Settings

Settings Backup

Export a portable JSON document from Settings > General > Advanced > Settings Backup. It is designed for moving configuration to another Mac without transferring machine identity, credentials, or live workspace state.

Included

  • Portable preferences and appearance choices
  • Keyboard, mouse, and trackpad shortcut bindings, including Saved Workspace shortcuts
  • App Routing, App Exceptions, and remembered window behavior rules
  • Display preferences, including exclusions and display nicknames
  • AI provider and Recipe configuration, but not API keys
  • The Snap Wheel's safe built-in layout
  • Custom TabStack layout presets

Stays on this Mac

  • License, activation, device identity, and account state
  • AI API keys and other credentials
  • Stages, open windows, and Saved Workspaces
  • Custom Action definitions, command files, and foreign Custom Action slot authority

Import behavior

BetterStage validates the document and every known value before it changes your settings. Import replaces only keys known to the exporting version, ignores unknown future keys, and atomically replaces custom TabStack layouts. Imported exception choices are preserved, and BetterStage offers to relaunch after import.

The imported Snap Wheel base contains built-in actions only. Any slots that referred to Custom Actions on the source Mac must be reassigned to actions saved locally on the destination Mac.

Reset All Settings

Reset All Settings clears saved rules and custom TabStack layouts, refreshes App Exceptions, and restores the complete Comfortable appearance preset. It keeps Stages, windows, credentials, Saved Workspaces, and saved Custom Actions. Export a backup first if you want to keep your preferences. To restart the app directly, choose Restart BetterStage from its menu-bar menu.

Settings backup is not a Saved Workspace

Use a Settings backup for preferences and reusable configuration. Use Saved Workspaces when you want BetterStage to remember Stages, displays, layouts, apps, and window groups on the same Mac.

Reference

All Settings →