How to reset settings to its defaults on Windows Terminal

On Windows 10, it is possible to reset the Windows Terminal app settings if you want to roll back to the default configuration because you want to start fresh again, or you are dealing with errors and other problems.

When you use the Settings UI or JSON option to modify the Windows Terminal global settings or individual profiles (Command Prompt, PowerShell, and WSL), the app saves the configuration into the Settings.json file, and every time you save changes, the app creates a backup automatically.

If you are having issues with running the Windows Terminal after making configuration changes, you can always clear the contents or delete the file to reset the terminal settings to its default.

In this guide, you will learn the different ways to reset the settings of the Windows Terminal app on Windows 10.

• Reset Windows Terminal settings clearing JSON file
• Reset Windows Terminal settings from File Explorer
• Reset Windows Terminal settings with command

Reset Windows Terminal settings clearing JSON file

To reset the settings of the Terminal app, use these steps:

1. Open Windows Terminal.

2. Click the menu (down-arrow) button and select the Settings option.

3. Click on Open JSON file.

   

4. Use the Ctrl + A keyboard shortcut to select everything on the page.

5. Use the Delete key to empty the content of the page.

   

6. Use the Ctrl + S keyboard shortcut to save the file.

Once you complete the steps, the Windows Terminal will regenerate the Settings.json file with the default settings as you save the file.

Reset Windows Terminal settings with commands

To delete the current settings and reload the default configuration of Windows Terminal, use these steps:

1. Open Start.

2. Search for Windows Terminal and click the top result to open the app.

   Quick tip: You can also use Command Prompt or PowerShell.

3. Type the following command to delete the Settings.json file and press Enter:

   del /q /s /a /f %LocalAppData%\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsTerminal_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\settings.json"

   

   Quick note: The path will depend on the version of the app you have installed. If you are using the preview version of the app, then the folder name in the path will be “Microsoft.WindowsTerminalPreview_8wekyb3d8bbwe”.

After you complete the steps, the configuration will be deleted, and a new one will be created automatically with all the default settings the next time you open the app.

Reset Windows Terminal settings from File Explorer

To reset the Windows Terminal app to its default settings, use the steps:

1. Open File Explorer.

2. Type the following path in the address bar to navigate to the folder containing the configuration file and press Enter:

   %LocalAppData%\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsTerminal_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState

   

   Quick note: If you use the preview version of the app, then the folder name in the path will be “Microsoft.WindowsTerminalPreview_8wekyb3d8bbwe”.

3. Right-click the file and select the Delete option.

Once you complete the steps, the application will recreate the Settings.json file automatically with the default settings.