How to create a saved, consistently available value/color key when styling a choropleth map in QGIS? [closed]

Question

I've created a simple choropleth map representing birthplace data for the US, by PUMAs, for a particular shapefile (e.g., the layer shapefile_1):

I've categorized the value for each of the PUMAs using QGIS's automatic classifier:

Nothing crazy so far, right? But now, I'd like to apply the exact same palette that QGIS created for shapefile_1, and use it for shapefile_2.

Is this possible?

Can I somehow export this value/color pairing and use it in multiple projects?

Do I need to have both shapefile_1 and shapefile_2 loaded in simultaneously, and somehow style/classify both at the same time?

Is there another solution?

I've struggled with this on multiple projects.

Answer 1

You can save the styling as a QML file. On your second picture click on style at the bottom and save style. If you save this in the same file path with the same name as your shapefile it will automatically load into QGIS with your style. Alternatively, you can select style as above on your layer properties and select load style to navigate to the QML file you created earlier.