The user config file is tucked away in their profile... once they change...


there's several config files and htey are layered on to each other... and they have a specific loading order...

First up is the Machine.Config file ... Not sure where this is stored (it's been a while since I've needed access to it) and is at the top level.
Since I'm assuming this is a desktop app, I'm going to go down that route (ASP.NET apps at this point split and follow a different loading pattern)...
Which means the app.config file then gets loaded... it OVERLAYS the Machine.Config file... so if they share any configurations, the Application one takes precedence...
Next comes the User.Config ... like the previous, it also overlays what was previously loaded... so if it shares and configuration with the previous two, it takes precedence.

So when you look in the application.config file, you'll find the same settings found in the User.Config file... these are the DEFAULT settings/values for them. When a user does something to change them, they are then saved in the user's config file.

-tg