names and behavior can change between patches, so if the client recreates the folder, ignores a file, or reports an error, keep the generated folder and troubleshoot from that clean state instead of repeatedly overwriting it.
Move your settings to another PC
- On the original computer, create the dated backup with both League and the Riot Client closed.
- Transfer the folder or ZIP using a USB drive or private, encrypted storage.
- Install League on the new computer and run it once so the required directory structure exists.
- Close the game and Riot Client on the new computer.
- Locate the new installation’s
Configfolder. It may not be in the same parent directory as the old installation if you selected a different drive or location. - Rename the new folder as a safety copy, then place the backed-up folder in its place.
- Launch League and test in a custom game or practice environment. Recheck every important key before entering a ranked or otherwise consequential match.
A file transfer does not transfer your account credentials or guarantee that server-side values will match the local copy. Sign in normally on the new computer and allow the client to finish any update before testing the restored files.
Keybinds: what is local and what is account-bound?
Riot’s Hotkeys (Keybindings) FAQ, dated April 21, 2026, states: “Generally, there are two places where you can change your hotkeys, in the game client and within the League Client Update.” The same guidance says hotkeys are account-bound and saved on Riot’s servers. That is why a local folder is useful for recovery and migration even though it is not the only place your controls may be represented.
For a file-based change, Riot instructs users to open PersistedSettings.json, find the Input.ini portion, make the change, save the file, and then join and exit a custom game so the change is saved. Treat that as an advanced procedure:
- Make a pristine copy before opening the JSON file.
- Edit only the intended input entry and preserve valid JSON punctuation and structure.
- Do not edit while League or the Riot Client is open.
- After saving, join and exit a custom game as Riot describes, then verify the binding in a safe practice environment.
A malformed JSON section or an incorrect input entry can cause controls to reset. If keystrokes are not detected, Riot’s keyboard-troubleshooting guidance identifies input.ini as the input configuration file and describes deleting or resetting it. Use that reset only after preserving your backup, because it removes the local state you may want to recover.
Troubleshoot a backup or restore that did not work
The Config folder is not at the documented path
The Windows and macOS paths are defaults and shorthand locations, not guarantees for every installation. Search the drive where League is installed and look for the game’s Config directory. On macOS, inspect the application bundle and follow Contents/LoL/Config. Do not copy a similarly named folder from an unrelated game or an old installation.
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The restored settings disappear after launching
Close both programs again and check that you replaced the active installation’s folder, not the renamed safety copy or an obsolete directory. A patch may also have generated a new structure. Restore the backed-up files only after the client is closed, then test once in a custom game.
Only some controls returned
Hotkeys can be account-bound and server-stored, while other client options remain local. Sign in to the intended account, allow synchronization or updates to finish, and compare the local backup with the account’s in-client hotkey settings. A local copy cannot guarantee recovery of every cloud-side preference.
The client reports a file error or controls reset
Restore the clean folder you renamed during the process, then try again from an untouched backup. If you manually edited PersistedSettings.json, return to the pristine version; invalid JSON or a wrong input entry can prevent the game from accepting the file.
The copy operation says files are in use
League or the Riot Client is still running in the background. Quit both, wait briefly, and retry. Do not force-edit live files while a process may be writing settings.
A practical plan for different backup needs
Your choice of storage should match what you are trying to protect. For a quick move between two computers, an uncompressed folder on a USB drive is convenient because you can copy it directly into the destination’s Config directory. For rollback after a patch, retain dated ZIP files so you can identify the exact configuration state you want to restore. For protection against a failed gaming drive, keep a second copy on separate media or in a private, encrypted cloud folder.
Do not overwrite your only backup after every change. Keeping a current copy and at least one older, known-good copy protects you from saving a broken JSON edit or preserving a configuration after a problem has already appeared. Label each copy with the date, operating system, and computer when you use more than one setup. That information prevents you from restoring a Windows folder into the wrong macOS bundle or choosing an obsolete installation directory.
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What the backup cannot replace
Copying Config does not copy your Riot account, credentials, or account ownership. Sign in normally on another computer. Riot’s documentation specifically confirms server storage for hotkeys, while it does not promise complete cloud coverage for every client preference. Item sets, rune pages, and other account-level values may therefore require separate in-client verification after you sign in.
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A successful file copy also does not guarantee compatibility across every patch. Keep the generated folder from a fresh installation until you have tested the restored files. If a new client ignores an older file or rebuilds the folder, the clean copy gives you a safe baseline for troubleshooting.
Final restore checklist
- Confirm you are restoring into the active League installation, not an old or duplicate directory.
- Close both League of Legends and the Riot Client before renaming or replacing anything.
- Preserve the newly generated
Configfolder asConfig-new-installor a similar safety copy. - Use a complete dated backup, including
PersistedSettings.json,input.iniwhere present, and the other configuration files. - Launch only after the replacement is complete, then test in a custom game or practice environment.
- Verify critical bindings and client options before entering ranked or otherwise consequential matches.
Maintain reliable backups
- Create a new dated copy after you make a group of important keybind or client changes, rather than overwriting your only archive.
- Retain at least one older known-good copy so a bad patch or accidental edit does not replace every recovery point.
- Keep one copy separate from the gaming computer and protect cloud copies with private, encrypted storage.
- Before a reinstall, major update, or move to another PC, make a fresh backup and label its operating system and date.
- When restoring, preserve the newly generated folder until you have tested the old settings successfully.
Riot’s current documentation does not publish a universal reset-frequency statistic, so there is no evidence-based schedule for how often League will replace local settings. The safest trigger is a new backup whenever your configuration changes materially or before a risky maintenance operation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are League of Legends settings saved?
Riot’s default Windows location is C:Riot GamesLeague of LegendsConfig. On macOS, use Applications/League of Legends/Config or, inside the app bundle, Contents/LoL/Config. A custom installation may use another drive or parent folder.
Should I back up only PersistedSettings.json?
No. Riot identifies PersistedSettings.json and input.ini as important for settings and keyboard troubleshooting, but other .cfg and .ini files hold configured game or client options. Copy the complete Config folder.
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Can I transfer my settings to another PC?
Yes. Copy a dated Config backup by USB or private encrypted storage, run League once on the new computer, close League and Riot Client, rename the newly created folder, and place the backup in the active installation. Test before a serious match.
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Are League hotkeys stored locally or online?
Riot’s Hotkeys (Keybindings) FAQ dated April 21, 2026 says hotkeys are account-bound and saved on Riot’s servers. The local files remain useful for recovery and migration, but they are not guaranteed to contain every account-level value.
What should I do if the Config folder is missing?
Launch League or a custom game once so it can generate the normal folder structure, then close the game and Riot Client. If it still is not visible, check the actual installation location and, on macOS, inspect the application bundle at Contents/LoL/Config.
Is a ZIP archive a good backup?
Yes. A dated ZIP preserves a specific restore point and is easy to store separately, although extraction adds a step. Open the archive once to confirm it is readable, and use encrypted storage if privacy matters because ordinary ZIP files are not automatically private.
How do I know the backup is usable?
Confirm the copy contains the original folder’s files, including PersistedSettings.json and input.ini where present. Browse a ZIP before storing it, record its date and computer, and keep the untouched copy separate from experiments.
Why must League and Riot Client be closed first?
An open process may still be writing configuration files, leaving a partial copy or replacing your edits. Quit both programs completely, then copy or replace the folder. If Windows says a file is in use, close the remaining process and retry.
The Bottom Line
Close League and Riot Client, copy the complete Config folder to dated separate storage, and keep an untouched backup. Restore only with both programs closed, preserve the newly generated folder, and test the result in a custom game. Because Riot stores hotkeys on its servers and does not guarantee cloud coverage for every preference, verify important settings in the signed-in account after migration.
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