Recommended Free Tools
Before a major Final Fantasy XIV update, back up both categories of settings: client settings and each character’s settings. They are separate backups. Use the Character Selection screen to upload server copies, and on Windows or Mac optionally create a local FFXIVconfig.fea export. After the update, read the patch notes and adjust only the options that actually changed; do not erase your configuration as a routine precaution.
What to do before the update
A safe pre-patch routine has four parts: document your setup, save a client-settings backup, save a character-settings backup for every character you care about, and make an offline copy if you play on Windows or Mac. The two server backups protect different data, so completing one does not complete the other.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
![Final Fantasy XIV Online: 60 Day Time Card [Online Game Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51bYMOf2hEL._SL160_.jpg)
|
Final Fantasy XIV Online: 60 Day Time Card [Online Game Code] | $29.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Final Fantasy XIV Online, Complete Edition - PlayStation 4 | $99.97 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Final Fantasy XIV Online | $45.60 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood - PlayStation 4 | $16.25 | Buy on Amazon |
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
- Client settings: shared options such as display, sound, input devices, accessibility, themes, shared macros and other client-wide data.
- Character settings: per-character configuration such as HUD layouts, hotbars, gear sets, keybinds, logs, individual macros and social data.
- Local export: a Windows or Mac file named
FFXIVconfig.feathat gives you an additional copy, but does not include every category.
Keep the backup date in mind. A backup made after changing a hotbar or keybind is more useful than an older copy that predates those changes.
Step 1: Record the environment you need to protect
Write down the platform and setup for each installation before opening the backup tools. Record whether you use Windows, Mac, PlayStation, Xbox or, where applicable, Nintendo Switch 2; note your controller or keyboard-and-mouse arrangement, display configuration and the characters you want to protect. This matters because some system values depend on the current play environment and cannot be exported.
#1 Best Overall
- Adventure awaits you beyond the horizon in FINAL FANTASY XIV.
- This product is a digital 60-Day Game Time Card for FINAL FANTASY XIV Online. It serves as a payment option that allows players to add 60 days of game time to their FFXIV account at the Standard subscription rate, subject to account limits. Both the game and game time are required to play.
- This product can be redeemed on service accounts registered with the Windows, Mac, PlayStation, or Steam versions of FINAL FANTASY XIV Online. However, it cannot be redeemed on service accounts that have only the XBOX or Nintendo Switch 2 versions registered.
- Identify the service account and the exact character names you will back up.
- Note whether you use a controller, keyboard and mouse, or more than one input device.
- Record unusual display, audio, accessibility or UI choices that you would notice immediately if they changed.
- If you use multiple platforms, plan a server backup for the settings you want available on the other supported platform; a PC file alone is not a console-transfer method.
Step 2: Back up client settings
Use the Character Selection screen
- Open the Character Selection screen.
- Select the client-settings backup control, represented by a gear icon.
- Open the backup window and choose Upload.
- Wait for the upload to finish before leaving the screen.
This backup covers client-wide data, including display, sound, input-device, accessibility, theme, shared macro and miscellaneous settings. It is separate from the backup attached to an individual character. Shared macros belong with client settings, not with a character’s individual macro data.
Some values are tied to the current environment and are not exportable. A successful upload therefore does not mean that every display or device-specific value can be reproduced automatically on another platform.
Step 3: Back up every character’s settings
Upload one character at a time
- Remain on the Character Selection screen and highlight the character you want to protect.
- Open that character’s settings backup window.
- Choose Upload and wait for confirmation.
- Repeat the process for every other character whose configuration matters.
Character backups include Character Configuration, HUD layout, hotbars and cross hotbars, gear sets, keybinds, log filters and text colors, character-specific macros, social data and other character-level data. The backup does not save screenshots, appearance data, item-sort settings or inventory location. Appearance data is not copied even when you import settings to another character.
Because the upload is tied to the selected character, backing up one character does not protect another character’s HUD, hotbars or keybinds. Make a separate upload for each one.
Step 4: Create a local Windows or Mac copy
Export through the launcher
- Open the launcher and select Config.
- Under Backup Tool, select Back Up.
- Choose a folder and complete the export.
- Confirm that the folder contains
FFXIVconfig.fea.
Store the file somewhere separate from the computer if it is meant to protect you from local-device loss. An external drive or USB flash drive can hold the file; buying storage is optional because the server backup does not require it. Keep at least one copy in a location that will not be lost if the computer fails.
What the local file does and does not contain
The launcher export can preserve character configurations, HUD layouts, hotbars and cross hotbars, gear sets, macros, log filters and log text colors. It does not export system configuration, screenshots or character appearances, and it is not a console-transfer method. Treat it as a second copy, not as a replacement for the two server uploads.
Restore the local export
- Open the launcher and select Config.
- Under Backup Tool, select Restore.
- Choose the folder that contains
FFXIVconfig.fea. - Confirm the target installation and apply the restore.
Do not select Restore merely to test the file on a live setup. Restoring can replace current local data, so first verify that the file is the intended backup and that you have copied away any newer changes.
Rank #2
- A new adventure awaits in Norvrandt
- New jobs, including gun breaker and dancer
- New playable races: Viera and Hrothgar
- Level cap increase from 70 to 80
- New cities to explore: The Crystarium and Eulmore
How to verify that your backups are current
Use the in-game reminder
- Open System.
- Choose System Configuration.
- Open Other Settings.
- Find System Configuration Backup.
- Enable Notify after a set time has elapsed since the last backup.
The Patch 7.1 notes describe this reminder as appearing when no backup has been created in over 90 days. The option is Off by default. It is a reminder, not proof that every category has been saved, so still check that both the client and selected-character uploads completed.
Make a short pre-patch checklist
- Client-settings upload completed.
- Character-settings upload completed for each required character.
- Local
FFXIVconfig.feacopied to a separate location, if using Windows or Mac. - Backup date and target character recorded.
- Current input device and display setup noted.
What each backup route covers
| Route | Includes | Important limits |
|---|---|---|
| Launcher export on Windows or Mac | Character configurations, HUD, hotbars and cross hotbars, gear sets, macros, log filters and log text colors | Does not include system configuration, screenshots or character appearances; cannot transfer settings to a console |
| Server client-settings backup | Display, sound, input device, accessibility, shared macros, theme and miscellaneous client settings | Some environment-specific system values are not exportable |
| Server character-settings backup | Character Configuration, HUD, hotbars, gear sets, keybinds, logs, individual macros, social data and miscellaneous data | Does not save screenshots, appearance data, item-sort settings or inventory location; shared macros are in client settings |
| Import Character Settings | Selected data such as HUD, hotbars, gear sets, Character Configuration and individual macros | Appearance data is not copied |
| Configuration Sharing | Selected HUD, hotbars, macros, Character Configuration, partial system configuration and miscellaneous data | Temporary code-based sharing; one set can be uploaded per character at a time, and applying it overwrites the recipient’s current configuration |
What to inspect after the update
Read the patch notes before assuming anything was reset
Open the notes for the specific patch and look for renamed, moved or newly adjusted configuration options. An update can deliberately change an option for everyone without resetting every setting. For example, the Patch 7.3 notes describe Character and Object Quantity being switched to Automatic for all players. That is an announced option change, not evidence that all configurations are routinely erased by patches.
Do not tell yourself that a patch caused a reset unless the notes or your observed state establish it. The correct response is to compare the changed option with your saved preference and then decide whether to keep the new behavior.
Check System Configuration
After launching the updated client, open the system-configuration menus that correspond to the patch notes. Review display mode and resolution, audio outputs and volumes, input-device assignments, accessibility options, UI theme and any environment-specific values. If only one option changed, adjust that option rather than resetting the entire configuration.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Check Character Configuration
Open the character-configuration menus and verify the items most likely to affect play immediately:
- HUD layout and visibility of hotbars or cross hotbars.
- Keybinds and controller assignments.
- Gear sets and associated hotbars.
- Log filters, text colors and chat presentation.
- Character-specific macros and social-data preferences.
- Any option named in the patch notes, including quantity or display behavior.
Use a known reference, such as a screenshot or written list of your preferred values, when checking a complex HUD. Screenshots themselves are not included in the settings backups, so keep any visual references separately.
How to restore settings safely
Restore from a server backup
Use the relevant download or restore control only after confirming the target client or character and the date of the backup. Choose the client backup when shared, platform-level settings are missing. Choose the character backup when a specific character’s HUD, hotbars, keybinds or character configuration is wrong. Applying the wrong category can leave the problem unchanged or replace settings you intended to keep.
Rank #3
- Increased level cap from 50 to 60
- Dark Knight: Tank - Wields a two-handed greatsword and the power of darkness to deal damage to their foes
- Astrologian: Healer - Tap the power of the stars to cast potent healing magicks, while drawing energies from constellation-based divining cards to support your party
- Machinist: DPS - Deal damage from afar using a combination of firearms enhanced with various attachments, and mechanical turrets deployed on the battlefield
- Included in this expansion pack is a new race called The Au Ra, a new City-State - Ishgard, new Primals Bismarck and Ravana, and Flying Mounts
Restore from the launcher file
On Windows or Mac, use Config > Backup Tool > Restore and select the folder containing FFXIVconfig.fea. This is useful when the local installation has lost its settings, but remember that the file does not contain system configuration, screenshots or appearance data.
Import settings to another character
When moving a layout between characters on the same service account and device, use Import Character Settings. Select the categories you actually need, such as HUD, hotbars, gear sets, Character Configuration or individual macros. Appearance data is excluded, so recreate or adjust that separately. Review the recipient character after importing because selected categories can change its current setup.
Use Configuration Sharing only for temporary, selective transfers
Configuration Sharing can send selected HUD, hotbar, macro, Character Configuration, partial system-configuration and miscellaneous data through a code. It is not the normal backup mechanism. The upload is temporary, only one set can be uploaded per character at a time, and applying the shared set overwrites the recipient’s current configuration. For routine recovery or moving settings between supported platforms, use the official backup tools instead.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Reset versus restore: choose the least destructive action
When a targeted adjustment is appropriate
If the patch notes identify a changed option, open that menu and set the value you prefer. This preserves unrelated keybinds, HUD elements, macros and accessibility choices. A targeted adjustment is also the right first step when only one device, display mode or chat behavior is wrong.
When a restore is appropriate
Restore when the current settings are clearly damaged or missing and you have a verified backup made before the problem. Compare the backup date with your latest changes, and save any newer configuration you might want before applying the older copy.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsWhy a wholesale reset is risky
Erasing or resetting everything can remove working keybinds, carefully arranged hotbars and character-specific macros while failing to recover data that was never included in the backup, such as appearance data or screenshots. A reset also does not solve an environment-specific display or device mismatch automatically. Preserve first, then change only what the evidence requires.
Troubleshooting common problems
The client backup succeeded, but my hotbars are missing
Hotbars and HUD layouts are character settings. Return to Character Selection, select the affected character and upload its character-settings backup. The client-settings upload alone does not contain that character’s layout.
Rank #4
- Customer must have Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn to play Stormblood
- Increased level cap up to level 70
- New Jobs – Red Mage and Samurai
- New Beast Tribe and Primal
- New Alliance Raid
My character settings are present, but display or audio is wrong
Display and sound are client settings, and some values depend on the current environment. Check the client-settings backup and then review System Configuration on the platform where the problem occurs. A PC export cannot restore system configuration.
My appearance did not transfer
Appearance data is excluded from the launcher export, server character-settings backup and Import Character Settings. Recreate or adjust appearance separately rather than trying repeated restores.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallI imported settings and overwrote a layout I still needed
Import and Configuration Sharing can replace selected current data. Stop making further changes, identify the most recent valid backup for the recipient character, and restore only the needed categories after confirming the target and date. Configuration Sharing is particularly destructive because applying the shared set overwrites the recipient’s current configuration.
The local export is not where I expected
Use the launcher’s Config > Backup Tool > Back Up command again, choose a folder you can identify, and confirm that FFXIVconfig.fea exists there. Copy that file to separate storage before updating. If the file is absent, do not assume a server upload created a local copy; the two methods are independent.
A patch changed an option for everyone
Check the patch notes and the corresponding System Configuration or Character Configuration menu. If the notes document the change, decide whether the new default suits you and change only that setting if it does not. Do not infer that every other setting was reset.
A repeatable major-update checklist
- Record platform, input devices, display arrangement and the characters to protect.
- At Character Selection, upload the client-settings backup.
- For each required character, upload the character-settings backup.
- On Windows or Mac, create a launcher export and verify
FFXIVconfig.fea. - Copy the local file somewhere separate if you want protection from device loss.
- Enable the 90-day backup reminder if you want an in-game prompt; it is Off by default.
- After patching, read the patch notes for configuration changes.
- Inspect the named System Configuration and Character Configuration menus.
- Restore or import only after checking the target and backup date.
- Verify HUD, hotbars, keybinds, gear sets, logs, macros and device behavior before returning to normal play.
This process protects the settings that can be backed up while making the exclusions explicit. The key distinction is simple: client settings and character settings are separate, and a patch change is not automatically a full reset.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
