Data locations
GameVault 2 keeps its own data in the platform's standard directories under
com.phalcode.gamevault. Game files are stored somewhere else, in the folders
you choose.
Application data
| Platform | Data | Configuration | Logs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows | %APPDATA%\com.phalcode.gamevault | same directory | %LOCALAPPDATA%\com.phalcode.gamevault\logs |
| Linux | ~/.local/share/com.phalcode.gamevault | ~/.config/com.phalcode.gamevault | ~/.local/share/com.phalcode.gamevault/logs |
| macOS | ~/Library/Application Support/com.phalcode.gamevault | same directory | ~/Library/Logs/com.phalcode.gamevault |
What lives there:
gamevault-settings.json: every setting, including download folders and the update channel.cached-images/: cover art and backgrounds downloaded from the server.logs/launch-logs/: output of every game launch. Useful for Wine and Proton problems.logs/tracker-logs/: playtime tracker output.- WebView storage: profile, session and the image cache of the Web UI.
Games and downloads
Game files live in the root folder from Settings → Downloads, one folder per game and version:
| Path | Contents |
|---|---|
<Root>/GameVault/<Title>/Versions/<Version>/Download/ | the downloaded archive |
<Root>/GameVault/<Title>/Versions/<Version>/Extraction/ | the extracted files |
<Root>/GameVault/<Title>/Versions/<Version>/Installation/ | the installed game |
Deleting the Download folder after a successful installation frees the archive
without touching the installed game; the client also offers to do that
automatically under Settings → Downloads.
Offline playtime
While the server is unreachable, the playtime tracker stores the minutes it cannot credit next to the installed game:
| Path | Contents |
|---|---|
<Root>/GameVault/<Title>/Versions/<Version>/.gamevault.offline_time.json | Minutes waiting for the next sync |
The client sends them when it starts, when the connection returns and on every retry while a balance is open. Uninstalling a version deletes the file with it, so reconnect before you remove a game you played without a connection.
Resetting the client
To start from scratch, quit GameVault 2 and delete the application-data directory for your platform. The next start behaves like a fresh installation; your server data and installed games are not affected.
Deleting the directory removes profiles, settings and cached metadata. Export a settings dump under Settings → Developer Tools first if you want to keep a record.
GameVault 1
GameVault 1 uses different paths and a flat game folder layout; see GameVault 1 data locations.