diff --git a/src/lib/arch/IArchFile.h b/src/lib/arch/IArchFile.h
index 60bbde856..cc8776203 100644
--- a/src/lib/arch/IArchFile.h
+++ b/src/lib/arch/IArchFile.h
@@ -46,14 +46,6 @@ public:
   */
   virtual std::string getInstalledDirectory() = 0;
 
-  //! Get user's profile directory
-  /*!
-  Returns the user's profile directory. If no profile directory is set,
-  this will return the user's profile according to the operating system,
-  which will depend on which user launched the program.
-  */
-  virtual std::string getProfileDirectory() = 0;
-
   //! Concatenate path components
   /*!
   Concatenate pathname components with a directory separator
@@ -62,11 +54,4 @@ public:
   system calls to tell us that.
   */
   virtual std::string concatPath(const std::string &prefix, const std::string &suffix) = 0;
-
-  //@}
-  //! Set the user's profile directory
-  /*
-  Returns the user's profile directory.
-  */
-  virtual void setProfileDirectory(const std::string &s) = 0;
 };
diff --git a/src/lib/arch/unix/ArchFileUnix.cpp b/src/lib/arch/unix/ArchFileUnix.cpp
index f4658f693..cb23c06aa 100644
--- a/src/lib/arch/unix/ArchFileUnix.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/arch/unix/ArchFileUnix.cpp
@@ -86,25 +86,6 @@ std::string ArchFileUnix::getInstalledDirectory()
 #endif
 }
 
-std::string ArchFileUnix::getProfileDirectory()
-{
-  if (!m_profileDirectory.empty()) {
-    return m_profileDirectory;
-  } else {
-    const std::filesystem::path homeDir = getUserDirectory();
-#if WINAPI_XWINDOWS
-    const auto xdgDir = std::getenv("XDG_CONFIG_HOME");
-    if (xdgDir != nullptr) {
-      return std::filesystem::path(xdgDir) / kAppName;
-    } else {
-      return homeDir / ".config" / kAppName;
-    }
-#else
-    return homeDir / "Library" / kAppName;
-#endif
-  }
-}
-
 std::string ArchFileUnix::concatPath(const std::string &prefix, const std::string &suffix)
 {
   std::string path;
@@ -116,8 +97,3 @@ std::string ArchFileUnix::concatPath(const std::string &prefix, const std::strin
   path += suffix;
   return path;
 }
-
-void ArchFileUnix::setProfileDirectory(const std::string &s)
-{
-  m_profileDirectory = s;
-}
diff --git a/src/lib/arch/unix/ArchFileUnix.h b/src/lib/arch/unix/ArchFileUnix.h
index d5bad352d..6b3d43d0d 100644
--- a/src/lib/arch/unix/ArchFileUnix.h
+++ b/src/lib/arch/unix/ArchFileUnix.h
@@ -23,10 +23,5 @@ public:
   virtual std::string getUserDirectory();
   virtual std::string getSystemDirectory();
   virtual std::string getInstalledDirectory();
-  virtual std::string getProfileDirectory();
   virtual std::string concatPath(const std::string &prefix, const std::string &suffix);
-  virtual void setProfileDirectory(const std::string &s);
-
-private:
-  std::string m_profileDirectory;
 };
diff --git a/src/lib/arch/win32/ArchFileWindows.cpp b/src/lib/arch/win32/ArchFileWindows.cpp
index 77db18bdb..33965178a 100644
--- a/src/lib/arch/win32/ArchFileWindows.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/arch/win32/ArchFileWindows.cpp
@@ -114,22 +114,6 @@ std::string ArchFileWindows::getInstalledDirectory()
   return fileName;
 }
 
-std::string ArchFileWindows::getProfileDirectory()
-{
-  std::string dir;
-  if (!m_profileDirectory.empty()) {
-    dir = m_profileDirectory;
-  } else {
-    TCHAR result[MAX_PATH];
-    if (SUCCEEDED(SHGetFolderPath(NULL, CSIDL_LOCAL_APPDATA, NULL, 0, result))) {
-      dir = result;
-    } else {
-      dir = getUserDirectory();
-    }
-  }
-  return dir;
-}
-
 std::string ArchFileWindows::concatPath(const std::string &prefix, const std::string &suffix)
 {
   std::string path;
@@ -141,8 +125,3 @@ std::string ArchFileWindows::concatPath(const std::string &prefix, const std::st
   path += suffix;
   return path;
 }
-
-void ArchFileWindows::setProfileDirectory(const std::string &s)
-{
-  m_profileDirectory = s;
-}
diff --git a/src/lib/arch/win32/ArchFileWindows.h b/src/lib/arch/win32/ArchFileWindows.h
index 2d22e78b0..1e6d58d72 100644
--- a/src/lib/arch/win32/ArchFileWindows.h
+++ b/src/lib/arch/win32/ArchFileWindows.h
@@ -23,10 +23,5 @@ public:
   virtual std::string getUserDirectory();
   virtual std::string getSystemDirectory();
   virtual std::string getInstalledDirectory();
-  virtual std::string getProfileDirectory();
   virtual std::string concatPath(const std::string &prefix, const std::string &suffix);
-  virtual void setProfileDirectory(const std::string &s);
-
-private:
-  std::string m_profileDirectory;
 };
diff --git a/src/lib/deskflow/App.cpp b/src/lib/deskflow/App.cpp
index 8270ffd97..5b5f5d4bf 100644
--- a/src/lib/deskflow/App.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/deskflow/App.cpp
@@ -175,8 +175,6 @@ void App::initApp(int argc, const char **argv)
     parseArgs(argc, argv);
   }
 
-  ARCH->setProfileDirectory(argsBase().m_profileDirectory);
-
   // set log filter
   if (!CLOG->setFilter(argsBase().m_logFilter)) {
     LOG((
diff --git a/src/lib/deskflow/ArgParser.cpp b/src/lib/deskflow/ArgParser.cpp
index c022a6808..bc0b1faf4 100644
--- a/src/lib/deskflow/ArgParser.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/deskflow/ArgParser.cpp
@@ -215,10 +215,6 @@ bool ArgParser::parseGenericArgs(int argc, const char *const *argv, int &i)
     }
   } else if (isArg(i, argc, argv, nullptr, "--enable-crypto")) {
     argsBase().m_enableCrypto = true;
-  } else if (isArg(i, argc, argv, nullptr, "--profile-dir", 1)) {
-    argsBase().m_profileDirectory = argv[++i];
-  } else if (isArg(i, argc, argv, nullptr, "--plugin-dir", 1)) {
-    argsBase().m_pluginDirectory = argv[++i];
   } else if (isArg(i, argc, argv, nullptr, "--tls-cert", 1)) {
     argsBase().m_tlsCertFile = argv[++i];
   } else if (isArg(i, argc, argv, nullptr, "--prevent-sleep")) {
diff --git a/src/lib/deskflow/ArgsBase.h b/src/lib/deskflow/ArgsBase.h
index 5e84a00ed..42b5ef3bd 100644
--- a/src/lib/deskflow/ArgsBase.h
+++ b/src/lib/deskflow/ArgsBase.h
@@ -74,12 +74,6 @@ public:
   /// @brief Should the connections be TLS encrypted
   bool m_enableCrypto = false;
 
-  /// @brief The dir to load settings from
-  std::string m_profileDirectory;
-
-  /// @brief The dir to load plugins from
-  std::string m_pluginDirectory;
-
   /// @brief Contains the location of the TLS certificate file
   std::string m_tlsCertFile;
 
diff --git a/src/lib/gui/core/CoreProcess.cpp b/src/lib/gui/core/CoreProcess.cpp
index 8c339650e..163b9dc05 100644
--- a/src/lib/gui/core/CoreProcess.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/gui/core/CoreProcess.cpp
@@ -130,11 +130,6 @@ bool CoreProcess::Deps::fileExists(const QString &path) const
   return QFile::exists(path);
 }
 
-QString CoreProcess::Deps::getProfileRoot() const
-{
-  return Settings::settingsPath();
-}
-
 //
 // CoreProcess
 //
@@ -494,14 +489,6 @@ bool CoreProcess::addGenericArgs(QStringList &args, const ProcessMode processMod
     args << "--enable-crypto";
   }
 
-#if defined(Q_OS_WIN)
-  // on windows, the profile directory changes depending on the user that
-  // launched the process (e.g. when launched with elevation). setting the
-  // profile dir on launch ensures it uses the same profile dir is used
-  // no matter how its relaunched.
-  args << "--profile-dir" << m_pDeps->getProfileRoot();
-#endif
-
   if (Settings::value(Settings::Core::PreventSleep).toBool()) {
     args << "--prevent-sleep";
   }
diff --git a/src/lib/gui/core/CoreProcess.h b/src/lib/gui/core/CoreProcess.h
index 91ab14e7e..fba64a684 100644
--- a/src/lib/gui/core/CoreProcess.h
+++ b/src/lib/gui/core/CoreProcess.h
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ public:
     }
     virtual QString appPath(const QString &name) const;
     virtual bool fileExists(const QString &path) const;
-    virtual QString getProfileRoot() const;
 
   private:
     QProcessProxy m_process;
diff --git a/src/test/unittests/deskflow/ClientArgsParsingTests.cpp b/src/test/unittests/deskflow/ClientArgsParsingTests.cpp
index 714adac16..f9813639d 100644
--- a/src/test/unittests/deskflow/ClientArgsParsingTests.cpp
+++ b/src/test/unittests/deskflow/ClientArgsParsingTests.cpp
@@ -73,14 +73,11 @@ TEST(ClientArgsParsingTests, parseClientArgs_setCommonArgs)
   ON_CALL(argParser, checkUnexpectedArgs()).WillByDefault(Invoke(client_stubCheckUnexpectedArgs));
   deskflow::ClientArgs clientArgs;
   clientArgs.m_enableLangSync = false;
-  const int argc = 7;
-  std::array<const char *, argc> kLangCmd = {"stub",       "--enable-crypto", "--profile-dir",  "profileDir",
-                                             "--tls-cert", "tlsCertPath",     "--prevent-sleep"};
-
+  const int argc = 5;
+  std::array<const char *, argc> kLangCmd = {"stub", "--enable-crypto", "--tls-cert", "tlsCertPath", "--prevent-sleep"};
   argParser.parseClientArgs(clientArgs, argc, kLangCmd.data());
 
   EXPECT_TRUE(clientArgs.m_enableCrypto);
-  EXPECT_EQ(clientArgs.m_profileDirectory, "profileDir");
   EXPECT_EQ(clientArgs.m_tlsCertFile, "tlsCertPath");
   EXPECT_TRUE(clientArgs.m_preventSleep);
 }
diff --git a/src/test/unittests/gui/core/CoreProcessTests.cpp b/src/test/unittests/gui/core/CoreProcessTests.cpp
index 3575ec32d..ebcf27602 100644
--- a/src/test/unittests/gui/core/CoreProcessTests.cpp
+++ b/src/test/unittests/gui/core/CoreProcessTests.cpp
@@ -51,13 +51,11 @@ public:
     ON_CALL(*this, process()).WillByDefault(ReturnRef(m_process));
     ON_CALL(*this, appPath(_)).WillByDefault(Return("stub app path"));
     ON_CALL(*this, fileExists(_)).WillByDefault(Return(true));
-    ON_CALL(*this, getProfileRoot()).WillByDefault(Return("stub profile"));
   }
 
   MOCK_METHOD(proxy::QProcessProxy &, process, (), (override));
   MOCK_METHOD(QString, appPath, (const QString &name), (const, override));
   MOCK_METHOD(bool, fileExists, (const QString &path), (const, override));
-  MOCK_METHOD(QString, getProfileRoot, (), (const, override));
 
   NiceMock<QProcessProxyMock> m_process;
 };