The information in this article applies to:
I want to create a backup of my program and all of its content. What is the most efficient way to do this?
Backing up data simply means creating a copy of your files and saving them in a safe location so that they can be retrieved in the event of a problem. It's important to routinely back up your important data - including Chief Architect/Home Designer drawings and user content - because in the event of a hard drive crash or other computer malfunction, it's possible you might lose your work, or access to it, unless you have copies saved somewhere else.
Additionally, it's helpful to have this same content backed up so that it can be transferred to another computer for use with the Chief Architect software.
For information about restoring backed up Chief Architect/Home Designer data or migrating it to a new computer, please see the "Restoring Chief Architect Content" resource in the Related Articles section below.
For safety's sake, it is best to use a strategy that utilizes a backup location somewhere other than your local computer. Options include:
There are a number of different Chief Architect/Home Designer files that you may want to back up. You can back up some or all of them, depending on your needs:
Regardless of where you choose to save your backed up files, it is helpful to know how to copy and paste files in your operating system's file system. There are several ways, and all are easy.
When copying files associated with Chief Architect or Home Designer, it is important to begin by saving your work and closing out of the software.
On a Mac, hold down the Control key while clicking to initiate a right-click command. More information about right-click commands on Apple input devices can be found in the following Apple resource: Right-click on Mac.
Plan and layout files often reference a variety of other files such as images and PDFs. When backing up plans and layouts, it is important that these referenced files be included. A great way to do this is to use the Backup Entire Plan/Layout tool in the program so that all associated files, including those that have been imported, are backed up to a single folder.
It's important to be aware that if the Backup Entire Plan/Layout tool is used in a layout file, the layout file, as well as all the plans associated with the layout will be backed up. However, if this tool is used while in a plan file, the layout file will not be included.
The program installer allows you to install the Chief Architect/Home Designer program onto a supported Windows or macOS system. This Installer file can be downloaded from the Digital Locker area of your Online Chief Architect Account. Installers for the most recent program versions are available online; however, for archival purposes many people opt to keep their own copies of installers for the program versions that they have licenses for.
By default, Core, Bonus, and Manufacturer catalogs are saved in the ProgramData folder on Windows or the Application Support folder on macOS. These are hidden file locations and may require you to use the "Run" utility on Windows or the "Go to Folder" function in macOS to access.
Close out of Chief Architect or Home Designer prior to completing the following steps.
%programdata%
and then click OK to open the Program Data folder./Library/Application Support
then click Return.
In Chief Architect X10, Home Designer Pro 2019, and newer program versions, the ability to move these libraries was implemented. If you have moved your libraries to a custom location, then you will want to instead reference this location to backup these files. You can confirm the location of your "System Library Database Folder" on the Folders panel of the program's Preferences dialog.
Do NOT copy or backup the Program_Data folder or the dont_change.dat file. They contain unique, encrypted registration information and if you try to use a copied and pasted version of either, your license registration will no longer be recognized by our registration server.
The User Catalog stores custom items that you may have added to the Chief Architect/Home Designer Library Browser. To back up this content, use the Export Library function.
On a Mac, hold down the Control key while clicking to initiate a right-click command. More information about right-click commands on Apple input devices can be found in the following Apple resource: Right-click on Mac.
Toolbars, hotkeys, template files, and other user-specific data is saved in the Chief Architect/Home Designer Data folder. The Chief Architect/Home Designer Data folder is located in your Documents directory by default, and its name will begin with the full name and version of your Chief Architect/Home Designer program followed by the word Data - for example, "Chief Architect Premier X16 Data" or "Home Designer Pro 2025 Data".
The default file path for this folder on Windows may be one of the following, but may also vary depending on your product and version:
C:\Users\ [ YOUR USERNAME ] \Documents\Chief Architect Premier X16 Data
C:\Users\ [ YOUR USERNAME ] \Documents\Home Designer Pro 2025 Data
And on macOS:
/Users/ [ YOUR USERNAME ] /Documents/Chief Architect Premier X16 Data
/Users/ [ YOUR USERNAME ] /Documents/Home Designer Pro 2025 Data
If you have moved your Chief Architect/Home Designer Data folder to a custom file location, refer to the location you have moved it to instead. You can confirm the location of your Data folder in the Preferences dialog. On the Folders panel, take note of the file path next to the "My Data Folder" or "Data Folder for Current User" heading.
You can backup the entire Chief Architect/Home Designer Data folder if you wish, or only the sub-folders and files that are of importance to you. Each of these are described in further detail below:
If the Chief Architect Premier Data folder is renamed, moved or deleted, the program will automatically replace it using default information from the program's installation folder. When this occurs, customized user settings and custom user library content will not be available.
Do NOT backup, copy, or modify any of this content while Chief Architect is running.