Save workspace?

[Andrew james]

Hi everyone, 

Is there a QGIS ability to save the current workspace? i.e. saves locations of panels on the screen.

I use this all the time in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. It seems QGIS puts the panels back in to default positions everytime a print layout or new project file is opened. 

Would save me a lot ot time if I knew this exists!

Thanks

Andrew

Andrew James

Landscape Architect

City of Greater Bendigo
MLArch UoM

[John Bryant]

Hi Andrew, 

I believe the default behaviour is that QGIS saves your window/panels/toolbars/etc layout to your user profile (QGIS3.ini file) when you close it. When you open it again, it should be in the same layout as you left it.

If you have multiple instances of QGIS open, the last one you close "wins".

Does that jibe with your experience, or is something else happening?

Cheers

John

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[Andrew James]

Thanks John, 

I don't open and close my user profile file, QGIS3.ini - I only open project files. 

Is that something people do? 

I could go and look for it but was hoping 'save workspace' was just a feature in a menu or preferences, somewhere...

Andrew

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[John Bryant]

Sorry I probably wasn't clear! When you open/close QGIS, it handles the .ini file, you don't need to get directly involved. It happens automatically.

I don't know of any options to explicitly save the workspace layout, but in theory it's the default behaviour so shouldn't be required.

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[Andrew James]

Aha got it thank you!

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[Emma Hain]

Hey Andrew

I use profiles daily as I have different set ups and plugins for particular processes e.g. if I was doing public training, testing or running a geology project (have you seen the plugin - Mineral Exploration Web services resources!!! DO CREATE A NEW Profile for this one - there is ALOT) 

One of the most common reasons to use profiles is when you are experiencing an issue. If you create a new 'clean' profile and run the process it will help you work out if the issue lies within the plugin, the data or some other outside process. 

Set up a new profile: 

- QGIS Documentation

- North River Blog to learn some more

You can also set up QGIS to choose your profile on opening QGIS: Settings/Options/User Profiles tab - click 'Choose Profile at start up' 

Kind regards

Em

Emma Hain — Product Manager/Senior GIS Analyst
em...@north-road.com

North Road Cartography • Development • Spatial Analysis north-road.com FOSS4G 2025 17-23 November, Auckland, New Zealand

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[Andrew James]

Hey Em, 

Thanks, I'll look into it. The issue I am experiencing is that I have to move all the panels around and close plugin panels everytime I open my QGIS project. I would save a huge amount of time it there was a save workspace similar to Adobe products. 

John mentioned it saves the settings in the user profile, but that doesn't work for me: for example the layers styling panel always disappears. 

The Mineral exploration web service - not sure what you mean? I work in local govt design, not the mining industry. 

Thanks 

Andrew

 

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[Adam Steer]

Hey Andrew - that sounds super annoying,

I wonder - can your IT adminfolks check that QGIS can write to the user profile files correctly? 

What happens on a different machine / install via conda (requires only user permissions, no admin)?

It's probably not helpful to hear this - using QGIS [latest] on linux, I'm seeing my saved state every time - whether I open a project directly [double click] or open QGIS and then open a project. If I wipe and reinstall QGIS I have to set things up again, otherwise it tends to stay as I left it.

Which has me thinking maybe QGIS got into a state and now can't update the required user files when it needs to?

Also hi from Strathdale ;)

Cheers

Adam

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0480 441 166

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[Andrew James]

Thanks Adam, good tips! Yes hi from Bendigo. Central victorians in QGIS!

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[Slade Beard]

Completely random gents. I am in Harcourt. That makes 3 in Bendigo. That's enough for a beer get together, I'm sure...

Slade Beard — Director

Ecothought Pty Ltd  |  ABN 15 125 372 821

📞 (+61) 411 137 692  |  🌐 www.ecothought.com.au  |  📅 Book a meeting “Building the Future One Story, One System, One Choice at a Time” See you at the Elmore Field Days!

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From: australian-qg...@googlegroups.com <australian-qg...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Andrew James <andrewfra...@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, 1 October 2025 12:54 PM
To: australian-qg...@googlegroups.com <australian-qg...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [QGIS-Australia-User-Group] Save workspace?

 

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[Adam Steer]

..it'll need to be a very cheap beer! Been a while since I've seen a paycheck 😬

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[Andrew James]

Good plan John!

Sent from Android

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