# Settings.js overwritten

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/settings-js-overwritten/51221>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [18 September 2021 20:40 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/settings-js-overwritten/51221 "2021-09-18T20:40:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Sourison](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/sourison/32/48197_2.png) [@Sourison](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Sourison)\
**Post date:** [18 September 2021 20:40 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/settings-js-overwritten/51221/1 "2021-09-18T20:40:42Z")

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Hi all,

I've tried to do some changes with the node-red settings.js (/usr/lib/node\_modules/node-red).  
It works fine until i deploy a flow.

The settings.js gets overwritten by a (i think json) string.

How can i make the settings.js persistant?

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**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)\
**Post date:** [18 September 2021 21:04 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/settings-js-overwritten/51221/2 "2021-09-18T21:04:59Z")

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Welcome to the forum @Sourison

That is the wrong settings file. Stop node-red and then start it again in a terminal and it will tell you where your settings file is. It is usually in a folder .node-red in your user's home folder.

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**Author:** ![Sourison](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/sourison/32/48197_2.png) [@Sourison](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Sourison)\
**Post date:** [18 September 2021 21:07 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/settings-js-overwritten/51221/3 "2021-09-18T21:07:04Z")

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Thank you Colin for the quick reply,

I will give it a whirl.. will report back after i've tried 🙂

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**Author:** ![Sourison](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/sourison/32/48197_2.png) [@Sourison](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Sourison)\
**Post date:** [18 September 2021 21:40 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/settings-js-overwritten/51221/4 "2021-09-18T21:40:14Z")

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Seems like the issue is also there when i try the settings in the default home folder.

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/e/b/eb0d91f24b2e8a07d14e436d1477d273a5f6d0f1.png)

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**Author:** ![knolleary](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/knolleary/32/3_2.png) [@knolleary](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/knolleary)\
**Post date:** [18 September 2021 21:45 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/settings-js-overwritten/51221/5 "2021-09-18T21:45:06Z")

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How are you running Node-RED?

My guess is you are running `node-red settings.js` - which is actually telling Node-RED to use settings.js as your flows file. That means it gets overwritten when you deploy changes.

Instead you need to use the `-s` parameter - `node-red -s settings.js`.

Although, if your setting file is in `~/.node-red` then you don't need to specify it on the command line at all.

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**Author:** ![Sourison](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/sourison/32/48197_2.png) [@Sourison](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Sourison)\
**Post date:** [19 September 2021 08:17 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/settings-js-overwritten/51221/6 "2021-09-19T08:17:28Z")

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i was using node-red -u . settings.js command. since i did some changes with authentication.

I will try the -s ones.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sourison](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/sourison/32/48197_2.png) [@Sourison](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Sourison)\
**Post date:** [19 September 2021 08:32 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/settings-js-overwritten/51221/7 "2021-09-19T08:32:43Z")

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@ [knolleary](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/knolleary)

That -s did do the trick.. thanks!

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/d073cd938eafa2e558d7c2cd59003b3ef4963033.png) [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [18 November 2021 08:33 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/settings-js-overwritten/51221/8 "2021-11-18T08:33:07Z")

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