On a Windows PC, back up Destiny 2’s CVARS.xml before switching games, reinstalling, or moving to another computer. In File Explorer, open %APPDATA%BungieDestinyPCprefs, copy CVARS.xml to a separate folder, and keep that copy unchanged. Bungie documents this file location in its Destiny 2 Epic Games Store Guide. The file is the documented configuration file, but Bungie does not list every preference it contains, so treat it as a settings backup rather than a guaranteed export of every Destiny 2 customization.
What you should back up
The practical Windows PC backup is a separate copy of CVARS.xml. Bungie’s documented expanded location is UsersUSER_NAMEAppdataRoamingBungieDestinyPCprefs. The environment-variable version is easier to use because Windows resolves your account name and Roaming AppData folder automatically:
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%APPDATA%BungieDestinyPCprefs
That folder is where you should look for CVARS.xml before changing games or computers. Bungie’s support material identifies the file and explains what happens if it is deleted, but it does not provide an inventory of every setting stored in it. Your copy should therefore be described accurately as a backup of the documented configuration file, not as proof that every preference, profile, or game-related file has been exported.
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The file lives under your Windows user profile, not beside the game’s executable files. A reinstall, a move to another PC, or a cleanup operation can leave you looking at a newly generated configuration instead of the one containing your preferred controls. Keeping a copy in another folder gives you a known version to compare with the destination file and a way to undo an unsuccessful replacement.
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Do not treat the backup as an account archive. Character access, entitlements, and other online data are handled separately by Bungie’s services. This procedure is specifically for preserving a local PC configuration file. Since Bungie does not publish a complete list of the values in CVARS.xml, plan to check important options in the game after restoration.
Back up the file before switching games
1. Exit Destiny 2
Close Destiny 2 before copying the file. Bungie’s reset instructions concern deleting the file and relaunching; closing the game first is a prudent way to avoid copying a file while the game may still be writing changes. Also close any launcher window that is actively updating or repairing the installation if it is touching the same game files.
2. Open the documented folder
- Open File Explorer.
- Click the address bar, enter
%APPDATA%BungieDestinyPCprefs, and press Enter. - Look for a file named
CVARS.xml.
%APPDATA% points to your Windows user’s Roaming AppData directory. It is not the same as the Destiny 2 installation directory, and the path shown by Bungie uses the user-specific form UsersUSER_NAMEAppdataRoamingBungieDestinyPCprefs.
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3. Make an independent copy
- Right-click
CVARS.xmland choose Copy. - Create a clearly named backup folder outside the original
prefsfolder, such as a folder in Documents or another storage location. - Open that backup folder, right-click an empty area, and choose Paste.
- Leave the original file in place and do not edit the backup copy.
A useful name can include the game and the date, for example Destiny2-CVARS-backup-2026-10-17.xml. Renaming the backup helps you distinguish it from a later copy; do not rename the file that remains in the live prefs folder.
If you are experimenting with a new control scheme, make another dated copy before changing it. Keeping an older and newer snapshot lets you identify which version contains the layout you actually want. Store both outside the live folder and avoid overwriting the known-good copy.
4. Confirm that the copy exists
Open the backup folder and verify that the copied file is present and still has the .xml extension. If File Explorer hides extensions, enable View > Show > File name extensions so that a file accidentally saved as CVARS.xml.txt is not mistaken for the real configuration file. Keep the original and backup in different folders; a second copy inside prefs is not an independent backup.
Check the copy before you uninstall anything. A simple open-folder check confirms that the transfer completed and that you did not copy a shortcut or an unrelated text document. Avoid editing the XML unless Bungie specifically directs you to do so; the safe operation here is copying the file, not rewriting its contents.
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Move the backup to another PC
If you are changing computers, transfer the copy you made in the previous section. A USB flash drive is one option, but the backup file can also be moved using other storage that you control. The important properties are that the copy is outside the original settings folder, reaches the target PC intact, and is easy to identify.
| Method | Separate from the original folder | Can be carried to the target PC | What to verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copy to a folder on another drive | Yes, if the folder is outside %APPDATA%BungieDestinyPCprefs |
Yes, when the drive is connected to the target PC | Open the destination folder and confirm the file is CVARS.xml |
| USB flash drive | Yes | Yes | Safely finish the copy, then check the file on the target PC |
| Cloud or other remote storage | Yes, when the uploaded copy is separate | Yes, after downloading it to the target PC | Confirm that the downloaded file has the expected name and extension |
Do not assume that a launcher’s general backup or reinstall process includes this file. Steam’s Using the Steam Backup Feature guidance warns that games using third-party installers or downloaders may be incompatible with its backup feature. The same page explains, in its discussion of Valve-created games, that saved games and configuration files may not be included and that custom files can require separate copying. It does not specifically confirm how Destiny 2’s CVARS.xml is handled, so retain and verify your own copy instead of treating a launcher backup as proof.
When using removable or remote storage, wait for the copy to finish before disconnecting or closing the storage application. After downloading on the target computer, inspect the downloaded file in its folder rather than assuming the transfer preserved the intended name. Keep the original backup until the destination has been tested successfully.
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Bungie’s retrieved support article documents the file’s location and the reset behavior, but it does not publish a complete restore procedure. Restore conservatively and preserve the destination file before replacing it.
- Close Destiny 2 before working in the settings folder.
- On the destination PC, enter
%APPDATA%BungieDestinyPCprefsin File Explorer. - Check that you are in the expected user’s Roaming AppData folder and that the file involved is named
CVARS.xml. - If a destination
CVARS.xmlalready exists, copy it to a separate safety folder first. This gives you a way back if the transferred settings do not behave as expected. - Copy your backed-up file into the destination
prefsfolder, replacing the existing file only after you have verified the path and understand that this changes the local configuration. - Launch Destiny 2 and check the settings and keybinds you care about. If the result is not right, close the game and restore the safety copy you made in step 4.
Do not delete the destination file as a shortcut. Bungie states: “When relaunched, Destiny 2 will generate a fresh CVARS.xml file. This will revert all custom player settings in Destiny 2 to their defaults.” That reset can be useful for troubleshooting, but it is the opposite of preserving your keybinds.
Restoration is best done after the target installation has launched normally at least once, because that is when you can confirm the expected user folder exists. Close the game again before replacing the file. If the target folder has no file yet, keep your backup untouched and copy it into the verified folder; if a file does exist, preserve it first as described above.
What this backup does—and does not—cover
It preserves a local configuration file
The documented procedure protects the CVARS.xml file in the Windows Roaming AppData path. Because Bungie does not enumerate every preference in the file in the cited guide, avoid promising that it contains every setting you may want to carry between installations. After restoring, inspect the controls and other custom settings that matter to you rather than assuming the file is a complete profile export.
Use the in-game menus as the final authority. Test movement, aiming, firing, ability activation, menu navigation, and any accessibility or interface options you rely on. If one item is missing, record the corrected setting in the game and make a fresh dated copy after closing it.
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It is separate from Cross Save
Bungie’s Destiny 2: Cross Save Guide describes access to a selected active character set from linked platforms. That description concerns character access; it does not say that local PC keybinds or configuration files are synchronized. Keep a local CVARS.xml copy even when Cross Save is enabled.
Cross Save therefore does not replace this file-copy step. Linking accounts or selecting an active character set may make your characters available on another platform, but it is not documented as a transfer of Windows preferences. Treat account access and local configuration as two separate tasks.
It is a Windows PC procedure
The path above is documented for Windows PC use. The support material retrieved for this guide does not establish a console procedure or prove that every PC storefront, package, or Windows setup uses an identical path. Bungie maintains separate support information for Steam, Microsoft Store, and Epic Games Store in its Destiny 2 Hub for Platform Support. If your installation does not contain the documented folder, verify the platform and Windows account before changing files.
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The cited path comes from Bungie’s Epic Games Store guide. Do not infer from that guide that every storefront uses an identical package layout, or that a console has an equivalent user-accessible file. If you use Steam or the Microsoft Store, consult the platform-specific support links and still verify the actual path on your own Windows account before copying or replacing anything.
Switching games without losing your preferred controls
Before you uninstall or reinstall
- Close Destiny 2.
- Copy
CVARS.xmlfrom%APPDATA%BungieDestinyPCprefs. - Store the copy outside the
prefsfolder. - Open the backup location and confirm the file name and extension.
- Keep the backup until you have launched the new installation and checked your controls.
Uninstalling or reinstalling the game does not remove the need for this separate step. The file is in the user’s Roaming AppData path rather than the game-installation path, and a launcher’s backup feature is not documented here as a guarantee for Destiny 2 configuration files.
If you are only taking a break to play another title, you do not need to alter the live file at all. Make the copy, leave Destiny 2 installed, and return to the game later. If you are freeing disk space, verify the backup before removing the installation and keep it in a location that will not be deleted with the game.
After installing on the new PC
- Start with Destiny 2 closed while you inspect the destination folder.
- Make a safety copy of any newly generated
CVARS.xmlbefore replacing it. - Copy your preserved file into the verified
prefspath. - Launch the game and test movement, aiming, abilities, menus, and any other controls you customized.
- If settings are missing or incorrect, close the game, restore the destination safety copy, and recheck that you copied the intended backup rather than a newly generated file.
Do not overwrite several files at once while troubleshooting. Change only the verified CVARS.xml copy, test the result, and keep the destination safety file until you are satisfied. This makes it clear whether a problem came from the transferred configuration or from another part of the installation.
Troubleshooting the backup
The folder does not open
Enter the path exactly in File Explorer’s address bar, including the percent signs and backslashes: %APPDATA%BungieDestinyPCprefs. The path depends on the Windows user account that is signed in. Bungie’s expanded path places the folder under that account’s Roaming AppData directory.
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Make sure you are using the address bar, not the Windows search box. If the shortcut does not resolve, check for spelling errors in AppData, Bungie, DestinyPC, and prefs, then confirm that Destiny 2 has been run under the current account.
CVARS.xml is not present
Do not create a replacement file from memory or download an alleged copy. Confirm that Destiny 2 has been run under the Windows account you are checking, that you are using the documented PC path, and that the game is fully closed before looking again. Bungie’s platform hub links separate support information for the PC storefronts; the cited path is documented in the Epic Games Store guide and is not established here as universal for every package.
If the folder remains absent, stop before deleting or moving other files. Verify which storefront and Windows account you are using and consult the applicable Bungie platform support page. The absence of this one path is not a reason to guess at another directory.
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The restored settings do not appear
Close Destiny 2 and compare the file you restored with the backup you intended to use. Check that the copied file is named CVARS.xml, not a text-file variant, and that it was placed in the destination user’s %APPDATA%BungieDestinyPCprefs folder. If you made a safety copy of the destination file, restore it and test again rather than repeatedly deleting files.
Recheck the controls in the game instead of judging from one menu alone. Because Bungie does not list every value stored in the file, a successful file replacement does not guarantee that every customization will appear exactly as expected.
The game starts with default settings
A fresh CVARS.xml can be generated when the game is relaunched after deletion. Bungie explicitly says this reverts custom player settings to their defaults. Close the game, keep the newly generated file as a safety copy if needed, and use the preserved backup only after verifying the path and file name.
You expected Cross Save to restore keybinds
Cross Save’s documented purpose is access to an active character set across linked platforms. It does not establish synchronization of local PC configuration files. Use the file-copy procedure for settings and keybind preservation.
Final verification checklist
- Correct source:
%APPDATA%BungieDestinyPCprefsCVARS.xml. - Game state: Destiny 2 is closed before copying or replacing the file.
- Independent storage: the backup is outside the original
prefsfolder. - Readable identity: the backup is clearly named and retains the
.xmlextension. - Transfer check: the target PC contains the intended copy before restoration.
- Destination safety: an existing destination file is copied elsewhere before replacement.
- Post-restore test: keybinds and other important custom settings are checked in-game.
Keep the backup until you are satisfied that the new installation behaves as expected. The documented file copy is a focused way to preserve Destiny 2’s local configuration before you switch games; it should not be confused with character synchronization, a complete account export, or a guaranteed backup of every preference.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Destiny 2 settings file on Windows?
Bungie documents CVARS.xml under UsersUSER_NAMEAppdataRoamingBungieDestinyPCprefs. Enter %APPDATA%BungieDestinyPCprefs in File Explorer to reach the same Roaming AppData location for the signed-in Windows account.
Should I copy the file while Destiny 2 is running?
No. Close Destiny 2 before copying or replacing CVARS.xml. Closing first is a prudent way to avoid handling a file while the game may still be writing changes.
Does Cross Save back up my keybinds?
Bungie describes Cross Save as access to an active character set from linked platforms. That description does not promise synchronization of local PC keybinds or configuration files, so keep a separate CVARS.xml copy.
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Do not assume it will. Steam warns that games using third-party installers or downloaders can be incompatible with its backup feature and explains that saved games or configuration files may require separate copying. Steam’s general guidance does not specifically confirm Destiny 2’s file.
Can I use this procedure on a console?
The documented path is a Windows PC path. The cited support material does not establish a console procedure or a universal path for every platform and storefront.
What happens if I delete CVARS.xml?
Bungie says that when Destiny 2 is relaunched, it generates a fresh CVARS.xml and reverts custom player settings to their defaults. Deletion is therefore a reset action, not a backup method.
What if the copied file is named CVARS.xml.txt?
Enable File Explorer’s View > Show > File name extensions, then verify that the file ends in .xml. Do not replace the destination file with a text-file variant.
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How long should I keep the backup?
Keep it until the new installation has launched and you have tested the controls and other important settings. Retaining the copy gives you a fallback if the replacement does not behave as expected.
The Bottom Line
For Windows PC, close Destiny 2 and copy %APPDATA%BungieDestinyPCprefsCVARS.xml to a clearly named folder outside prefs. Verify the extension, transfer that independent copy to the target computer, preserve any destination file before replacement, and test your controls in-game. Cross Save and launcher backups should not be treated as guarantees for local keybinds.
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