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If your FFXIV hotbar suddenly shows another set of actions, check the number beside the bar before rebuilding anything. You may have switched to a different hotbar page. Use the commands assigned to Cycle through Hotbars (Up) and Cycle through Hotbars (Down) to return to the expected page. If the page number is correct but UI, keybind, or hotbar data is genuinely missing, use the correct character or client backup route for your platform.
Final Fantasy XIV keeps many settings locally, and settings are divided between character data and client data. That is why a layout can appear to disappear after changing clients, platforms, or installation environments. Work through the checks below in order, and back up your current configuration before importing an older copy because a restore can overwrite what is currently saved.
First, determine whether the hotbar actually reset
Check the number beside the hotbar
Each hotbar page has a number displayed beside it. If the bar is showing actions you normally keep on another page, compare that number with the page you intended to use. A different number usually indicates an FFXIV hotbar-cycling change rather than deleted actions.
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- If it is not the expected page, use your assigned hotbar-cycle controls to move up or down until the intended number is selected.
- Check several pages to confirm that your original actions are still present before changing any layouts.
This distinction matters: changing pages changes which saved action set is visible, while restoring or rebuilding settings changes the underlying configuration.
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Check the hotbar-cycle keybinds
If the selected page changes again when you press a key, open System > Keybind and inspect the commands named Cycle through Hotbars (Up) and Cycle through Hotbars (Down). An unexpected key assignment can make the bar appear to reset during normal play.
- Open the System menu and choose Keybind.
- Find the hotbar-cycle commands.
- Select a command to highlight it, then press the key or controller input you want to register as its shortcut.
- Test the bar in a safe area and verify that the selected page remains the one you expect.
Also note whether the change happens when a keyboard key, mouse button, gamepad control, or other input is used. That observation helps you identify the shortcut to inspect instead of changing every action binding.
Know which FFXIV settings are involved
Character Configuration
Character Configuration contains character-related controls, including UI and hotbar settings. Character-level data includes your HUD layout, hotbars and cross hotbars, gear sets, key bindings, log filters, individual macros, and other character entries listed by the game.
System Configuration
System Configuration contains settings that apply to the client environment rather than one character. Its categories include display, sound, graphics, mouse, gamepad, theme, and accessibility options. Shared macros are also handled with client settings rather than the character-only backup.
Keybind
The Keybind screen is opened from the System menu. Selecting an entry highlights it, and the next key press is registered as that command’s shortcut. This is the right place to correct a changed hotbar-cycle command, movement key, action key, or other shortcut instead of rebuilding a hotbar.
A quick classification test
Ask three questions before choosing a restore route. Is the problem visible on only one character or on several? Does it follow the character to another client, or remain on one computer? Is the affected item a HUD, hotbar, or character shortcut, or is it a display, sound, input, accessibility, or shared-macro setting? The answers point toward character data, client data, or a simple page-selection problem.
Use this recovery order
1. Stop and preserve the current state
Before replacing settings with an older copy, make a backup of the configuration that is currently present. This gives you a way to return to the present state if the older backup is incomplete or belongs to a different character. The official backup workflow includes a Do not overwrite older data option when creating a backup; enable that option when you need to keep an existing backup untouched.
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2. Restore a server-backed character backup
Use the server backup when the missing information is character-specific, such as a HUD layout, hotbar, cross hotbar, keybind, or individual macro. The operation starts at the Character Selection screen rather than inside the world.
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- At Character Selection, highlight the character whose settings you need.
- Open that character’s subcommand menu and select Back Up Character Settings.
- In the backup window, choose Download to import the saved server backup.
- Review the character after signing in and verify the HUD, hotbars, key bindings, gear sets, log filters, and individual macros.
Read the backup window before confirming. You are importing a previously saved state, not merging every newer change with it. If the backup predates a recent hotbar edit, the older layout can replace that newer edit, which is why preserving the current state first is important.
The server backup can include Character Configuration, HUD Layout, Hotbars and Cross Hotbars, Gear Sets, Key Bindings, Log Filters, individual macros, and other character data listed in the backup window. It does not include character appearance, screenshots, item-sort settings, or inventory-location data. Shared macros are backed up with client settings instead.
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3. Import settings from another character
If the settings still exist on another character on the same service, use the separate import function rather than restoring an unrelated server backup.
- Open the Character Selection screen.
- Open the subcommand menu for the character that should receive the settings.
- Choose Import Character Settings.
- Select the source character.
- Select the categories you want to import and confirm.
This path can copy selected character settings, but it does not copy character appearance data. Check the destination character after the import because the selected categories replace the corresponding destination settings.
Import is useful when one character has the correct HUD or hotbars and another does not. Select only the categories that are wrong. Importing more categories than necessary can replace destination keybinds, gear sets, or macros that were already correct.
4. Restore a Windows or Mac launcher backup
The launcher has a local backup tool for Windows and Mac. It creates a folder containing a file named FFXIVconfig.fea. Use this route when you have a local configuration folder from the same or another supported desktop installation.
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- Open the Backup Tool.
- To create a copy, choose Back Up and select a destination. The resulting folder contains
FFXIVconfig.fea. - To restore, open the same tool, choose Restore, and select the folder containing
FFXIVconfig.fea. - Launch the game and check the relevant display, sound, input, accessibility, HUD, and hotbar settings.
Do not select a parent folder that does not contain the expected file if the tool asks for the backup location. Choose the folder created by the backup operation, then verify the result in game rather than assuming every setting was included.
The launcher tool is documented for transferring settings between Windows and Mac. It is not a transfer method for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, or Nintendo Switch 2. For supported cross-platform moves, use the server backup function instead.
Choose the backup route that matches the problem
| Recovery route | Best for | Platform or location | Data and limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Server Character Settings backup | HUD, hotbars, cross hotbars, key bindings, gear sets, log filters, individual macros, and other character data | Started from Character Selection; suitable for supported server-backed transfers | Excludes character appearance, screenshots, item-sort settings, and inventory-location data; shared macros are separate |
| Import Character Settings | Copying selected character settings from one character to another | Character Selection subcommand menu | Character appearance is not copied; choose the categories to import |
| Launcher Backup Tool | Local desktop configuration, including client-level settings | Windows and Mac launcher; local folder containing FFXIVconfig.fea |
Can transfer between Windows and Mac, but not directly to PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, or Nintendo Switch 2 |
| Client Settings backup | System-level settings and shared macros | Separate from the character backup | Does not substitute for the character backup when HUD, hotbars, or character keybinds are missing |
The important split is not simply local versus online. It is also character settings versus client settings. A character backup can restore the bar layout while leaving display or audio preferences unchanged; a client backup can preserve system settings and shared macros without containing every character-specific item.
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Server backup versus launcher backup
Use the server route when you need a character’s HUD, hotbars, cross hotbars, or key bindings and a saved character backup exists. Use the launcher route when the missing configuration belongs to a Windows or Mac client and you have a local folder containing FFXIVconfig.fea. The server route is the relevant choice for supported cross-platform transfers; the launcher tool is limited to desktop-to-desktop use between Windows and Mac.
What to do when the UI, keybinds, and hotbars all look wrong
When only one hotbar appears wrong
- Check the page number first.
- Inspect the two hotbar-cycle commands in System > Keybind.
- Check whether a keyboard or controller input is being registered for an unintended command.
- Compare another hotbar page before restoring a backup.
When the HUD layout changed
Open Character Configuration and inspect the HUD-related controls. If the layout is missing across the character, use Back Up Character Settings at Character Selection and choose Download only after confirming that the saved backup is the character and date you intend to restore.
When display, audio, input, or accessibility options changed
These are System Configuration concerns. Inspect the display, sound, graphics, mouse, gamepad, theme, and accessibility categories directly. If they were part of a desktop configuration that you previously exported, use the launcher Backup Tool and restore the folder containing FFXIVconfig.fea on Windows or Mac.
When shared macros disappeared but individual macros remain
Shared macros belong with client settings, while individual macros are included with character data. Check the client backup rather than repeatedly restoring the character backup.
When several categories changed together
A simultaneous change to HUD, hotbars, and character keybinds points toward character settings. A simultaneous change to display, sound, graphics, mouse, gamepad, theme, and accessibility points toward client settings. If both groups changed after moving to a different computer or platform, remember that local settings are not automatically present in every environment; you may need both the character and client backup routes.
Why settings can seem to vanish after changing environments
Many FFXIV configuration settings are stored locally. They are not automatically available whenever you move to another client or installation environment. A different computer, operating system, console, or fresh client can therefore look as though it has lost your layout even when the original configuration still exists elsewhere.
Use the platform-appropriate transfer method: a Windows or Mac launcher backup for desktop-to-desktop moves, or the server character-settings backup for supported server-backed and cross-platform transfers. Do not assume that a local desktop folder can be copied to a console.
Changing environments can also make two different symptoms look identical. A console may lack the desktop client’s local configuration, while a desktop client may simply be displaying a different hotbar page. Always perform the page-number check before treating an environment change as data loss.
If the reset keeps happening
Confirm that the problem is repeatable
- Write down the hotbar number, keybind, or UI element that changed.
- Check whether the change is limited to one character or appears on multiple characters.
- Check whether it appears only on one computer, operating system, or input device.
- After correcting the setting, sign out normally and check it again on the next launch.
This comparison helps separate a page-selection or input problem from a missing local configuration. It does not prove a single cause, because the official material does not establish a universal current reason for every player’s unexpected reset.
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Back up before testing another restore
Every additional restore can replace a newer configuration with an older one. Make a fresh backup first, keep the folders distinct, and note which character and platform each backup belongs to. If a restore produces a worse result, restore the backup you made immediately before testing.
Do not begin by deleting configuration folders
The official guidance cited for this problem does not establish deleting configuration folders or reinstalling the game as a safe, general first fix. Those actions can remove the remaining local copy that might have been recoverable. Use the hotbar-page check, keybind inspection, and documented backup tools first.
What the historical reset notice does—and does not—show
A FINAL FANTASY XIV Lodestone notice from 2017, after Patch 4.11, described failed client-side saves and a corrupted-settings case in which settings returned to defaults. Square Enix stated: “The cause of this issue has been confirmed and was addressed in the Hotfixes on Oct. 31, 2017 7:15 p.m. (PDT).” That dated incident is historical evidence about a past problem, not proof of a current widespread reset bug.
If your settings reset today, use the recovery sequence above rather than assuming that the 2017 incident is the explanation. The available official material does not provide a universal current diagnosis for an individual player’s reset.
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Prevention checklist
- Check the displayed hotbar number whenever the actions look unfamiliar.
- Keep Cycle through Hotbars (Up) and Cycle through Hotbars (Down) assigned to deliberate inputs.
- Back up character settings after major HUD, hotbar, gear-set, or keybind changes.
- Back up client settings separately when you change display, sound, input, accessibility, or shared macros.
- Use the launcher Backup Tool for Windows and Mac desktop copies, and retain the folder containing
FFXIVconfig.fea. - Keep separate backups for different characters, dates, platforms, and clients.
- Before downloading an older backup, preserve the current configuration and check which categories the backup contains.
When no backup contains the missing settings
If the hotbar number is correct, the keybinds are correct, and neither a server nor local backup contains the lost configuration, there is no documented universal recovery that can recreate every missing setting automatically. Rebuild only the affected entries, then create a new backup once the layout is correct. Keep the recovery limited to the missing category so that an unnecessary full restore does not overwrite settings that are still intact.
Frequently asked questions
Why are Hotbar 1 actions showing on Hotbar 2?
Most often, the selected page changed. Check the number beside the bar and cycle back to the intended page before rebuilding actions. If it changes again, inspect Cycle through Hotbars (Up) and Cycle through Hotbars (Down) in System > Keybind.
Does downloading a character backup restore display and sound settings?
Not necessarily. Character backups cover character data such as HUD, hotbars, key bindings, gear sets, log filters, and individual macros. Display, sound, graphics, mouse, gamepad, theme, accessibility, and shared macros belong with client settings.
Can I use the Windows launcher backup on a PlayStation or Xbox?
No. The launcher backup tool is documented for Windows and Mac and uses the local FFXIVconfig.fea file. It is not a direct transfer method for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, or Nintendo Switch 2. Use the server character-settings backup for supported cross-platform transfers.
Will a character backup include my appearance?
No. Character appearance is specifically excluded from the server character-settings backup. Screenshots, item-sort settings, and inventory-location data are also excluded.
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Can I copy settings from one character to another?
Yes. At Character Selection, open the destination character’s subcommand menu, choose Import Character Settings, select the source character, and choose the categories to import. Character appearance is not copied through this function.
What if shared macros disappeared but individual macros are still present?
Shared macros use client settings, while individual macros are part of character data. Check the client backup rather than repeatedly downloading the character backup.
Should I delete the configuration folder and reinstall?
Do not make that the first step. The documented workflows are to check the hotbar page, inspect keybinds, and use the appropriate server or launcher backup. Deleting local data can remove a remaining configuration copy that might still be recoverable.
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Is every current reset caused by a known FFXIV bug?
No universal current cause is established. A 2017 Lodestone notice described a past corrupted-settings incident resolved in an October 31, 2017 hotfix, but that historical notice does not diagnose every present-day reset.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I check first when my FFXIV hotbar looks reset?
Check the number beside the hotbar. If it is a different page, use Cycle through Hotbars (Up) or (Down) to return to the expected page before restoring anything.
Which backup restores HUD, hotbars, and keybinds?
Use the server-backed Character Settings backup. It can include HUD Layout, Hotbars and Cross Hotbars, Key Bindings, gear sets, log filters, and individual macros.
Which settings are separate from character backups?
Display, sound, graphics, mouse, gamepad, theme, accessibility, and shared macros are client settings and use a separate client or launcher backup route.
Can a Windows or Mac backup move settings to console?
No. The launcher Backup Tool and its FFXIVconfig.fea file are for Windows and Mac. Use server character-settings backup for supported cross-platform transfers.
What does the character backup exclude?
It excludes character appearance, screenshots, item-sort settings, and inventory-location data. Shared macros are handled with client settings.
Can I import settings from another character?
Yes. Use Import Character Settings from the Character Selection subcommand menu, select the source character, and choose the categories to copy. Appearance is not copied.
Should I delete configuration files if resets continue?
No. First check the page number, keybinds, and documented backup tools. Deleting files or reinstalling is not established as a safe general first fix.
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The Bottom Line
Check the hotbar page number before assuming anything was deleted. If settings are genuinely missing, classify them as character or client data, preserve the current state, and use the matching server, import, or Windows/Mac launcher backup. Keep platform limits and excluded data in mind, and do not treat the historical 2017 incident as a current diagnosis.
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