Emacs: Where is Init File

Where is Init File

Emacs Init File Location On Linux and Mac

By default, there is no init file. You have to create the file yourself, and add emacs lisp code to it.

On linux and Mac, by default, emacs look for init file at the following filepath, in order:

• ~/.emacs
• ~/.emacs.el
• ~/.emacs.d/init.el (this is modern, preferred, since ~2010)
• ~/.config/emacs/init.el (linux convention XDG_CONFIG_HOME environment variable, supported since Emacs 27 (Released 2020-08).)

Emacs Init File Location on Microsoft Windows

• Emacs init file location in Microsoft Windows

Variable of Emacs Init File Location

Start emacs, type Alt+x describe-variable, then type user-emacs-directory

it'll show the init file path emacs is looking for.