diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 59c215d..0e0d9bd 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -28,43 +28,27 @@ Comfortable, seamless, and fast 3-finger (and 4-finger) touchpad swipe gestures
 
 ## How to Run
 
-1. Make sure `~/.local/bin/` is added to your PATH.
-2. Run
-    
+1. You'll need some group permissions to read touchpad input data. Run
+    ```bash
+    sudo gpasswd -a $USER $(ls -l /dev/input/event* | awk '{print $4}' | head --line=1)
+    ```
+2. ***Important***: After inputing your `sudo` password, log out then log back in
+3. Run
     ```
     comfortable-swipe start
     ```
-    
-3. Optional: Automatically run on startup
-
+4. Optional: Automatically run on startup
     ```
     comfortable-swipe autostart
     ```
-
-### Permissions
-Sometimes, you'll need some permissions to read touchpad input data.
-
-1. Find out your permission group with `ls -l /dev/input/event*`
-    ```bash
-    $ ls -l /dev/input/event*
-
-    crw-rw---- 1 root input 13, 64 Oct 23 23:09 /dev/input/event0
-    crw-rw---- 1 root input 13, 65 Oct 23 23:09 /dev/input/event1
-    crw-rw---- 1 root input 13, 66 Oct 23 23:09 /dev/input/event2
-    crw-rw---- 1 root input 13, 67 Oct 23 23:09 /dev/input/event3
+5. Optional: Change keyboard configurations (refer [below](#configurations)).  
+    Then restart after making changes with
     ```
-
-2. Check the fourth column (e.g. `input`) then run:
-    ```bash
-    sudo gpasswd -a $USER input
+    comfortable-swipe restart
     ```
-    > Note: Don't forget to input your `sudo` password!
-
-3. ***Important***: Log out / Log back in 
 
 ## Configurations
-The configuration file is located at `~/.config/comfortable-swipe.conf`.  
-Make sure to run `comfortable-swipe restart` after making changes.
+Comfortable swipe makes use of keyboard shortcuts for configurations. The configuration file is located at `/usr/share/comfortable-swipe/comfortable-swipe.conf`. Make sure to run `comfortable-swipe restart` after making changes.
 
 Property  | Description | Default Value | Default Behavior
 --------- | ----------- | -------------- | -----
diff --git a/install b/install
index 2108fd1..36752e1 100755
--- a/install
+++ b/install
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 #!/bin/bash
+# prefer running as root
 DIR=$(dirname $0)
 PROGRAM=/usr/local/bin/comfortable-swipe
+CONF_PATH=/usr/local/share/comfortable-swipe/comfortable-swipe.conf
+DCONF_PATH=$DIR/src/defaults.conf
+OLD_CONF_PATH=${XDG_CONFIG_HOME:-$HOME/.config}/comfortable-swipe.conf
 
 if [ -x "$(command -v $PROGRAM)" ]; then
     # stop any running comfortable-swipe if it exists
@@ -10,11 +14,19 @@ if [ -x "$(command -v $PROGRAM)" ]; then
 fi
 
 #copy config file
-mkdir -p ~/.config
-DCONF_PATH=$DIR/src/defaults.conf
-CONF_PATH=${XDG_CONFIG_HOME:-$HOME/.config}/comfortable-swipe.conf
+abort () {
+    exec echo "Installation aborted"
+}
+mkdir -p $(dirname $CONF_PATH) || abort
 if [ ! -f $CONF_PATH ]; then
-    cat $DCONF_PATH > $CONF_PATH
+    if [ ! -f $OLD_CONF_PATH ]; then
+        # old config file not found, create from scratch
+        cat $DCONF_PATH > $CONF_PATH || abort
+    else
+        # old config file found, move to the new path
+        cat $OLD_CONF_PATH > $CONF_PATH || abort
+        echo "Configuration copied from $OLD_CONF_PATH to $CONF_PATH"
+    fi
 else
     # config file found, ask user if overwrite
     echo "Old conf file found in $CONF_PATH"
@@ -24,9 +36,9 @@ else
         read -r -p "Conf file will be overwritten. Are you sure? [Y/n] " response
         response=${response,,}
         if [[ "$response" =~ ^(yes|y)$ ]]; then
-            cat $DCONF_PATH > $CONF_PATH
+            cat $DCONF_PATH > $CONF_PATH || abort
         else
-            exec echo "Installation aborted."
+            abort
         fi
     fi
 fi
@@ -34,8 +46,11 @@ echo "Installing..."
 # mkdir -p ~/.local/bin
 g++ -std=c++11 -O2 $DIR/src/comfortable-swipe.cpp -lxdo -o $PROGRAM || exec echo "Installation aborted"
 
-# toggle autostart twice to refresh any changes
-$PROGRAM autostart > /dev/null || exec echo "Installation aborted"
-$PROGRAM autostart > /dev/null || exec echo "Installation aborted"
+GROUP=$(ls -l /dev/input/event* | awk '{print $4}' | head --line=1) || abort
 
-echo "Successfully installed. You may now run 'comfortable-swipe start'."
+# toggle autostart twice to refresh any changes
+$PROGRAM autostart > /dev/null || abort
+$PROGRAM autostart > /dev/null || abort
+
+echo "Successfully installed comfortable-swipe."
+echo "Configuration file is located at $CONF_PATH"
diff --git a/src/comfortable-swipe.cpp b/src/comfortable-swipe.cpp
index 20edbc3..8cde1f3 100644
--- a/src/comfortable-swipe.cpp
+++ b/src/comfortable-swipe.cpp
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #include <unistd.h>
 #define cstr const string&
 #define PROGRAM "/usr/local/bin/comfortable-swipe"
+#define CONFIG "/usr/local/share/comfortable-swipe/comfortable-swipe.conf"
 using namespace std;
 
 extern "C" {
@@ -185,17 +186,7 @@ struct swipe_gesture_impl : swipe_gesture {
 namespace service {
     // get the full path of the .conf file
     string conf_filename() {
-        static string *filename = NULL;
-        if (filename == NULL) {
-            const char* xdg_config = getenv("XDG_CONFIG_HOME");
-            string config(
-                xdg_config == NULL
-                    ? string(getenv("HOME")) + "/.config"
-                    : xdg_config
-            );
-            filename = new string(config + "/comfortable-swipe.conf");
-        }
-        return *filename;
+        return CONFIG;
     }
     // get the full path of the .desktop file associated
     // with the autostart feature