Ibis Paint stores your work in a single folder that Windows keeps hidden by default

Ibis Paint X on Windows saves all your project files — the ones you create inside the app — to a folder buried in your user account. The exact location depends on which version you own (the Microsoft Store version and the standalone version store files in different places), but both are on your C: drive in a system folder that Windows hides to keep you from accidentally deleting something important. You need to turn on "Show hidden files" in Windows to see them.

The files themselves are stored in a format called .ibispaint, which is Ibis Paint's native project format. This is different from exported images — if you save a drawing as a PNG or JPG from inside Ibis Paint, those files go wherever you told Windows to save them (usually your Downloads or Pictures folder). The .ibispaint files are the working versions that keep all your layers, brushes, and edits intact.

Key Takeaways

  • Ibis Paint X saves project files to a hidden Windows folder; you must enable "Show hidden files" in File Explorer to see them.
  • The Microsoft Store version stores files in AppData\Local\Packages\, while the standalone version uses AppData\Local\ibis paint x\.
  • Exported images (PNG, JPG) go to your Downloads or Pictures folder unless you chose a different location when saving.
  • You can move or back up your .ibispaint files by copying them to an external drive or cloud storage folder.
  • If Ibis Paint crashes, your recent work may be in a temporary recovery folder within the same hidden directory.

How to find files from the Microsoft Store version

If you installed Ibis Paint X from the Microsoft Store, your projects live in a folder path that looks like this: C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Packages\. Inside that Packages folder is a subfolder with a very long name that starts with "ibis" — the full name is something like "ibispaintX.ibispaintX_[randomletters]". Open that folder, then navigate to LocalCache > Local Storage. Your .ibispaint files are in there.

To reach this folder without typing the path, open File Explorer, click the address bar at the top, paste this exactly, and press Enter: %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\. Windows will translate that shortcut to the real path. Then look for the folder starting with "ibis" and open it.

How to find files from the standalone version

If you downloaded Ibis Paint X directly from the Ibis Paint website (not the Microsoft Store), your files are in a different hidden folder: C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\ibis paint x\. Your .ibispaint project files are stored directly in that folder or in a subfolder called "works".

The fastest way to get there is to open File Explorer, click the address bar, and paste this: %LOCALAPPDATA%\ibis paint x\. Press Enter and you will land in the right place. If you see a "works" subfolder, open it — that is where most of your saved projects will be.

Turning on "Show hidden files" in Windows

Both paths above are hidden by default because Windows marks the AppData folder as a system folder. To see hidden files and folders, open File Explorer, click the View tab at the top, and look for a checkbox labeled Hidden items. Click it to turn it on. From that point forward, hidden folders will appear in File Explorer with a slightly faded icon.

If you do not see a View tab, you may be in a simplified view. Click the three horizontal lines (hamburger menu) in the top right corner of File Explorer and select Options or Settings. Then look for a View tab in the window that opens and follow the same step.

Backing up your Ibis Paint projects

Once you have found your .ibispaint files, you can copy them to an external drive, a USB stick, or a cloud storage folder like OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox. Right-click the file or folder, select Copy, navigate to where you want to back it up, right-click again, and select Paste. This protects your work in case your computer crashes or your hard drive fails.

If you use cloud storage, you can also move your entire Ibis Paint folder into your cloud folder so that every new project you create is automatically backed up. Close Ibis Paint first, then cut and paste the whole folder into your cloud storage location. When you reopen Ibis Paint, it will create a new folder in the original location, but you can point it to your cloud folder instead by changing the default save location in Ibis Paint's settings (if that option is available in your version).

Finding recovered files after a crash

If Ibis Paint crashed while you were working, the app may have saved a temporary recovery file. Look in the same hidden folder where your regular projects are stored — there is often a subfolder called "temp" or "recovery" or "autosave". Files in these folders are usually named with a timestamp or labeled as "recovery" or "backup".

Recovery files are typically older versions of your work, not the most recent state. Open them in Ibis Paint by going to File > Open and browsing to the recovery folder. If you find a version you want to keep, open it and when ready save it as a new project with a clear name so you do not lose it again.

Exported images versus project files

When you export a drawing from Ibis Paint as a PNG, JPG, or other image format, that file does not go into the hidden AppData folder. Instead, it goes to the location you chose in the export dialog — usually your Downloads folder, Pictures folder, or Desktop. You can find these files the normal way by opening File Explorer and clicking on those folders.

Project files (.ibispaint) and exported images are not the same thing. A .ibispaint file keeps all your layers, adjustment history, and brush information so you can edit it later. An exported image is a flattened picture with no layers — it is ready to share or print, but you cannot edit individual layers once it is exported. If you want to keep editing a drawing, make sure you save it as a .ibispaint file inside Ibis Paint before you export it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I move my Ibis Paint folder to a different drive?

You can copy your .ibispaint files to another drive for backup, but Ibis Paint expects its main folder to be in AppData. If you move the entire folder, Ibis Paint may not find your projects when you open it. Copy your files for safety, but leave the original folder where it is.

Why do I see so many files in the AppData folder?

Ibis Paint stores not just your project files but also cache files, settings, and temporary data in that folder. The .ibispaint files are the ones you created; the others are system files the app uses to run. Do not delete anything unless you are sure it is a backup or recovery file you no longer need.

What if I cannot find the ibis paint x folder at all?

Make sure you have turned on "Show hidden files" in File Explorer. If you still cannot find it, Ibis Paint may not have created any saved projects yet, or it may be installed in a non-standard location. Open Ibis Paint, create a test project, save it, then close the app and search again.

Can I open a .ibispaint file on a Mac or phone?

.ibispaint files are specific to Ibis Paint on Windows and Android. If you want to use your drawing on another device, export it as a PNG or JPG from Ibis Paint on Windows, then open that image file on your other device. You will not be able to edit layers, but you will have the finished image.

Where do cloud saves go if I use Ibis Paint's cloud feature?

If you have a paid Ibis Paint account and use the cloud save feature, those files are stored on Ibis Paint's servers, not on your computer. You can access them from any device by logging into your account inside Ibis Paint. Local files in your AppData folder are separate from cloud saves.