Startup Files and Defaults

When you start 3ds Max, several extra files load. These files contain information about default settings and layouts. You can create a scene, named maxstart.max, that automatically loads when you start or reset 3ds Max. These files are updated when you change settings or when you quit 3ds Max.

Note: 3ds Max has several different default setups that set different program defaults based on the type of files you work on most often. You can load the preset defaults Max, or create your own.

You don't generally need to work with these extra "auxiliary" files, but it's good to know what they are and what they do. Among these extra files are:

3dsmax.ini: This file gets updated anytime that you start and exit 3ds Max, or when you change Preferences settings. The 3dsmax.ini file contains the default program settings, including:
- Graphics drivers
- Directories used to access external files such as sounds and images,
- Preset render sizes, dialog positions, snap settings, and other preferences and default settings.
Important: You can edit this file, but make a copy first, so you have it if anything goes wrong.

Note: Many program defaults are set in currentdefaults.ini, found within the \defaults directory. For example, you can control the threshold and intensity for out-of-gamut and other warnings for the Color Selector dialog in the [ColorPicker] section.
maxstart.max: Start-up scene conditions are defined by the Start-Up template that you choose. If the start-up template does not include a MAX scene, and a maxstart.max file is present, 3ds Max uses maxstart.max as the start-up scene. If the start-up template does not include a MAX scene, and a maxstart.max file is not present, 3ds Max opens a blank scene.

3ds Max looks for maxstart.max in the MaxStart folder specified on the Configure Project Paths dialog > File I/O panel.
maxstart.cui: This is the default custom user interface file. You can load and save CUI files, and set 3ds Max to use a different default CUI file.
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Autodesk\3dsMax\<year> - 64bit\<lang>\Plugin.UserSettings.ini: This file contains directory paths for plug-ins. Most other paths are kept in 3ds Max INI file, but Plugin.UserSettings.ini is maintained as a separate file because third-party plug-ins often add entries to the list at installation.

Note: You can use multiple plug-in configuration files by nesting extra paths in your Plugin.UserSettings.ini file. This can be useful so an entire network of users can share one Plugin.UserSettings.ini file, making the system easier to maintain for the network administrator.
startup.ms: A MAXScript file that automatically executes at startup time.