Run GIMP with a Fresh Temporary Profile

This guide explains how to launch GIMP with a clean, temporary configuration profile using command-line arguments. Running GIMP with isolated settings is ideal for troubleshooting corrupted preferences, debugging third-party scripts, or testing clean installations without overwriting your existing presets, brushes, and keybindings.

To force GIMP to use a temporary profile, you must redirect its configuration directory using the --gimpdir switch and ensure it opens as an isolated process using the --new-instance switch.

Key Command-Line Arguments

  • --gimpdir <dir> (or -g <dir>): Tells GIMP to look for and store user settings, profiles, brushes, and plugin caches in the specified folder rather than the default user directory. Pointing this to an empty or non-existent directory forces GIMP to initialize a fresh, default profile.
  • --new-instance (or -n): Forces GIMP to launch a brand-new process rather than communicating with an already open GIMP session that uses your regular profile.

Platform-Specific Examples

Linux and macOS

On Unix-like systems, you can create a disposable temporary directory on the fly using the mktemp command:

gimp --new-instance --gimpdir $(mktemp -d)

This dynamically creates an empty folder in your system's temporary directory, runs GIMP with a default configuration, and keeps your original configuration untouched.

To run GIMP in a dedicated testing folder you can delete later:

mkdir -p /tmp/gimp-test
gimp -n -g /tmp/gimp-test

Windows

On Windows, you must provide a path to a non-existent or empty folder. Run the following command in Command Prompt (adjusting the path to your gimp.exe if necessary):

"C:\Program Files\GIMP 2\bin\gimp-2.10.exe" --new-instance --gimpdir "%TEMP%\gimp-temp"

In Windows PowerShell:

& "C:\Program Files\GIMP 2\bin\gimp-2.10.exe" -n -g "$env:TEMP\gimp-temp"

Cleanup

Because GIMP populates the target directory with fresh configuration files upon opening, you can discard this temporary profile at any time by simply deleting the target folder (/tmp/gimp-test or %TEMP%\gimp-temp) after closing GIMP.