3D & CAD

How to Completely Uninstall Autodesk Maya on Mac

To uninstall Autodesk Maya, you can use the official uninstaller found in the Applications folder or drag the app to the Trash. Deleting the application alone does not remove personal settings or project data.

Last updated: October 31, 20263 min read

Remove Autodesk Maya and everything it leaves behind

Autodesk Maya data usually takes 2 GB – 100 GB on a Mac. The free scan shows the exact size on your Mac before you change anything.

Scan your Mac free

Free scan · No account · Nothing is deleted without your OK · Moves to the Trash first · macOS 14+

Application: Autodesk Maya
Typical data size: 2 GB – 100 GB
Category: 3D & CAD
File Location: ~/Library/Preferences/Autodesk/maya

Manual cleanup steps

Quit the app completely (⌘+Q in the menu bar).
Move Autodesk Maya from the Applications folder to the Trash.
Remove the folders Autodesk Maya left behind, listed in the table below.
Empty the Trash to free up the space.

Everything Autodesk Maya keeps on your Mac

4 locations. Tick each one as you remove it; back up anything marked as your data first.

~/Library/Preferences/Autodesk/maya Settings · Maya preferences, shelves, scripts and plug-in settings per version Yes, settings reset/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.autodesk.AdskLicensingService.plist Background item · Autodesk licensing service daemon shared by Autodesk apps Only if no other app uses it/Library/Application Support/Autodesk Other · Autodesk licensing and components shared by Autodesk apps Only if no other app uses it/Applications/Autodesk Other · folder holding Maya and other Autodesk apps with their uninstallers Only if no other app uses it

Locations are the standard macOS folders Autodesk Maya uses; some appear only after you use the matching feature.

What Autodesk Maya leaves behind

Specific to Autodesk Maya

Dragging the app to the Trash preserves your preferences, shelves, and scripts in the Library folder. It also leaves behind the AdskLicensing service and shared components used by other software from the same company. These shared items and your personal configuration remain on the system until you remove them separately.

Background items: Autodesk installs a licensing service (AdskLicensing) shared by its apps, which remains after removing Maya.
License: The licence is tied to your Autodesk account.
Account and sync: Maya is licensed through an Autodesk account.

Preparing to remove Autodesk Maya

Before uninstalling, ensure you back up your custom environment since the app stores personalized MEL or Python scripts in versioned folders. Your project folders containing scenes and textures are stored separately and must be handled manually. You should also manage your license status to avoid issues when switching hardware.

Sign out of the Autodesk licence within the appCopy shelves, scripts and hotkeys from the preferences folderSave all project folders including scenes, textures and cachesQuit the app before removing its files

0 of 4 done

By hand or with OptiClear

	By hand	With OptiClear
Places to check	4 folders, one by one	One scan
File sizes	You look them up yourself	Shown for every item
Removing the wrong thing	Easy to delete the wrong folder	Goes to the Trash first, so it can be restored
Cost	Free	Scan is free; cleaning needs Pro (yearly plan has a 7-day free trial)

See it working

OptiClear — Scan overview — every category on one screen — Scan overview — every category on one screen

OptiClear — Privacy audit: what each app has been allowed to reach — Privacy audit: what each app has been allowed to reach

OptiClear — Large and aging files, ranked by what they cost you — Large and aging files, ranked by what they cost you

Try it without risk

Download and scan for freeSee every Autodesk Maya file and its size. No account needed.
Clean free for 7 daysStart the 7-day free trial of the yearly plan inside the app.
Keep it or cancelCancel in your App Store settings at least 24 hours before the trial ends and you won't be charged.

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After the free trial, Pro costs $39.99 per year in your country's App Store; cancel any time.

Frequently asked questions

Yes. Items marked “Only if no other app uses it” are also used by other apps from the same company; keep them while any of those apps is installed. Folders marked “Yes, settings reset” hold settings, which return to their defaults.

Should I delete the Licensing Service daemon?

Keep it if you have other apps from the same company installed.

Where are my rendered images and scenes stored?

These are kept in the project folders you set, not in the app folder.