To preserve a torrent setup, back up the client profile and the downloaded files separately. The profile holds preferences, torrent metadata and resume state; it does not contain the downloaded or partially downloaded content. The exact profile location depends on the client, operating system and installation type, so identify those before copying anything.
What needs to be backed up?
A useful backup distinguishes three things that may be stored in different locations:
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- Client preferences: settings such as interface and connection choices.
- Torrent metadata and state: the .torrent files and per-torrent resume information that let a client rebuild its transfer list and remember progress.
- Downloaded content: the completed or partial files themselves, usually stored in a chosen download folder outside the client profile.
Copying a profile protects the client’s bookkeeping, not the payload. If the download folder also needs protection, back it up separately. A copied profile may refer to paths that do not exist on the destination computer.
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Before you copy or restore anything
- Identify the installation. Note the client and version, operating system, and package type (for example, a standard installer, Flatpak, or service/daemon). Locate the profile actually used by that installation rather than assuming a default.
- Stop the client cleanly. Exit the application or stop its service before copying or editing configuration files. Transmission documentation warns that changes made while it is running can be reverted.
- Copy the relevant profile and state folders. Preserve their directory structure. Copy the actual download location separately if its contents must be recoverable.
- Keep the original backup unchanged. Retain a second copy until the restored client and its transfers have been checked. A separate external drive can hold the files, but keep it separate from the source device.
Where the files are for common clients
These are documented locations and file names, not a guarantee that every installation uses them. Custom profiles, alternate packages and service scripts can change the paths.
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qBittorrent
The qBittorrent FAQ distinguishes preferences from torrent-related data. On Windows, preferences are listed at %APPDATA%qBittorrent, while torrent files, logs and related data are under %LOCALAPPDATA%qBittorrent. On GNU/Linux, the FAQ lists preferences under ~/.config/qBittorrent/ and data under ~/.local/share/qBittorrent/; it also notes a legacy data location, ~/.local/share/data/qBittorrent/. Flatpak uses separate locations under ~/.var/app/org.qbittorrent.qBittorrent/. The FAQ also covers Snap and macOS, so check its platform-specific entries if those apply: qBittorrent FAQ.
qBittorrent portable mode can place configuration in a chosen profile directory, but the project warns that settings containing paths may not work unchanged when moved to a machine with different paths. It is an option for planning future portability, not a promise that an existing profile will be plug-and-play: qBittorrent portable-mode documentation.
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Transmission
Transmission documentation describes three important profile contents: settings.json for preferences, torrents/ for added .torrent files, and resume/ for per-torrent resume information. Resume files can record downloaded pieces and the folder used for downloaded data. The default locations vary by platform and installation; daemon and command-line setups have their own paths, environment variables can override defaults, and distribution service scripts may use different locations. Consult the documentation for the installed setup rather than copying a guessed directory: Transmission documentation.
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Deluge’s 2.1.1 upgrade guidance says to back up the configuration before a major-version upgrade to guard against data loss. Project code places torrent state and resume data in the configuration state area, including torrents.state and torrents.fastresume. Treat those names as implementation details that can depend on version, and verify the actual configuration directory used by your installation. The documentation does not provide one restore sequence for every operating system or deployment: Deluge 2.1.1 documentation; Deluge project code.
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BitTorrent Classic
For BitTorrent Classic on Windows, support documentation gives %AppData%BitTorrent as the default configuration location. It identifies resume.dat as information about currently loaded torrent jobs and settings.dat as holding most settings; dht.dat and optional rss.dat are also mentioned. Confirm that you use this product variant and that the path matches your installation before relying on those details: BitTorrent Classic support.
Restore the profile and reconnect transfers
- Install the client on the destination system. Using the same client and version where possible reduces avoidable differences. Do not assume a profile from one client is a complete profile for another.
- Close the newly installed client. Copy the saved profile into the corresponding location for that installation, preserving folders and filenames. Keep an untouched copy of the backup.
- Put the payload where the profile expects it, or correct the paths. If the download directory moved or its drive letter changed, the saved locations may no longer point to the files.
- Open the client and inspect the transfer list. For any torrent reported as missing, use the client’s location or set-location controls to point it at the existing data, then run a file recheck before resuming or seeding if the path or integrity is uncertain.
- Confirm the result before retiring the backup. Check that expected transfers appear, content is found and verification completes as appropriate. Keep the saved copy until the restored setup is working.
For qBittorrent, the FAQ also describes rebuilding a list by adding the saved .torrent files and choosing the original download or seed path. For completed torrents, the option “Skip file checking and start seeding immediately” trusts local files instead of checking them. Use that shortcut only when you deliberately accept that trade-off; when file integrity or paths are uncertain, run a recheck. Re-importing torrent files is a way to rebuild a list, not the same as restoring a complete qBittorrent profile: qBittorrent FAQ.
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Choose the backup scope that matches the move
| What you preserve | What it helps recover | What it does not preserve by itself |
|---|---|---|
| Preferences only | Client settings | Torrent list, resume state and downloaded content |
| Profile and torrent/resume state | Settings and, where the client stores them in the copied profile, transfer bookkeeping | Downloaded or partial payload files stored elsewhere |
| Profile/state plus download folders | Settings, transfer bookkeeping and the files needed for existing transfers | Automatic compatibility with changed paths or client versions; restored paths and data still need checking |
The right scope depends on whether the goal is simply to retain preferences, reconstruct a transfer list, or recover the actual files as well. No reviewed official documentation establishes a universal restore guarantee across clients, operating systems or major versions.
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