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After installing sublime text 3 on Linux, I cannot seem to change the default settings, for example:

 // Controls auto pairing of quotes, brackets etc
"auto_match_enabled": true,

I can't replace true to false. The file appears to be read-only.

Tom Zych
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viktorino
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1 Answers1

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Sublime Text 3 does not allow you to change default settings in the Settings - Default file. This is because this file gets overwritten each time the program is upgraded, losing all of your settings. To change settings, choose Preferences -> Settings - User, create an empty object if the file has no contents:

{

}

and put your settings in it, with a comma after each one except the last (basically, it should be valid JSON):

{
    "auto_match_enabled": false
}

You can copy from the default file and paste into the user file.

Sublime Text applies settings from both your Default .sublime-settings files & User .sublime-settings files. However, any settings that exist in your User settings files will override those in the Default settings files.

This applies to both Preferences.sublime-settings and any plugin-specific .sublime-settings files.

Furthermore: project, syntax, and buffer specific settings will take precedence over a general purpose .sublime-settings file. For more information see SublimeText/Docs/Settings

MattDMo
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  • So how exactly are you suppose to change settings like remember_files and hot_exit when those can only be changed in default to take any effect? :/ – srcspider Sep 25 '14 at 08:59
  • @srcspider see [here](http://docs.sublimetext.info/en/latest/customization/settings.html#order-of-precedence-of-sublime-settings-files) for the order of precedence Sublime uses when processing settings. `Packages/User/Preferences.sublime-settings` is processed **after** the defaults, so any setting you put in there will override the default one. – MattDMo Sep 25 '14 at 15:02
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    For those wondering: changes take effect as soon as you save the file. No need to restart Sublime or re-open files. – qwertzguy Nov 03 '14 at 23:29
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    @Enteleform thanks for the edit, it's very useful information. – MattDMo Apr 06 '16 at 13:13
  • I don't have a 'Preferences - Settings - User' option in my SublimeText 3. Is this a file you need to create within the Sublime file structure? – Kyle Vassella Aug 23 '17 at 22:31
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    @KyleVassella on OSX, you need to open the "Sublime Text" menu to find _Preferences_ and then the _Settings_ sub-menu – Greg Sadetsky Oct 01 '17 at 14:58