3ds Max Install Directory Registry Key

3ds Max stores its installation directory in the registry under the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Autodesk\<MaxEdition>\<MaxVersionNumber>\MAX-1:<MaxLanguageCode>\InstallDir

NOTE:Prior to 3ds Max 2013, the registry key included a language code. See below for more information.

The tag <MaxEdition> can be either:

3dsMax
3dsMaxDesign

The tag <MaxVersionNumber> above refers to the version of 3ds Max that is installed:

3ds Max 2015: 17.0
3ds Max 2014: 16.0
3ds Max 2013: 15.0
3ds Max 2012: 14.0
3ds Max 2011: 13.0
3ds Max 2010: 12.0
3ds Max 2009: 11.0
3ds Max 2008: 10.0
3ds Max 9: 9.0

Prior to 3dsMax 2013, the registry key included a language code:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Autodesk\<MaxEdition>\<MaxVersionNumber>\MAX-1:<MaxLanguageCode>\InstallDir

The tag <MaxLanguageCode> refers to the localization of 3ds Max that is installed, and can have one of the following hexadecimal values:

English: 409
French: 40C
German: 407
Japanese: 411
Korean: 412
Simplified Chinese: 804

For example, the path to the key for the 3ds Max 2010 English version is as follows:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Autodesk\3dsMax\12.0\MAX-1:409

Alternatively, the key to the 3ds Max 9 Japanese version is as follows:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Autodesk\3dsMax\9.0\MAX-1:411

32-bit and 64-bit versions have separate branches in their respective registries. Common registries for shared components for multiple languages and platform are stored in the 32-bit tree.