Flow Launcher Portable: ZIP Setup and User Data
The portable package lets you run Flow Launcher from an extracted folder. Keep its application files together and locate the active UserData directory before moving the installation. A ZIP package is not meant to be launched from inside the archive, and portable use does not remove plugin runtime or network requirements.
Steps to follow
- Choose the portable asset from the project release and extract it into a writable directory you control, rather than a temporary archive-viewer folder.
- Start the extracted launcher and check the reported version. Do not mix files from different release ZIPs in the same directory.
- Search for flow launcher userdata to locate the data directory actually used by that instance. Record it before transferring anything.
- Exit Flow, copy the complete application and relevant user-data folders, and test the moved copy. Check saved paths and plugin runtime locations on the destination PC.
flow launcher userdataCheck the result
After moving the folder, reopen Flow and confirm the hotkey, theme, and one plugin setting are still present. Check that Quick Access links point to existing folders.
Limits and common pitfalls
Cloud-syncing an actively written settings folder can create conflicting copies. Close Flow before copying or syncing a backup, and avoid running the same synced profile on two PCs simultaneously.
Make the check repeatable
A portable app can still leave ordinary operating-system records such as recent-file entries. It is a deployment format, not an anonymity feature. Keep an untouched ZIP for recovery and a separate dated backup of your own settings; application replacement and profile recovery are different operations.
Questions and answers
Does the portable ZIP include my settings automatically?
Not necessarily. The decisive location is the UserData directory used by your running instance; inspect it rather than assuming every portable folder contains the active profile.
Sources and scope
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