Delete polygon vertices and edges

Delete vertices

To delete vertices on a polygon mesh you must use the Delete Edge/Vertex feature (Delete Edge/Vertex).

Many types of polygon vertices cannot be deleted using the key. For example, while you can delete border vertices on the exterior of a mesh using the key when the selected vertex shares only two edges, you cannot use the key to delete a vertex when it shares more than two edges.

When an interior vertex is deleted using Delete Edge/Vertex, any edges associated with the deleted vertices are also removed as a result. The polygon faces surrounding the deleted vertex are replaced with a single n-sided polygon created from the vertices surrounding the deleted vertex. Maya does not use quads and triangles in the affected area in order to reduce the number of polygons.

This action is equivalent to selecting all the edges surrounding the vertex and deleting them.

To delete vertices

Select one or more vertices on the polygon mesh.
Select Edit Mesh > Delete Edge/Vertex.

Notes

Deleting vertices will affect UVs, color, and blind data, and therefore the mesh’s appearance may change.
Maya preserves shader and other set memberships based on vertices and faces.
If you delete vertices from a polygonal mesh that is an instance, the geometry changes for all instances.

Delete edges

When the edges of a polygonal mesh are deleted using the key the selected edge is deleted but not the shared vertices at either ends of the edge. if you want to delete the shared vertices associated with the deleted edges you must use Edit Mesh > Delete Edge/Vertex. You can only delete interior edges on a mesh using the Delete Edge/Vertex feature.

To delete edges and the associated shared vertices

Select the edges you want to delete.
Select Edit Mesh > Delete Edge/Vertex.

Troubleshooting Delete Edge/Vertex

I cannot delete vertices with the Delete key?: If you try to delete interior vertices with the key, Maya will display a warning message that it cannot delete the vertices because they have “complex edge attachment”. That is, the vertices are connected to more than two edges.

Instead, select the vertices and choose Edit Mesh > Delete Edge/Vertex, or only select vertices that reside at a corner or are connected to two edges only.
I cannot delete edges using Delete Edge/Vertex?: If you select edges that are border edges, you cannot delete them. You can only delete interior edges on a mesh using Delete Edge/Vertex. If you want to delete border edges, select the face associated with that edge and delete it instead.