How to Find Filter File Location in Assetto Corsa
Assetto Corsa has one of the most flexible modding ecosystems in sim racing, and a big part of that flexibility comes from its post-processing filter system. Whether you're tweaking visuals, installing a custom filter, or troubleshooting why your graphics look different from a YouTube video you watched, knowing exactly where filter files live on your system is the starting point.
What Are Filter Files in Assetto Corsa?
In Assetto Corsa, post-processing filters (also called PP filters) are configuration files that control how the game's final rendered image looks. They govern things like:
- Color grading and saturation
- Bloom and lens flare intensity
- Depth of field
- Exposure and contrast
- Motion blur behavior
These filters are separate from the base graphics settings in the launcher. A filter can dramatically change the visual feel of the game — from clinical and bright to cinematic and moody — without touching resolution or shadow settings.
They use the .ini file format, which means they're plain text files you can open and edit in any text editor.
Where Filter Files Are Stored 📁
The default location for Assetto Corsa's post-processing filter files depends on where you installed the game and your operating system setup.
Standard Steam Installation Path
For the vast majority of players using Steam on Windows, the filter files are located here:
C:Program Files (x86)Steamsteamappscommonassettocorsasystemcfgppfilters This ppfilters folder is where all filter .ini files live — both the ones bundled with the game and any you install manually.
If You've Changed Your Steam Library Location
If you moved your Steam library to a different drive (common for players with smaller SSDs), the path structure stays the same but the root changes:
[Your Steam Library Drive]:SteamLibrarysteamappscommonassettocorsasystemcfgppfilters For example, on a secondary drive labeled D:, it would be:
D:SteamLibrarysteamappscommonassettocorsasystemcfgppfilters Finding Your Exact Path Through Steam
If you're unsure where your library is installed, Steam makes it easy to check:
- Open Steam
- Go to Library, right-click Assetto Corsa
- Select Manage → Browse Local Files
- Steam opens the game's root folder directly
- From there, navigate to
system → cfg → ppfilters
This method works regardless of where Steam is installed.
Default Filters vs. Custom Filters
When you open the ppfilters folder, you'll see files that came with the game. The stock filters include options like default, default_bright, and others selectable in the game's video settings under the Post Processing section.
Custom filters — downloaded from communities like RaceDepartment, the Assetto Corsa subreddit, or bundled with graphics mods — are simply .ini files dropped into this same folder. Once placed there, they become selectable in the game's settings automatically.
What Changes With Content Manager
Many players use Content Manager, the popular third-party launcher for Assetto Corsa. Content Manager doesn't move the filter files — they remain in the same ppfilters directory — but it provides a more visual interface for selecting and previewing them. Some filter packs installed through Content Manager may place files automatically, but they still end up in the same folder.
Variables That Affect Where Your Files Are
The exact path isn't always identical for every player. Several factors shape this:
| Variable | How It Affects the Path |
|---|---|
| Steam library location | Root drive and folder name change |
| Windows user account | Rarely relevant, but custom installs sometimes vary |
| Content Manager usage | Doesn't change path, but manages placement |
| Mods installed via tools | Most place files in the standard folder |
| Non-Steam installs | Path structure differs entirely |
🔍 If you have a non-Steam or legacy retail version of Assetto Corsa, the path depends entirely on where you installed it. There's no universal default — you'd navigate to your installation directory and look for the same systemcfgppfilters subfolder structure.
Understanding the .ini Filter File Structure
Once you're inside the folder, each .ini file represents one selectable filter. The file name is what appears in the in-game dropdown. You can open any of them with Notepad or a code editor like Notepad++ or VS Code to see parameters like:
ENABLED=toggles the filter on or offGLARE_entries control lens effectsDOF_entries control depth of field behaviorCOLORGRADE_entries handle color tone settings
Editing these values is how enthusiasts fine-tune visuals beyond what the in-game sliders offer. Keeping a backup of the original file before editing is a straightforward precaution.
When the Folder Seems Empty or Filters Don't Appear
If the ppfilters folder appears empty or your installed filters don't show in-game, a few things are worth checking:
- File extension visibility: Windows sometimes hides extensions. A file might appear as
myfilterbut actually bemyfilter.ini.txt— the wrong type. Enabling "Show file name extensions" in Windows Explorer settings helps confirm this. - File placement depth: Filters need to sit directly inside
ppfilters, not inside a subfolder within it. - Game not restarted: Assetto Corsa loads the filter list at launch, so new files added while the game is running won't appear until you restart.
How Your Setup Shapes the Experience
The mechanics of finding and using filter files are consistent — but what you do with them varies considerably based on your situation. Players running high-end systems with custom shader mods like Custom Shaders Patch (CSP) interact with filters differently than players on stock installs. CSP adds additional filter capabilities and its own configuration layers, which means the same .ini file may behave differently depending on whether CSP is active and how it's configured.
Similarly, players who frequently download and test community filters end up with a ppfilters folder containing dozens of files, while others stick with one or two trusted options. The folder structure itself doesn't change — but what makes sense to install, keep, or modify comes down to your own graphics setup, the mods you're running, and what visual style you're after.