Lookup
Keyboard shortcuts
Revit's shortcuts are mostly two letters typed with no modifier and no Enter — put the cursor in a view and type. Customize them under File → Options → User Interface → Keyboard Shortcuts.
The big six
If you learn nothing else, learn these. They cover most of what you do all day.
| VV | Visibility/Graphics for this viewVG works too |
| MD | Modify — drop out of whatever tool you're in |
| AL | AlignClick the target first, then what moves |
| TR | Trim/Extend to corner |
| CO | Copy |
| Esc Esc | Cancel current tool and clear selection |
Modify & edit
| MV | Move |
| CO / CC | Copy |
| RO | RotateSpace bar relocates the rotation center |
| MM | Mirror — pick axis |
| DM | Mirror — draw axis |
| AR | Array |
| OF | Offset |
| SL | Split element |
| TR | Trim/Extend to corner |
| EX | Trim/Extend single element |
| PN | Pin (lock in place) |
| UP | Unpin |
| GP | Create group |
| MA | Match Type PropertiesThe type-painting eyedropper |
| PT | Paint (apply material to a face) |
| CS | Create Similar |
| DE | Delete |
| Ctrl + drag | Copy while dragging |
| Shift + drag | Constrain drag to an axis |
Placing elements
| WA | Wall |
| DR | Door |
| WN | Window |
| CM | Place a component |
| CL | Structural column |
| BM | Structural beam |
| LL | Level |
| GR | Grid |
| RM | Room |
| RT | Room tag |
| TG | Tag by category |
| DI | Aligned dimension |
| TX | Text note |
| DL | Detail line |
| RP | Reference plane |
| SB | Floor: structural (slab) |
View & navigation
| ZR | Zoom in region |
| ZF / ZE | Zoom to fit |
| ZA | Zoom to fit all open windows |
| ZP / ZV | Previous zoom |
| WT | Tile open windows |
| WC | Cascade windows |
| TL | Thin lines toggleTurn this on. Always. |
| HL | Hidden line visual style |
| SD | Shaded with edges |
| WF | Wireframe |
| RR | Realistic |
| F8 | Open the SteeringWheels navigation wheel |
| Shift + middle drag | Orbit in a 3D view |
| Middle drag | Pan |
| F5 | Refresh the view |
| VP | View Properties |
Hide, isolate, reveal
Temporary hide/isolate is view-local and shown by a cyan border. Permanent hiding sticks until you reveal it.
| HH | Hide element (permanent, this view) |
| HC | Hide category (permanent, this view) |
| HR | Reset temporary hide/isolate |
| IC | Isolate category (temporary) |
| HI | Isolate element (temporary) |
| RH | Reveal Hidden Elements toggleHidden things go magenta |
| RC | Reveal ConstraintsFind what's blocking a move |
Selection
| Tab | Cycle through elements under the cursor |
| Tab (on a wall) | Select the whole connected wall chainHover a wall, press Tab, then click |
| Ctrl + click | Add to selection |
| Shift + click | Remove from selection |
| Ctrl + A | Select all in view |
| SA | Select all instances (visible in view) |
| Right-click → Select All Instances | In entire project |
| Filter button | Narrow a selection by category |
Files, sync, and reporting
| Ctrl + S | Save local file |
| Ctrl + Shift + S | Save As |
| RW / RL | Reload latest from central |
| Ctrl + P | Print / export to PDF |
| EL / EU | Elevation view |
| VU | Unhide the ribbon panel / view unused |
| PP or Ctrl + 1 | Toggle the Properties palette |
| F7 | Spell check |
| F9 | System Browser (MEP) |
Habits that beat shortcuts
The keys matter less than these. Every one of them is something experienced users do without thinking.
- Type shortcuts, don't hunt the ribbon
- Revit shortcuts need no modifier and no Enter. Keep your left hand on the keyboard and your right on the mouse; the ribbon is for things you do once a week.
- Space bar is the rotate key
- While placing a component, tap Space to rotate it 90° — or to flip a door's hand. While placing a wall-hosted element, it cycles the orientation.
- Tab is how you select the un-selectable
- Hover, then Tab to cycle candidates under the cursor, watch the status bar bottom-left to see what's highlighted, then click. This is the answer to 'I can't select the thing behind the thing'.
- Watch the status bar and the Options bar
- Bottom-left tells you what's under the cursor. The Options bar under the ribbon holds the settings for the active tool — height, location line, chain. Most 'why did it do that' answers are there.
- Turn on Thin Lines (TL) immediately
- Otherwise every zoom level lies to you about line weight, and you'll chase graphic problems that don't exist.
- Never dismiss a warning without reading it
- Manage → Warnings is a real to-do list. A model with 4,000 warnings is a model nobody trusts.