diff --git a/RELEASE_NOTES.rst b/RELEASE_NOTES.rst
index 9ed10217b..860b2f4bb 100644
--- a/RELEASE_NOTES.rst
+++ b/RELEASE_NOTES.rst
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ unreleased [2.x]
   Experiments no longer need to do it explicitly.
 * The result folders are formatted "%Y-%m-%d/%H instead of "%Y-%m-%d/%H-%M".
   (i.e. grouping by day and then by hour, instead of by day and then by minute)
+* GUI tools save their state file in the user's home directory instead of the
+  current directory.
 
 
 unreleased [1.0rc3]
diff --git a/artiq/frontend/artiq_browser.py b/artiq/frontend/artiq_browser.py
index 06d823c9a..347e08946 100755
--- a/artiq/frontend/artiq_browser.py
+++ b/artiq/frontend/artiq_browser.py
@@ -15,10 +15,16 @@ from artiq.browser import datasets, files
 
 
 def get_argparser():
+    if os.name == "nt":
+        default_db_file = os.path.expanduser("~\\artiq_browser.pyon")
+    else:
+        default_db_file = os.path.expanduser("~/.artiq_browser.pyon")
+
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="ARTIQ Browser")
     parser.add_argument(
-        "--db-file", default="artiq_browser.pyon",
-        help="database file for local browser settings")
+        "--db-file", default=default_db_file,
+        help="database file for local browser settings "
+             "(default: %(default)s)")
     parser.add_argument("PATH", nargs="?", help="browse path or file")
     verbosity_args(parser)
     return parser
diff --git a/artiq/frontend/artiq_dashboard.py b/artiq/frontend/artiq_dashboard.py
index 49c0838c9..08e77203d 100755
--- a/artiq/frontend/artiq_dashboard.py
+++ b/artiq/frontend/artiq_dashboard.py
@@ -18,6 +18,11 @@ from artiq.dashboard import (experiments, shortcuts, explorer,
 
 
 def get_argparser():
+    if os.name == "nt":
+        default_db_file = os.path.expanduser("~\\artiq_dashboard.pyon")
+    else:
+        default_db_file = os.path.expanduser("~/.artiq_dashboard.pyon")
+
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="ARTIQ Dashboard")
     parser.add_argument(
         "-s", "--server", default="::1",
@@ -29,8 +34,9 @@ def get_argparser():
         "--port-control", default=3251, type=int,
         help="TCP port to connect to for control")
     parser.add_argument(
-        "--db-file", default="artiq_dashboard.pyon",
-        help="database file for local GUI settings")
+        "--db-file", default=default_db_file,
+        help="database file for local GUI settings "
+             "(default: %(default)s)")
     verbosity_args(parser)
     return parser