hydroclipsThe main directories#
| Location | Contents |
|---|---|
| %APPDATA%\Hydro Clips | Configuration, clip index, plugin directories and native.log. |
| %APPDATA%\Hydro Clips\plugins | Immediate child plugin folders with plugin.json. |
| %USERPROFILE%\Videos\HydroClips | Default media output; the selected output directory can differ. |
| %LOCALAPPDATA%\HydroClips\WebView2 | WebView2 profile and browser cache. |
| Application install directory | Host executable, bundled runtimes and packaged interface. |
Changing the output directory does not automatically relocate older clips or the roaming configuration. Preserve the old directory until you have verified the library and any files you intended to move.
Configuration and library files#
liquid-config.json stores application settings, liquid-clips.json stores clip metadata, and drive-tokens.json holds Drive credentials. Plugin configuration is stored in each plugin's own plugin.json. These are local files; password-style UI fields do not imply encryption at rest.
The library can discover unindexed MP4 and PNG files in the selected output directory. Recovered entries may initially have incomplete metadata, including zero duration. A metadata value alone is not proof that the underlying media is corrupt; inspect the actual file.
Back up or move a profile#
- Save the replay you want and finish any manual recording.
- Quit from the tray and wait for capture processes to exit.
- Back up the roaming Hydro Clips directory and the selected media directory.
- On the destination machine install the native app, then restore only the data you need while it is closed.
- Review output paths, device defaults and shortcuts before recording.
- Open a few older clips and save one short new clip.
Absolute file paths can change between machines. Updating a setting does not rewrite every indexed media path. Keep a separate copy until the migrated library is verified.
Export recovery#
A failed native export can preserve an export-UUID snapshot in the native-buffer directory. Temporary publication files use a .hydro-export-UUID.part name. These are working artifacts rather than completed library clips.
Quit the app before investigating. Copy a retained snapshot to a separate recovery folder before attempting a repair; do not delete its segments merely because no final MP4 appeared. Inspect native.log for the actual FFmpeg or filesystem error and confirm free disk space and output-directory permissions.
A successful normal export publishes the MP4, adds metadata and cleans its snapshot. Buffer pruning removes history that is no longer needed, so the live buffer should not be treated as a permanent backup.