Is there a path-length limit in Windows?
In Windows, file path length is restricted by the system version and configuration. Exceeding this limit may cause issues such as project loading failures, scripts failing to read files, or model import errors.
By default, Windows uses a maximum path length of 260 characters (defined as MAX_PATH). This length includes the drive letter (e.g., C:\), all folder names, the file name, the extension, and the terminating null character \0.
Example path: C:\Users\Username\Documents\Project\Data\config.txt
When the path length exceeds 260 characters, Windows APIs may return errors such as “The path is too long”.
Solutions:
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Place projects, models, or scripts in directories with short paths (e.g.,
C:\Project) to avoid excessively deep directory hierarchies. -
For projects with long paths, relocating files to a shallower directory structure shortens the path and reduces the risk of failures caused by path-length limits.