Where Does Maya Store Projects and Prefs?
Maya project workspace folders and per version user preferences on Windows, macOS, and Linux systems.
Last updated
Maya organizes work into projects with fixed subfolders. The default root is Documents\maya\projects with scenes, sourceimages, and renderData inside each project. The workspace.mel file records the layout.
User prefs live separately per version in %APPDATA%\Autodesk\Maya with shelves, scripts, and layouts. Linux uses ~/maya and macOS uses ~/Library/Preferences/Autodesk/maya. Back up projects with prefs for full moves. References keep scenes light on big productions. The script editor runs MEL and Python snippets.
Where Maya stores this, by platform
%USERPROFILE%\Documents\maya\projects
Default workspace root with one folder per project. Scenes, source images, and renders separate inside. Check Project Window when paths differ.
%APPDATA%\Autodesk\Maya\2025
Shelves, hotkeys, and plugin prefs for the matching release year. Copy with project folders when migrating. Delete to reset the UI safely.
~/maya/projects
Same projects and prefs layout as Windows. Linux prefs sit in ~/maya, macOS in Preferences. Keep versions matched across machines.
Frequently asked questions
where is the current Maya project folder
Open File, Project Window to read the current workspace root. Scenes sit in scenes, images in sourceimages. Defaults point at Documents\maya\projects. The workspace file records the mapping.
what do i back up for a Maya workstation move
Copy the project folder with the prefs folder in AppData or Application Support. Projects hold scenes, prefs hold shelves and hotkeys. Both restore the setup.
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