Stardock Fences: Backup & Restore Your Configuration (2026)

You spent hours organizing your desktop into neat Fences containers — one for active projects, one for tools, one for downloads, color-coded, perfectly positioned, with Auto-Organize rules routing new shortcuts to the right place automatically. And then Windows decides it is update day, and you come back to a blank slate.

Or you get a new machine and realize your entire Fences layout does not exist on it yet. Or you reinstall Windows to fix a problem and forget that Fences configuration is not preserved by default.

This guide covers everything about backing up and restoring Stardock Fences — what the backup file actually contains, where the configuration lives on disk, how to restore on a new PC or after a reinstall, and what you can automate to avoid this problem in the future.

What does a Fences backup actually contain?

Before you back anything up, it is worth understanding what goes into the backup file — because there are some important things it does not include.

A Fences backup (saved as a .fences file) includes:

• Container definitions — all your fence names, sizes, screen positions, and whether they are set to Roll-Up or not.
• Container appearance — background color, transparency level, header color, custom labels.
• Desktop Pages configuration — if you are using the Desktop Pages feature (multiple virtual icon-layout pages), the page structure is saved.
• Auto-Organize rules — any rules you created that automatically route new shortcuts into specific containers based on app type, name pattern, or other criteria.
• Tabs configuration (Fences 6 only) — the tab layout within containers that support tabbed icon groups.
• Folder Portal targets — which folders you have set up as Folder Portals within fences.
• General Fences settings — double-click to hide, Quick Hide toggle, startup behavior.

What it does not contain:

• The actual shortcut files (.lnk files) sitting inside your fences. Those live on disk at C:\Users\[name]\Desktop and are not part of the Fences backup.
• The programs those shortcuts point to. Backing up Fences does not back up your installed apps.
• Any custom wallpaper or Windows theme settings. Those are separate from Fences entirely.

In practice this means: after restoring a Fences backup on a fresh Windows install, the container structure will be perfect, but any shortcuts that do not already exist will show blank or missing. You need your shortcuts to already be on the desktop for Fences to assign them to the right container on restore.

How to back up your Fences configuration

The process is straightforward regardless of whether you are on Fences 5 or Fences 6. The menu paths differ slightly between versions.

Fences 6

1. Right-click any empty area of the desktop.
2. In the context menu, hover over Fences to expand the submenu.
3. Click Fences Settings.
4. In the Settings panel that opens, look for the Backup & Restore section (usually near the bottom of the left navigation or under a dedicated tab).
5. Click Backup. A save dialog opens — choose a location and name for your .fences file.
6. Click Save. The backup is created immediately — it takes a second or two.

Fences 5 and earlier

1. Right-click the desktop and choose Configure Fences, or look for a Fences icon in the system tray.
2. In the configuration window, find Backup & Restore — in some versions this is under a File menu at the top of the window.
3. Choose Backup Your Fences and save the .fences file.

Where Fences stores its configuration files

If you want to go lower-level — or set up automated backups — it helps to know where the raw configuration data lives. Fences stores its data in two places:

• Windows Registry — some settings are written to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Stardock\Fences. This includes display preferences and some UI state.
• AppData folder — the bulk of the configuration, including container data, Auto-Organize rules, and Desktop Pages settings, lives in C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\Stardock\Fences\.

The .fences export file that the Backup function creates is essentially a packaged version of the AppData folder contents. Some users have found that renaming the file to .zip allows it to be opened in any archive manager, which can be useful for inspecting or editing the contents directly.

For manual backups, copying the entire AppData\Local\Stardock\Fences folder to a safe location achieves the same result as the in-app export, without needing to open Fences settings.

Automating backups with Windows Task Scheduler

Fences has no built-in scheduled backup. If you want protection without remembering to run a manual backup, you can automate the AppData folder copy using Windows Task Scheduler and a simple batch script.

Here is a minimal batch script that backs up the Fences folder to a OneDrive subdirectory (adjust paths for your actual OneDrive location and username):

@echo off
set SRC=%LOCALAPPDATA%\Stardock\Fences
set DST=C:\Users\%USERNAME%\OneDrive\Backups\Fences
xcopy "%SRC%" "%DST%\%DATE:~-4%-%DATE:~3,2%-%DATE:~0,2%" /E /I /Y

Save this as backup-fences.bat, then create a scheduled task in Task Scheduler:

1. Open Task Scheduler (Win + S, search for "Task Scheduler").
2. Click Create Basic Task in the right panel.
3. Name it "Fences Backup", set a trigger (daily or weekly works well), and under Action choose "Start a program" and point it to your backup-fences.bat file.
4. Finish the wizard. The script will run on schedule, copying the folder with a date stamp in the name.

This approach gives you rolling date-stamped backups rather than overwriting the same file each time, which is useful if you want to roll back to a configuration from a week ago rather than just yesterday.

How to restore a Fences configuration

Restoring works the same way as backing up, just in reverse:

1. Make sure Stardock Fences is installed. If you are on a fresh Windows install, download Fences from the Stardock website and install it first.
2. Right-click the desktop, go to Fences or Configure Fences, and find the Backup & Restore section.
3. Choose Restore. A file picker opens — navigate to your saved .fences backup file and select it.
4. Fences will import the configuration. It may prompt you to confirm that existing settings will be overwritten.
5. Fences restarts or refreshes automatically. Your containers should appear in their original positions.

What to expect after restoring on a new resolution or monitor

Container positions are stored as pixel coordinates. If your new setup has a different resolution or a different number of monitors, some containers may land off-screen or in the wrong area. The fix is manual: drag each container back to where you want it. This usually takes two or three minutes on a typical layout.

If you are migrating from a single-monitor setup to a dual-monitor setup, Fences will place containers on the primary monitor by default. After restoring, you can drag containers to the second monitor and they will stay there for future sessions.

Migrating Fences configuration to a new PC

A new PC migration is the most common reason people reach for the backup function. Here is the full workflow:

1. On the old PC: create a Fences backup (using the in-app Backup function or by copying the AppData folder), and copy the resulting file to a USB drive, network share, or cloud storage.
2. On the new PC: install Windows, install your apps and recreate your desktop shortcuts (or restore them from a separate backup tool like Windows Backup or a sync service).
3. Install Stardock Fences from the Stardock website. Your existing Stardock account covers the license — you do not need to buy again.
4. Restore the Fences backup using the steps above.
5. Adjust container positions if the monitor resolution differs.

The key insight is step 2: Fences does not bring your shortcuts with it. Make sure your shortcuts are on the desktop before restoring Fences, otherwise the containers will be empty and you will need to rebuild them manually.

For a deeper look at what Fences 6 offers and whether it is worth upgrading to, see our Stardock Fences 6 review. If you are also interested in how Fences pairs with a live widget layer, our guide on using Themia and Fences together covers the combined setup in detail.

Before major Windows updates: a checklist

Windows major feature updates (the annual ones like 24H2 and 25H2) have historically caused occasional issues with Fences — containers resetting positions, Auto-Organize rules disappearing, or Fences failing to start after the update. Running a backup before an update takes about 30 seconds and prevents a lot of frustration.

Quick pre-update checklist:

• Export a Fences backup to a cloud-synced folder (OneDrive, Dropbox, or Google Drive).
• Note your Stardock account credentials — you may need to re-activate the license.
• If you use Auto-Organize rules, take a screenshot of the rules list as a fallback reference.
• If you use Desktop Pages, note how many pages you have and what is on each one.
• Proceed with the Windows update. After it completes, check Fences — if anything looks wrong, restore from your backup.

Complementing Fences with a live widget layer

One thing Fences does not do is show live information — weather, calendar events, system resource usage, stock prices. It organizes icons; it does not display data. If you want both — structured icon organization and live information — running Fences alongside a desktop widget app like Themia covers both layers.

The two tools do not conflict because they operate at different levels: Fences manages which icons go where in containers, while Themia widgets float on the wallpaper layer as transparent overlays. Backup procedures are also separate: Fences has its own export, and Themia stores its layout in its own settings. Keeping both backups in the same cloud folder is a good habit.

Summary

Backing up Stardock Fences takes less than a minute, and restoring is equally fast. The only thing to remember is that the backup covers your container layout and configuration — not the actual files or shortcuts inside those containers. Keep the backup in a cloud-synced folder, run it before Windows updates, and repeat the process whenever you make significant changes to your layout.

For the full picture of what Fences 6 can do, including the Tabs feature and Auto-Organize rules, see the Fences 6 review. For a side-by-side look at how Fences compares with free alternatives, the Fences vs Rainmeter comparison is a good starting point.

FAQ

Does Stardock Fences back up the actual files and shortcuts?

No. Fences backup saves the container definitions — their positions, sizes, labels, colors, transparency, Auto-Organize rules, Desktop Pages, and Roll-Up settings. It does not copy the underlying shortcut files or the programs they point to. If you restore the backup on a fresh Windows install, Fences will recreate the containers in the right places, but any shortcuts that no longer exist will show as missing and need to be recreated manually.

Where does Fences store its configuration by default?

Fences keeps its live configuration data in the Windows registry under HKEY_CURRENT_USER and in a local AppData folder (typically C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\Stardock\Fences). The Backup & Restore function packages this into a single .fences file that you can store anywhere. Some users report the file is actually a renamed ZIP — you can rename it to .zip and inspect the contents.

How do I restore a Fences backup on a new PC or after a reinstall?

Install Stardock Fences on the new machine first, then right-click the desktop, go to Fences Settings (or the Fences menu depending on version), find the Backup & Restore section, and choose Restore. Point it to your saved .fences backup file. Fences will import all container definitions and positions. You may need to tweak positions if the new monitor resolution differs from the original.

Can I use a Fences 5 backup with Fences 6, or vice versa?

Stardock has historically maintained forward compatibility — a Fences 5 backup can generally be imported into Fences 6. Reverse compatibility (a Fences 6 backup imported into Fences 5) may not work because Fences 6 added new features like Tabs that do not exist in version 5. If you need to downgrade, you may have to reconfigure from scratch.

How often should I back up my Fences configuration?

Back up whenever you make significant changes to your layout, and always before a Windows major update (the annual feature updates like 24H2 or 25H2). Windows major updates have occasionally reset or corrupted Fences settings in the past. Keeping a backup in a cloud-synced folder (OneDrive, Dropbox) means you always have the latest version accessible even from another machine.

Does Fences have automatic/scheduled backups?

Fences does not offer scheduled or automatic backups natively. You have to trigger the backup manually from the Fences Settings. For automation, some users write a small PowerShell or batch script that copies the AppData\Local\Stardock\Fences folder on a schedule using Task Scheduler. That approach captures the raw config files rather than the .fences export format, but it works.

What happens if I change monitor resolution before restoring a backup?

Fences stores container positions as pixel coordinates. If your new monitor resolution is different from the one you had when you created the backup, containers may appear in the wrong place or partially off-screen after restoring. You can fix this by dragging containers back to their intended positions after the restore. If you are migrating from a single 1080p monitor to a 1440p monitor, expect to spend a few minutes repositioning things.