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Add portable mode docs to release branch 1.18 (#655)
* added first draft of docs * changed headings and subheadings * Reword, add an Upgrading section --------- Co-authored-by: Dustin Howett <duhowett@microsoft.com>
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--- | ||
title: Windows Terminal Portable Mode | ||
description: Learn how to use Portable mode on Windows Terminal. | ||
author: nguyen-dows | ||
ms.author: chrnguyen | ||
ms.date: 04/10/2023 | ||
ms.topic: how-to | ||
--- | ||
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# Windows Terminal Portable | ||
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As of version 1.17, Windows Terminal supports being deployed in ["Portable mode"]. Portable mode ensures that all data | ||
created and maintained by Windows Terminal is saved next to the application so that it can be more easily moved across | ||
different environments. | ||
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Portable mode is supported by the [unpackaged "ZIP" distribution]. This is an officially-supported mode of execution | ||
where Windows Terminal stores its settings in a `settings` folder next to `WindowsTerminal.exe`. | ||
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Portable mode is not supported in the packaged ("MSIX bundle") distribution of Windows Terminal. | ||
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## Why use Portable mode? | ||
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The unpackaged and portable mode distribution of Windows Terminal allows you to use Terminal without installing it | ||
globally, e.g. on systems where you may not have permission to install MSIX packages or download software from the | ||
Microsoft Store. | ||
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Portable mode allows you to carry around (and archive!) a preconfigured installation of Windows Terminal and run it from | ||
a network share, cloud drive or USB flash drive. Any such installation is self-contained and will not interfere with | ||
other installed distributions of Windows Terminal. | ||
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## Enabling Portable mode | ||
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Portable mode needs to be enabled manually. After unzipping the Windows Terminal download, create a file named `.portable` next to `WindowsTerminal.exe`. | ||
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> [!NOTE] | ||
> Windows Terminal will not automatically reload its settings when you create the portable mode marker file. | ||
> This change will only apply after you relaunch Terminal. | ||
Windows Terminal will automatically create a directory named `settings` in which it will store both settings and runtime | ||
state such as window layouts. | ||
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![Windows Terminal portable mode](./images/portable-mode.png) | ||
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## Disabling Portable mode | ||
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You can restore Portable mode unpackaged installation to its original configuration, where settings are stored in | ||
`%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows Terminal`, by removing the `.portable` marker file from the directory containing | ||
`WindowsTerminal.exe`. | ||
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If you wish to reenable portable mode, you can create a new `.portable` marker file next to `WindowsTerminal.exe`. | ||
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## Upgrading a Portable mode Install | ||
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You can upgrade a portable mode installation of Windows Terminal by moving the `.portable` marker file and the | ||
`settings` directory to a newly-extracted unpackaged version of Windows Terminal. | ||
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["Portable mode"]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_application | ||
[unpackaged "ZIP" distribution]: https://github.com/microsoft/terminal/releases |