How to Reset CaptureGem Settings Safely
Table of Contents
CaptureGem has a Settings → Reset Data dialog with separate choices for configuration, temporary files, metadata, and saved videos. Nothing is selected by default. View state has no separate checkbox: Full Reset also clears it, but selects every other category, including videos and metadata. Do not use Full Reset just to clear view state; read every selected category before confirming.
Before a reset
Stop any active recordings. Back up config.json, finished videos, and temporary or retained source files you may need to a safe location outside the folders being reset. If a conversion failed or a recording is unfinished, inspect the source files before clearing temporary data. A reset cannot recover files after they have been deleted.
The active data folder may differ from the default. An explicit CAPTUREGEM_DATA_DIR override takes priority. New macOS profiles use ~/Library/Application Support/capturegem, new Windows profiles use %LOCALAPPDATA%\capturegem, and Linux uses ~/CaptureGem_Data. Older macOS and Windows profiles can use legacy folders. When both old and new folders contain settings, the desktop and recorder daemon can choose different folders: the desktop uses the newer settings marker, while the daemon prefers a legacy folder with config.json. Check both folders and logs before a reset. Video and temporary folders can also be customized in Settings; see file locations.
Reset settings while keeping recordings
If both old and new profile folders contain settings, do not reset yet. Back up both candidates and resolve which configuration the recorder daemon is using; the in-app reset may affect only the desktop-selected folder in this split case.
- Open Settings → Reset Data.
- Select Configuration only. Leave Videos, Metadata, and Temporary files unselected if you need those files.
- Review the confirmation, proceed, and reconfigure your settings and model list after the recorder restarts.
If the app cannot open, close it fully, locate the active profile, and copy config.json somewhere safe. Move only that file aside so CaptureGem can create a fresh configuration on launch. Do not delete the entire profile folder: it can contain finished recordings, temporary segments, metadata, and other recoverable files. Restoring the old configuration may also restore the issue you were troubleshooting.
For help diagnosing the issue before resetting, see CaptureGem troubleshooting.
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