220-1102 Question 201
Single answer/Users/LibraryA macOS user reports that one application keeps opening with corrupted preferences, but other users on the same Mac do not have the problem. You want to reset only that user's app settings without affecting system-wide files or other user accounts. Which location should you check first for the application's preference files?
- A
/Users/
/Library/Preferences - B
/Library/Preferences
- C
/System/Library/Preferences
- D
/Applications/
.app/Contents/Resources
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
In macOS, each user account has its own Library folder at /Users/
- A. Correct.
Correct. The /Users/
/Library folder contains user-specific application data, including per-user preference files in /Users/ /Library/Preferences. If only one user is affected, this is the most appropriate place to look first. Resetting or removing the affected app's preference plist from this location can often resolve user-specific configuration problems without impacting other accounts. - B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. /Library/Preferences stores system-wide or shared preference files that can affect all users on the Mac. Because the issue occurs for only one user, checking the local user's Library folder is the better first step. Choosing this option reflects the common misconception that all app preferences are stored globally.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. /System/Library/Preferences contains Apple-managed system files and settings used by macOS. Technicians generally should not modify this area when troubleshooting a single user's app configuration issue. This option is plausible because it sounds like a settings location, but it is not the correct first place for per-user application preferences.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. The application bundle in /Applications contains the app's program files and resources, not the user's preference data. Editing contents inside an app bundle is not the standard method for resetting a user's corrupted settings and can create maintenance or code-signing issues.