If you want to backup and restore Photos app settings in Windows 11/10, then you can follow this tutorial. Photos is a preinstalled app in Windows 11/10 that allows users to open and edit images within moments. If the Photos app is not working, you might want to uninstall/reinstall the app. Before you do that, you may want to back up your settings first.
How to backup and restore Photos app settings
To backup and restore Photos app settings in Windows 11/10, follow these steps-
- Open File Explorer on your computer.
- Navigate to Microsoft.Windows.Photos_8wekyb3d8bbwe folder.
- Double-click on the Settings.
- Copy roaming.lock and settings.dat files.
- Paste it somewhere to move.
- Open Microsoft.Windows.Photos_8wekyb3d8bbwe folder on the destination computer.
- Paste roaming.lock and settings.dat files.
First, you need to copy some files so that you can move them from your current PC to another computer. As the Photos is a preinstalled app and it comes from the Microsoft Store, you may not find any entry in the Registry Editor.
To backup settings, you just need to back up some files from a specific location.
To get started, open the File Explorer, and navigate to the following path-
C:\Users\your-username\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.Photos_8wekyb3d8bbwe
Alternatively, you can press Win+R to open the Run prompt, type the following path, and hit the Enter button-
%LocalAppData%\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.Photos_8wekyb3d8bbwe
In the Microsoft.Windows.Photos_8wekyb3d8bbwe folder, you will find a sub-folder called Settings. After opening the Settings folder, you will find two files named roaming.lock and settings.dat. You need to copy these files and paste them somewhere.
For your information, you can move them from one computer to another as well.
After that, open the same Microsoft.Windows.Photos_8wekyb3d8bbwe folder on the destination computer.
Now, you need to paste those files in the Microsoft.Windows.Photos_8wekyb3d8bbwe folder.
You might face a warning when you go on to replace existing files. You need to click on the Replace the files in the destination option.
That’s it!
Read: Cannot open JPG or PNG files in Windows.
How do I reinstall the Windows photos app?
Press Win + I to open Settings. Go to Apps > Installed apps. Locate the Photos app in the list of apps. Click the three-dots icon next to the app’s name and select Uninstall. Confirm your selection by clicking Uninstall again. Once the app is uninstalled, open the Microsoft Store, type ‘Microsoft Photos’ in the search bar, and press Enter. The Photos app will show up in the search results. Select the app. Click the Get button on the app’s page to download and reinstall the app on your Windows 11/10 PC.
How do I fix my photos app on Windows?
If the Photos app is not working correctly or as intended on your Windows 11/10 PC, try restarting your PC to resolve temporary issues with the app. Next, run the Windows Store Apps troubleshooter and see if it can help identify and fix the problem. If not, reset the Photos app by selecting Settings > Apps > Installed apps > Photos > Advanced options > Reset. Resetting the Photos app will restore it to its default state without deleting your photos or videos, potentially fixing common issues with the app.
Read Next: How to back up Camera app settings on Windows.
