A Friendly Guide to Importing Your JAWS Settings from 2024 to 2025 with Leasey.

Thinking of importing your JAWS settings from version 2024 to 2025 while using Leasey? Before diving in, we recommend doing this only if it's really necessary. It's not the go-to option for most users, and here's why.

Why You Should Avoid Migration.

The built-in Migration feature in JAWS doesn't always behave as expected, and trying to use it may leave you with an error saying that the process has failed. Instead of facing that frustration, it's often faster to simply set up your speech and Braille preferences fresh.

Another reason to avoid migrating settings is that if you're using custom scripts (especially those provided by Hartgen Consultancy), these are often tailored specifically for JAWS 2025. Importing older settings could override these updates, undoing all the fine-tuning designed to improve your JAWS experience. Trust us—it's worth starting fresh.

The Best Way to Get Started with JAWS 2025.

Here’s a smoother way to begin with JAWS 2025:

1. Install JAWS 2025. On the first installation screen, you’ll see two checkboxes. The first needs to be checked to accept the License Agreement. The second checkbox (which you can tab to) asks if you want to migrate your settings from JAWS 2024—make sure this one is unchecked.
2. Once JAWS restarts, go ahead and customize your speech and Braille settings as needed.
3. If you're using custom scripts for applications we don’t support, you can import those from your backup.
4. Finally, reinstall any Hartgen Consultancy products, like Leasey or scripts for StationPlaylist Studio. These should be freshly installed for JAWS 2025. For Leasey users, all your favorite features will still work as before—they’re stored separately from the JAWS settings folder.

If You Really Want to Migrate Settings.

If you still want to move your older settings over, there are two methods to try.

Method 1: The Safer Option.

1. Once Leasey is installed in JAWS 2025, press the Leasey key and then Control+Shift+B to open the Backup and Restore Manager.
2. Choose the option “Copy default settings from JAWS 2024 to 2025”.
3. Press Enter, and the JAWS default settings (including voice profiles and Notification Rules) will be copied. Leasey knows exactly which files to transfer, so this is the safer route.

Method 2: The More Advanced Route.

1. Install Leasey in JAWS 2025, as described earlier.
2. Open JAWS 2024 and press the Leasey key then Control+Shift+B to launch the Backup and Restore Manager.
3. Select Backup JAWS settings and choose a location for the backup (e.g., C:\JAWSSettings).
4. Press Enter to complete the backup. This should exclude any older Leasey-related files that aren’t part of the latest build.
5. Now, open JAWS 2025 and press the Leasey key and Control+Shift+B again.
6. Choose Restore JAWS default settings.
7. The path to the backup should already be displayed in the Edit Field—press Enter.
8. If all goes well, your settings should be imported into JAWS 2025.
9. Afterward, reinstall any additional script files (like StationPlaylist Studio, Zoom, or Teams) to ensure everything is working smoothly.