Export/Import Sublime Text 3 Configuration Across Two different Apple Computers

I would like to export my configurations for Sublime Text 3 from one Apple Computer to another.

Can I just copy the application in the /Applications/ directory from one computer to another?

Or do I need to install each package one-by-one on the new computer?

Any help would be appreciated!


Your question is a bit unclear the way it is worded, so hopefully I got the gist of it.

If you already have a license for Sublime text (or it is share/freeware), then yes all you have to do is copy it from one Mac to another. You can do this with thumb drives, over the network or just download a fresh copy from the developer's web site.

You are not "creating" an app, you are just copying it.

If you check the developer's web site it should indicate what version(s) of macOS the app you have is compatible with. You may need to know what version you have (Sublime Text menu > About Sublime Text) as often different versions are compatible with only some versions of macOS.


All you need to do is copy the following files from the old MacOs computer:

~/Library/Application Support/Sublime Text 3/Packages/User/Package Control.sublime-settings ~/Library/Application Support/Sublime Text 3/Packages/User/Preferences.sublime-settings

Also make sure you find the old email with the license you purchased, and make note of the disabled packages, as those may not be disabled when you restart the app with the new config.

Then on the new MacOs:

  1. install the ST3
  2. install PackageControl
  3. Copy the files over to ~/Library/Application Support/Sublime Text 3/Packages/User/
  4. Restart the application
  5. NOTE: You may have to restart it a few times, it can be buggy until the config reinstalls all the packages from the .sublime-settings files.

You don't need all the settings packages in the User directory, those will automatically be reinstalled on restart. I guess it wouldn't hurt to grab them all, but usually new Mac == new settings. The "Package Control.sublime-settings" will automatically install all the packages listed in it.

I am about to migrate Macs, I will update this when that is completed to verify it works!

This is also answered in the Apple Stack overflow. https://stackoverflow.com/questions/11365948/how-to-save-restore-sublime-text-2-configs-plugins-to-migrate-to-another-compute/62581108#62581108