Where TechDash stores its database, HTML, screenshots, and settings

Understand the files stored in TechDash's application data folder.

Last checked 21 August 2026

TechDash stores its working data in the TechDash application data folder for the signed-in operating-system account. This is separate from the application in Applications, Program Files, or the Linux application installation location.

Find the parent directory

For a standard installation, TechDash normally uses:

  • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/TechDash
  • Windows: %APPDATA%\TechDash
  • Linux: $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/TechDash, or ~/.config/TechDash when XDG_CONFIG_HOME is not set

The exact parent can vary with operating-system configuration, environment variables, installation type, or an older app profile. TechDash does not currently show the path or provide Open data folder in the interface. If the expected folder is absent, do not create one manually. Contact support with the platform and app version.

To open the usual location:

  1. On macOS, open Finder, choose Go > Go to Folder, enter ~/Library/Application Support/TechDash, then choose Go.
  2. On Windows, press Windows+R, enter %APPDATA%\TechDash, then select OK.
  3. On Linux, open the configured XDG data location in your file manager. Hidden folders such as .config may need to be shown.

Quit TechDash before inspecting file sizes. Avoid opening sensitive files in tools that create cloud-synced copies or previews.

What the main files contain

TechDash.sqlite is the primary local database. It contains app settings, websites, monitored URLs, page state, check runs and results, incident-supporting records, alerts, resources, lookups, Search Console data, and health history. While the database is open, related temporary database files such as TechDash.sqlite-wal and TechDash.sqlite-shm can appear beside it. Those files are part of the active database state, not disposable cache files.

techdash-vault is the local secret-storage file used to seal selected secrets stored in the database. It is not a readable list of passwords. Do not share it, delete it, or replace it separately from the database.

The websites directory contains one folder per internal website ID. A website folder can contain:

  • icon.png
  • screenshot.png, the saved viewport screenshot
  • screenshot-full.png, the saved full-page screenshot
  • pages/<url-id>/, with compressed HTML files for monitored pages

Current page HTML uses compressed files for the original server response and the browser-rendered document. When a content comparison needs before-and-after evidence, the page directory can also contain matching compressed before and after files. These files contain compact HTML for storage, not as a privacy control.

Other support files for the desktop app may also appear in the parent directory. Their presence does not mean the crawl database has been uploaded.

Do not move or edit files manually

TechDash has no supported in-app database migration, merge, import, export, or restore workflow. Copying only TechDash.sqlite can miss related temporary database files, website assets, or the secret-storage file. Copying only the secret-storage file makes no useful backup. Editing IDs or deleting individual rows and folders can leave records inconsistent.

Before reinstalling, changing computers, restoring a backup, or troubleshooting a large data directory, contact support for current guidance. Always quit TechDash first. Moving the license to another computer does not automatically move these files or the monitoring history.

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