# Settings backup and restore
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/settings-backup-and-restore/51350
**Category:** Mac
**Tags:** feature
**Created:** [December 26, 2020, 2:03am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/settings-backup-and-restore/51350 "2020-12-26T02:03:48Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@djdizzle](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/djdizzle)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2020, 2:03am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/settings-backup-and-restore/51350/1 "2020-12-26T02:03:48Z")
Hi,
It would be good if Mp3tag for Mac could backup and restore settings... and also import settings from the Windows version.
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### Author:  [@Florian](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Florian)
#### Post date: [December 30, 2020, 4:40pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/settings-backup-and-restore/51350/2 "2020-12-30T16:40:06Z")
Thanks also for the suggestions. Import of settings from the Windows version is one of the things I’m hesitant to do — it would require re-implementing the settings formats from Windows and I’d have to deal with missing action types and other differences in the Mac version.
Regarding backup of settings: Mp3tag for Mac uses the User Defaults system of macOS. If you're familiar with the command line, you can use the `defaults` tool, e.g.,
`defaults export app.mp3tag.Mp3tag ~/Desktop/Mp3tag.plist`
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### Author:  [@djdizzle](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/djdizzle)
#### Post date: [January 5, 2021, 4:25am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/settings-backup-and-restore/51350/3 "2021-01-05T04:25:16Z")
I didn't know about the User Defaults system.
Can you use
`defaults import ~/Desktop/Mp3tag.plist app.mp3tag.Mp3tag`
to restore the settings?
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### Author:  [@djdizzle](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/djdizzle)
#### Post date: [January 5, 2021, 4:28am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/settings-backup-and-restore/51350/4 "2021-01-05T04:28:16Z")
> [@Florian](#):
>
> it would require re-implementing the settings formats from Windows and I’d have to deal with missing action types and other differences in the Mac version.
Perhaps, this is something that could be implemented in the future... if the Mac version gets to be on par feature-wise with the Windows version.
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### Author:  [@Florian](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Florian)
#### Post date: [January 5, 2021, 5:41am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/settings-backup-and-restore/51350/5 "2021-01-05T05:41:20Z")
To restore the settings it's
`defaults import app.mp3tag.Mp3tag ~/Desktop/Mp3tag.plist`
If you're curious, you can use `defaults help` for lots of other options.
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### Author:  [@Arbiter](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Arbiter)
#### Post date: [December 31, 2022, 4:33am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/settings-backup-and-restore/51350/6 "2022-12-31T04:33:37Z")
I know this is old, but it seems related to me. Feel free to break it into a new thread if that would be more appropriate.
Does MP3Tag for Mac also store the web sources in the plist? I reviewed the plist and I see that the most recently used Web Source is noted, but I don't see that any other references to the web sources are stored there. Checking as there can be a tremendous amount of time put in to to customizing some of the sources. (Also, thanks again for actually making the WSes work on the Mac version! I'm sure that was a ton of work and that's a feature I deeply missed.)
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### Author:  [@Florian](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Florian)
#### Post date: [December 31, 2022, 10:29am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/settings-backup-and-restore/51350/7 "2022-12-31T10:29:52Z")
> [@Arbiter](#):
>
> Does MP3Tag for Mac also store the web sources in the plist?
No, they are stored in the folder that opens when you choose **Tag Sources → Open Tag Sources Folder**.
Thanks for your nice feedback, happy you like the new capabilities (and yes, it was a ton of work 😅)
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### Author:  [@Arbiter](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Arbiter)
#### Post date: [December 31, 2022, 10:38pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/settings-backup-and-restore/51350/8 "2022-12-31T22:38:08Z")
That makes sense. I'll just back up that directory separately.
Your work was well worth it. The web sources feature is such a great benefit. Thanks again!
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### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2023, 10:39pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/settings-backup-and-restore/51350/9 "2023-01-30T22:39:07Z")
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