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How to Back Up Profiles for Iracing

This guide shows how to back up profiles for iRacing drivers — fast, step-by-step file locations and restore instructions so you can recover profiles and setups.

If you’re dealing with how to back up profiles for iRacing, the short answer: close iRacing, copy your Documents\iRacing folder (plus %LOCALAPPDATA%\iRacing) to a safe place, and test a restore. You’re in the right place to fix profile loss fast.

how to back up profiles for iracing (Quick Answer)

Copy the entire folder at %USERPROFILE%\Documents\iRacing to an external drive or cloud (while iRacing is closed). Optionally also copy %LOCALAPPDATA%\iRacing. That preserves setups, replays, controller files and most profile data.

What’s really going on

iRacing stores most user data under your Windows user profile, primarily in Documents\iRacing. That folder contains your setups, replays, ride/seat settings, control files and other personal files. Some runtime data and caches can live in your local AppData area. If iRacing is running while a cloud sync or copy happens, files can be incomplete or locked — which is why the app must be closed before backing up.

Step-by-step fix

  1. Close iRacing completely. Make sure it’s not running in the system tray.
  2. Open File Explorer and go to: %USERPROFILE%\Documents\iRacing. This is your main profile folder.
  3. Copy that entire folder to your backup location (external SSD, USB, or cloud folder). Use a new dated folder name like iRacing_backup_2025-11-18.
  4. Optional: back up local app data by copying %LOCALAPPDATA%\iRacing (type that in the Explorer address bar). This can hold caches and some settings.
  5. Verify the copy finished and compare sizes or check a few files (setups, replays). If you plan to use cloud sync (OneDrive/Dropbox), don’t sync while iRacing is running.
  6. To restore, close iRacing, copy your backup folder back to %USERPROFILE%\Documents\iRacing (overwrite), then start iRacing. Test a setup or replay to confirm restore.

Extra tips / checklist

  • Always close iRacing before backup or restore to avoid file corruption.
  • Use dated folders or incremental backups so you can roll back if needed.
  • If using cloud storage, exclude active iRacing folders from real-time sync while racing. Sync between sessions only.
  • Back up before major updates, OS reinstall, or swapping PCs.
  • Test your restore on a second machine or a different Windows user to confirm everything migrated.

FAQs

Q: Where exactly are iRacing profiles stored?
A: Main files are in %USERPROFILE%\Documents\iRacing. Some runtime/cache files live in %LOCALAPPDATA%\iRacing. Back up both if you want everything.

Q: Can I copy the folder while iRacing is running?
A: Don’t. Running iRacing can lock files and leave partial data. Close the sim, then copy.

Q: Will backups work on a different PC?
A: Yes — copy Documents\iRacing to the same path on the other PC and start iRacing. You may need to reassign controllers or drivers if hardware differs.

Q: How often should I back up?
A: Weekly if you race often; always before big changes (updates, reinstall, hardware swap).

Wrap-up

Backing up iRacing profiles is straightforward: close the sim, copy %USERPROFILE%\Documents\iRacing (and optionally %LOCALAPPDATA%\iRacing) to a safe location, and test a restore. Do that before any big change and you’ll avoid lost setups, replays, or control mappings.