Abstract: To effectively control the large deformations in the ribs of deep high-stress roadways, this study proposes a technical scheme of embedding pressure-relief windows within the rib steel mesh. Based on the Mohr-Coulomb criterion and continuum mechanics theory, an analytical model for the stress distribution in the roadway rib was established, deriving an exponential growth pattern of vertical stress along the rib height. By constructing a theoretical model incorporating a stress perturbation function and a multi-objective optimization function, the superiority of positioning the window at the mid-height of the rib was theoretically demonstrated. Three-dimensional numerical simulations using FLAC3D validated the theoretical analysis, revealing a critical window size of approximately 0.5 m. When the size is below this threshold, the window and surrounding rock form a stable load-bearing structure; exceeding it causes the central region of the window to become dominated by tensile stress. While a window size of 0.9 m provides the most significant pressure-relief effect with a stress reduction of 24.27%, it also induces surrounding rock instability. Optimization analysis indicates that positioning the window at the mid-height of the rib enables synergistic control of stress concentrations at the roof and floor corners, effectively avoiding the seesaw effect in stress redistribution. This study provides an important theo-retical basis for the support design of high-stress roadways.