vb.net desktop app using a con.fig file

Question

In a vb.net 2010 desktop application, I added an app.config file to the application 2 years ago. I did not so I can point to different directly paths without needing to recompile the application. This change worked at that time.
I have not needed to change the application until recently.

Now I actually have to recompile the application so the app.config file changes will be picked up.

Thus can you tell me what I can do to the application so I can change the app.config file without needing to recompile the application?