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On Windows PC, back up Destiny 2’s local configuration before switching games, reinstalling, or moving to another computer. Close Destiny 2, open %APPDATA%BungieDestinyPCprefs in File Explorer, and copy CVARS.xml to a separate folder or storage device. Keep the original in place and verify the copy before you change anything.
This preserves a configuration file, not a guaranteed export of every Destiny 2 preference. Bungie’s published instructions identify the file and its reset behavior, but do not inventory every setting stored in it. Cross Save is also a separate feature: it provides access to an active character set on linked platforms, not a documented backup of local PC keybinds.
What you are backing up
For a Windows PC installation, the relevant file documented by Bungie is CVARS.xml in the user’s Roaming AppData folder. The complete path shown in Bungie’s Destiny 2 Epic Games Store Guide is UsersUSER_NAMEAppdataRoamingBungieDestinyPCprefs. The quickest way to reach the corresponding folder for your Windows account is to enter %APPDATA%BungieDestinyPCprefs in File Explorer’s address bar.
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The file is the practical preservation point for custom controls and other local player settings, but the official guide does not promise that it contains every preference you might want. Treat it as the documented configuration file rather than as a complete, formally exportable profile. The path is documented in a guide for the Epic Games Store edition; the available support material does not establish that every storefront package or Windows setup uses an identical location.
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Before copying the file
Do these checks first so the copy represents a stable configuration and can be identified later:
- Finish editing your keybinds, video options, and other settings in Destiny 2.
- Exit the game completely. A closed game reduces the chance that a file being written is copied mid-change.
- Have a destination outside the original
prefsfolder. A second folder elsewhere on the same drive is useful for a quick safety copy; removable or other storage is useful when moving to another PC. - Choose a descriptive backup name, such as
Destiny2-CVARS-before-switching.xml, so it cannot be confused with an unrelated file. - If you are moving between computers, know which Windows account and Destiny 2 installation will receive the file. The documented path is tied to the Windows user’s AppData profile.
Step-by-step: back up Destiny 2 keybinds and settings
-
Close Destiny 2
Quit to the desktop and wait until the game is no longer running. Do not delete, rename, or replace the configuration while Destiny 2 is open.
-
Open the Roaming AppData location
Open File Explorer, click the address bar, enter
%APPDATA%BungieDestinyPCprefs, and press Enter. Environment-variable syntax takes you to the current Windows account’s Roaming AppData folder without requiring you to reveal the account name manually.Recommended: Update Every Outdated Driver on Your PC in One Scan - Free →Recommended: Fix Windows Errors and Clear Junk Files in Minutes - Free Scan →Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy. -
Identify the configuration file
Locate
CVARS.xml. Check the spelling and extension; do not substitute a similarly named folder or an unrelated XML file. If extensions are hidden, enable View > Show > File name extensions in File Explorer so you can confirm the complete name. -
Copy, do not move, the original
Right-click
CVARS.xml, choose Copy, browse to a destination outside the Bungie settings folder, right-click an empty area, and choose Paste. Leave the source file untouched. Moving it out of the folder would remove the file Destiny 2 expects to find. -
Rename the backup clearly
Rename the pasted copy with the date or purpose, for example
Destiny2-CVARS-2026-10-17.xmlorDestiny2-CVARS-before-new-game.xml. Renaming the backup does not alter the working file; when restoring, you can rename a verified copy back toCVARS.xmlif needed.Rank #2
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Confirm that the copy exists
Open the backup destination and verify that the copied file is present. Compare its file size and modified time with the source as a basic sanity check, then keep the source and backup in separate locations. These checks do not prove that every setting is represented, but they catch an empty destination or an accidentally copied shortcut.
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Choosing a place to keep the backup
The important distinction is whether the copy can survive a change to the original game folder or computer. A launcher backup should not be your only safeguard unless you have independently verified that the configuration file is included.
| Backup location | Outside the original settings folder? | Can be transferred to another PC? | What you must verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Separate folder on the same internal drive | Yes, if it is outside AppDataRoamingBungieDestinyPCprefs |
Only after manually copying it to other storage or a network location | That a reinstall or cleanup operation will not remove the folder |
| Removable storage | Yes | Yes; copy the file to the target computer | That the file is readable after safely ejecting and reconnecting the device |
| Cloud or other remote storage | Yes | Usually, by downloading the file on the target computer | That synchronization or upload completed and that you can retrieve the exact XML file |
| Launcher or game-backup feature alone | Not established | Not established | Whether the feature includes custom configuration files; do not assume it does |
A USB flash drive is optional when transferring between PCs; the backed-up file is what matters. You may instead use another storage method you trust, provided you can retrieve the unchanged copy.
How to restore the file on another Windows PC
Bungie’s retrieved support material identifies the file location and reset behavior but does not publish a complete, guaranteed restore workflow. Use a conservative replacement procedure and keep a second copy of anything you overwrite.
-
Install and launch Destiny 2 once, if necessary
On the destination computer, use the same supported Destiny 2 installation and Windows account you intend to play with. If the
prefsfolder does not exist yet, launching the game once and exiting can create the expected settings structure. Do not proceed while the game is running.Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy. -
Close the game and open the destination folder
Exit Destiny 2, then enter
%APPDATA%BungieDestinyPCprefsin File Explorer on the destination computer. Confirm that this is the account’s folder and that the file you are about to replace is actually namedCVARS.xml.Rank #3
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Preserve the destination copy
Before replacing anything, copy the destination
CVARS.xmlto a separate folder and give it a name such asDestiny2-CVARS-destination-before-restore.xml. This gives you a way back if the imported settings behave unexpectedly. -
Prepare the backed-up file
Use a copy of your backup, not your only archived file. If you renamed the archive for identification, make a working duplicate and rename that duplicate to
CVARS.xml. Keep the archival copy unchanged. -
Replace the destination file
Copy the prepared file into the destination
prefsfolder. If Windows asks whether to replace the existing file, continue only after checking the path and confirming that the destination backup exists.Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
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Launch and test deliberately
Start Destiny 2 and check a few high-impact controls first, such as movement, crouch, weapon actions, and the keybinds you changed most often. Then inspect other settings that matter to you. If the controls are wrong or the game behaves unexpectedly, close the game and restore the destination copy you saved before replacement.
Because Bungie does not document every setting represented by CVARS.xml, a successful file replacement should not be interpreted as a guarantee that every local preference, display choice, or device-specific option will transfer unchanged.
What happens if CVARS.xml is deleted
Bungie explicitly warns that deleting the file and relaunching the game causes Destiny 2 to create a new one. The Destiny 2 Epic Games Store Guide states: “When relaunched, Destiny 2 will generate a fresh CVARS.xml file. This will revert all custom player settings in Destiny 2 to their defaults.”
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That behavior is why copying is safer than deleting. If you have already removed the file, close Destiny 2, let it generate the fresh default file only if necessary, and then restore your preserved copy using the cautious replacement steps above. Keep the newly generated file until you have confirmed that your archived copy is usable; it is a fallback if the older file is damaged or incompatible with the current setup.
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Bungie’s Destiny 2: Cross Save Guide describes access to a selected active character set from linked platforms. That description concerns character access and does not say that local Windows configuration files, keybinds, or the contents of CVARS.xml are synchronized.
Use the two features for different jobs: configure Cross Save when you need the supported character experience across linked platforms, and retain a separate copy of the Windows configuration file when you need to preserve PC controls. Linking platforms is not evidence that a future PC installation will receive your local keybinds.
Why a launcher backup may not include your keybinds
Steam’s general guidance in Using the Steam Backup Feature warns that many games using third-party installers or downloaders are incompatible with its backup feature. In its discussion of Valve-created games, Steam also notes that saved games and configuration files may not be included and that custom files may require separate copying.
Those statements are general Steam guidance, not confirmation of how Destiny 2’s CVARS.xml is handled. The safe conclusion is procedural: make and verify your own file copy rather than assuming a launcher backup contains custom controls. If you use a launcher backup as an additional layer, test whether the restored installation actually contains the expected file before deleting your manual archive.
Storefront and platform limits
Bungie’s Destiny 2 Hub for Platform Support provides separate support information for Steam, Microsoft Store, and Epic Games Store. The path used in this guide is the one documented in the Epic Games Store support guide. The available documentation does not establish a universal path for every storefront, package, or Windows configuration.
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This article therefore applies directly to the documented Windows path. If your installation does not use that path, do not guess by replacing files in a different directory. Check the support page for your storefront, confirm the active Windows account, and preserve any existing file before experimenting with a substitute location.
Troubleshooting common problems
The prefs folder is not found
Paste the environment-variable path exactly into File Explorer’s address bar, including the percent signs: %APPDATA%BungieDestinyPCprefs. Check that you are using the Windows account that runs Destiny 2. If the folder still does not exist, start Destiny 2, exit normally, and check again. If your storefront uses a different documented arrangement, follow its platform-specific support information instead of creating an unrelated folder.
Windows shows no file named CVARS.xml
Turn on file-name extensions with View > Show > File name extensions. Look for the exact name CVARS.xml, not a text file whose name merely begins with CVARS. If the file is absent after a normal launch and exit, preserve any files that are present and verify the path and account before making changes.
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Close the game and make a new copy. Mark the earlier copy as uncertain rather than deleting it immediately; keeping it temporarily costs little and gives you a fallback if the newer copy has an unexpected result.
The restored controls are not correct
Exit the game, restore the destination file you saved before replacement, and test again. Recheck that the imported copy was renamed exactly CVARS.xml and placed in the destination account’s prefs folder. A file can be valid XML yet still reflect a different setup, device arrangement, or set of preferences than the one you intended to import.
The game recreated defaults after a change
Do not repeatedly delete the file while troubleshooting. Bungie’s documented behavior is to generate a fresh file and revert custom settings to defaults after relaunch. Close the game, retain the newly generated file as a fallback, and restore only from a verified archive after checking the path.
You cannot overwrite the destination file
Confirm that Destiny 2 and related launch processes are closed, then try the copy again. If Windows still blocks the operation, preserve the destination file and use a location and Windows account where you have normal write access; do not delete the only copy to force a replacement.
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- Destiny 2 is closed before the source copy is made.
- The source path is the documented Windows location under the current account’s Roaming AppData folder.
- The file is named
CVARS.xml. - The backup is stored outside the original
prefsfolder. - The backup has a descriptive name and remains unchanged.
- A second transfer copy exists if you are moving to another computer.
- The destination file is backed up before replacement.
- You understand that the documented file is not advertised as a complete export of every setting.
- You are treating Cross Save and the local configuration backup as separate functions.
- You have tested the restored keybinds before discarding either the old or new copy.
The Bottom Line
For a Windows PC, close Destiny 2 and copy %APPDATA%BungieDestinyPCprefsCVARS.xml to separate storage before switching games or computers. Restore only after backing up the destination file, and do not assume Cross Save or a launcher backup preserves local keybinds.
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