[GH-ISSUE #17486] issue: .env file change doesn't works

Originally created by @kaac5 on GitHub (Sep 16, 2025). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/issues/17486 ### Check Existing Issues - [x] I have searched for any existing and/or related issues. - [x] I have searched for any existing and/or related discussions. - [x] I am using the latest version of Open WebUI. ### Installation Method Git Clone ### Open WebUI Version 0.6.28 ### Ollama Version (if applicable) _No response_ ### Operating System windows 10 ### Browser (if applicable) _No response_ ### Confirmation - [x] I have read and followed all instructions in `README.md`. - [x] I am using the latest version of **both** Open WebUI and Ollama. - [x] I have included the browser console logs. - [x] I have included the Docker container logs. - [x] I have **provided every relevant configuration, setting, and environment variable used in my setup.** - [x] I have clearly **listed every relevant configuration, custom setting, environment variable, and command-line option that influences my setup** (such as Docker Compose overrides, .env values, browser settings, authentication configurations, etc). - [x] I have documented **step-by-step reproduction instructions that are precise, sequential, and leave nothing to interpretation**. My steps: - Start with the initial platform/version/OS and dependencies used, - Specify exact install/launch/configure commands, - List URLs visited, user input (incl. example values/emails/passwords if needed), - Describe all options and toggles enabled or changed, - Include any files or environmental changes, - Identify the expected and actual result at each stage, - Ensure any reasonably skilled user can follow and hit the same issue. ### Expected Behavior change openwebui data to another location ### Actual Behavior .env file, I set DATA_DIR to another path which is not in the project root directory like DATA_DIR='D:\my_project\openwebui_data', then open-webui serve, it doesn't work.The data is still in ./data directory ### Steps to Reproduce 1,create .env file in project root directory 2.add DATA_DIR='D:\my_project\openwebui_data' 3.open-webui serve ### Logs & Screenshots (openwebui_env) D:\my_project\openwebui_env\Scripts>open-webui serve Loading WEBUI_SECRET_KEY from file, not provided as an environment variable. Loading WEBUI_SECRET_KEY from D:\my_project\openwebui_env\Scripts\.webui_secret_key INFO [alembic.runtime.migration] Context impl SQLiteImpl. INFO [alembic.runtime.migration] Will assume non-transactional DDL. INFO [open_webui.env] 'ENABLE_SIGNUP' loaded from the latest database entry WARNI [open_webui.env] WARNING: CORS_ALLOW_ORIGIN IS SET TO '*' - NOT RECOMMENDED FOR PRODUCTION DEPLOYMENTS. INFO [open_webui.env] VECTOR_DB: chroma INFO [open_webui.env] Embedding model set: sentence-transformers/all-MiniLM-L6-v2 D:\my_project\openwebui_env\Lib\site-packages\pydub\utils.py:170: RuntimeWarning: Couldn't find ffmpeg or avconv - defaulting to ffmpeg, but may not work warn("Couldn't find ffmpeg or avconv - defaulting to ffmpeg, but may not work", RuntimeWarning) WARNI [langchain_community.utils.user_agent] USER_AGENT environment variable not set, consider setting it to identify your requests. ██████╗ ██████╗ ███████╗███╗ ██╗ ██╗ ██╗███████╗██████╗ ██╗ ██╗██╗ ██╔═══██╗██╔══██╗██╔════╝████╗ ██║ ██║ ██║██╔════╝██╔══██╗██║ ██║██║ ██║ ██║██████╔╝█████╗ ██╔██╗ ██║ ██║ █╗ ██║█████╗ ██████╔╝██║ ██║██║ ██║ ██║██╔═══╝ ██╔══╝ ██║╚██╗██║ ██║███╗██║██╔══╝ ██╔══██╗██║ ██║██║ ╚██████╔╝██║ ███████╗██║ ╚████║ ╚███╔███╔╝███████╗██████╔╝╚██████╔╝██║ ╚═════╝ ╚═╝ ╚══════╝╚═╝ ╚═══╝ ╚══╝╚══╝ ╚══════╝╚═════╝ ╚═════╝ ╚═╝ v0.6.28 - building the best AI user interface. https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui ### Additional Information _No response_

GiteaMirror commented

2026-05-05 20:20:38 -05:00

Owner

Originally created by @kaac5 on GitHub (Sep 16, 2025).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/issues/17486

Check Existing Issues

I have searched for any existing and/or related issues.
I have searched for any existing and/or related discussions.
I am using the latest version of Open WebUI.

Installation Method

Git Clone

Open WebUI Version

0.6.28

Ollama Version (if applicable)

No response

Operating System

windows 10

Browser (if applicable)

Confirmation

I have read and followed all instructions in README.md.
I am using the latest version of both Open WebUI and Ollama.
I have included the browser console logs.
I have included the Docker container logs.
I have provided every relevant configuration, setting, and environment variable used in my setup.
I have clearly listed every relevant configuration, custom setting, environment variable, and command-line option that influences my setup (such as Docker Compose overrides, .env values, browser settings, authentication configurations, etc).
I have documented step-by-step reproduction instructions that are precise, sequential, and leave nothing to interpretation. My steps:
Start with the initial platform/version/OS and dependencies used,
Specify exact install/launch/configure commands,
List URLs visited, user input (incl. example values/emails/passwords if needed),
Describe all options and toggles enabled or changed,
Include any files or environmental changes,
Identify the expected and actual result at each stage,
Ensure any reasonably skilled user can follow and hit the same issue.

Expected Behavior

change openwebui data to another location

Actual Behavior

.env file, I set DATA_DIR to another path which is not in the project root directory like DATA_DIR='D:\my_project\openwebui_data', then open-webui serve, it doesn't work.The data is still in ./data directory

Steps to Reproduce

1,create .env file in project root directory
2.add DATA_DIR='D:\my_project\openwebui_data'
3.open-webui serve

Logs & Screenshots

(openwebui_env) D:\my_project\openwebui_env\Scripts>open-webui serve
Loading WEBUI_SECRET_KEY from file, not provided as an environment variable.
Loading WEBUI_SECRET_KEY from D:\my_project\openwebui_env\Scripts.webui_secret_key
INFO [alembic.runtime.migration] Context impl SQLiteImpl.
INFO [alembic.runtime.migration] Will assume non-transactional DDL.
INFO [open_webui.env] 'ENABLE_SIGNUP' loaded from the latest database entry
WARNI [open_webui.env]

WARNING: CORS_ALLOW_ORIGIN IS SET TO '*' - NOT RECOMMENDED FOR PRODUCTION DEPLOYMENTS.

INFO [open_webui.env] VECTOR_DB: chroma
INFO [open_webui.env] Embedding model set: sentence-transformers/all-MiniLM-L6-v2
D:\my_project\openwebui_env\Lib\site-packages\pydub\utils.py:170: RuntimeWarning: Couldn't find ffmpeg or avconv - defaulting to ffmpeg, but may not work
warn("Couldn't find ffmpeg or avconv - defaulting to ffmpeg, but may not work", RuntimeWarning)
WARNI [langchain_community.utils.user_agent] USER_AGENT environment variable not set, consider setting it to identify your requests.

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╚═════╝ ╚═╝ ╚══════╝╚═╝ ╚═══╝ ╚══╝╚══╝ ╚══════╝╚═════╝ ╚═════╝ ╚═╝

v0.6.28 - building the best AI user interface.

https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui

Additional Information

GiteaMirror added the bug label 2026-05-05 20:20:38 -05:00

GiteaMirror closed this issue

2026-05-05 20:20:40 -05:00

[GH-ISSUE #17486] issue: .env file change doesn't works #56970