Transfer GIMP Keyboard Shortcuts with menurc

This guide explains how to back up, edit, and migrate your custom keyboard shortcuts in GIMP using the menurc configuration file. GIMP stores all application menu bindings in this plain-text file, allowing you to quickly clone your workflow across multiple operating systems, restore lost configurations, or manually bind key combinations that are difficult to set within the graphical interface.

Understanding the menurc File

GIMP records all user-defined and default menu shortcuts in a configuration file named menurc. Because it is written in standard plain text, it can be copied directly to another computer or opened in any text editor to adjust shortcuts without navigating GIMP's internal menus.

Step 1: Locate the menurc File

Before interacting with the file, ensure GIMP is completely closed. GIMP reads this file upon launch and writes to it upon closing; editing it while the application is active will cause your modifications to be overwritten.

The default locations for menurc across operating systems are:

  • Windows: C:\Users\<Username>\AppData\Roaming\GIMP\2.10\menurc
    (You can also press Win + R, type %APPDATA%\GIMP\2.10\, and press Enter).
  • Linux: ~/.config/GIMP/2.10/menurc
    (If using Flatpak: ~/.var/app/org.gimp.GIMP/config/GIMP/2.10/menurc)
  • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/GIMP/2.10/menurc

(Note: Replace 2.10 with your active version of GIMP if different).

Step 2: Back Up and Transfer the File

To transfer shortcuts between installations:

  1. Close GIMP on the source computer.
  2. Navigate to the directory listed above and copy the menurc file to a storage drive or cloud service.
  3. On the target computer, close GIMP.
  4. Navigate to the corresponding GIMP directory on the target system.
  5. Paste your copied menurc file, choosing to overwrite the existing file when prompted.
  6. Launch GIMP on the target computer. Your custom shortcuts will immediately be active.

Step 3: Manually Editing Shortcuts

You can manually reassign or clear shortcuts directly inside the file using a plain-text editor (such as Notepad, TextEdit, or VS Code).

  1. Open menurc with your text editor.

  2. Lines starting with a semicolon (;) are commented out and represent default or inactive states. Active shortcuts do not start with a semicolon.

  3. Locate the action you want to modify using your editor's search function. Actions follow a path structure, such as:

    ; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/layers/layers-new" "")

  4. To assign a shortcut, remove the leading semicolon and insert the key combination between the empty quotes:

    (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/layers/layers-new" "<Primary><Shift>N")
    • Key modifiers include <Primary> (Ctrl on Windows/Linux, Cmd on macOS), <Shift>, and <Alt>.

  5. Save the file and restart GIMP.