Basic Revit Commands and Shortcuts for Modelling

Basic Revit commands for modelling sit mainly on the Architecture tab. Each command creates an element with a type and parameters, not a loose line as in AutoCAD. Only some of them have a default shortcut.

This article gathers the basic Revit drawing commands in one table, with shortcuts checked in Revit 2027.2 and a link to the detailed guide for each. The second half is an exercise that builds a small room with six commands. The full list of shortcuts is in Revit keyboard shortcuts. To learn Revit properly by discipline, see the Learn Revit course path.

Revit commands list with shortcuts

The shortcut column shows the letters printed in each ribbon button's tooltip. "None" means Revit assigns no default key. Autodesk explains that a Revit shortcut is at least two keys pressed in sequence (Autodesk: Keyboard Shortcuts). You can assign your own keys as shown in Revit keyboard shortcuts.

Two things to note:

• The Wall button on the Architecture tab creates a non-structural wall. Its tooltip reads Creates a non-structural wall in the building model.
• The Column button on the Architecture tab defaults to Structural Column, so CL places a structural column. The architectural column is in the button's drop-down.

Where the Revit drawing commands are

The Architecture tab groups the drawing commands into six panels.

The Level button is greyed out because the screenshot was taken in a plan view. Revit draws levels only in an elevation or a section.

What every drawing command has in common

While a drawing command runs, Revit opens a green contextual tab such as Modify | Place Wall. In Revit 2027, the settings that used to sit on the Options Bar have moved onto this tab.

Four actions work for most drawing commands:

1. Pick a shape on the Draw panel: Line for segments, Rectangle for a rectangle, Pick Lines to follow existing lines.
2. Type a length: click the start point, move the cursor in the drawing direction, type the length and press Enter.
3. Flip: press Space while drawing or placing to flip the element.
4. Finish: press Esc once to stop the current segment, twice to leave the command.

Pressing Tab while hovering over a wall also selects the whole chain of connected walls. This is used a lot with floors and roofs.

Exercise: build a 6 × 4 m room with 6 commands

The exercise uses the Metric Multi-discipline template of Revit 2027. It already has levels L1 and L2 and the L1 - Architectural plan.

Step 1. Walls with Wall (WA)

1. Open the L1 - Architectural plan.
2. Click Architecture › Wall, or type WA.
3. On the Levels panel, change Unconnected to L2. The walls will run from L1 to L2, 3600 mm.
4. Pick Line and keep Chain on.
5. Click the start point. Move the cursor right, type 6000, press Enter.
6. Move the cursor up, type 4000, press Enter.
7. Move the cursor left, type 6000, press Enter.
8. Move the cursor down, type 4000, press Enter. The four walls close.
9. Press Esc twice.

If you skip step 3, the walls default to 6000 mm and are not tied to any level. When the storey height changes, those walls do not follow.

Step 2. A door with Door (DR)

1. Click Architecture › Door, or type DR.
2. Hover over the bottom wall. Revit shows a door preview and two temporary dimensions to the wall ends.
3. Press Space to flip the hinge side if needed.
4. Click to place the door. Press Esc twice.

Doors can only be placed on walls. Revit's prompt reads: Click on Wall to place Door (Space Bar to flip the instance left/right).

Step 3. Windows with Window (WN)

1. Click Architecture › Window, or type WN.
2. Click the top wall to place the first window.
3. Click the right wall to place the second window.
4. Press Esc twice.

Step 4. A floor with Floor

Floor has no default shortcut.

1. Click Architecture › Floor. Revit enters the Modify | Create Floor Boundary sketch, with Pick Walls as the default tool.
2. Hover over a wall and press Tab. All four walls highlight and the tooltip reads Chain of walls or lines.
3. Click. Revit creates the floor boundary along the whole chain.
4. Click the green tick Finish Edit Mode on the Mode panel.

The floor in the example is 26.04 m², or 6.2 × 4.2 m. The reason: Extend Into Wall is on, so the boundary sits on the outer face of the walls, not on their centrelines.

Step 5. A roof with Roof by Footprint

1. Open the L2 - Architectural plan. The roof is placed at the level of the open plan.
2. Click Architecture › Roof. The default is Roof by Footprint.
3. Turn on Extend Into Wall and type 500 in Overhang, so the roof projects 500 mm beyond the wall face.
4. Hover over a wall, press Tab, and click to pick the whole chain.
5. Click Finish Edit Mode.

Each boundary edge carries a triangle, meaning that edge defines a slope. Four sloped edges give a hip roof. For a gable roof, select the two gable-end edges and turn off Define Slope on the Slope panel. More detail is in roofs in Revit.

Step 6. A room with Room (RM)

1. Go back to the L1 - Architectural plan.
2. Click Architecture › Room, or type RM.
3. Move the cursor inside the room. Revit detects the enclosed area and shows a crossed preview.
4. Click to place the room. Press Esc twice.

The room carries a name, a number and an area measured to the inner wall faces. Renaming, colour schemes and area schedules are covered in room areas in Revit.

Result

Click Default 3D View on the Quick Access Toolbar to see the model. Orbiting is covered in Revit 3D view.

Revit modify commands that go with them

Drawing commands create elements; the commands on the Modify tab change their position and shape. These are the second most used Revit shortcut keys for architecture, after the drawing commands.

Dimensions and annotation use DI (Aligned Dimension), TG (Tag by Category) and TX (Text). See dimensions in Revit and tags in Revit.

Common problems

Frequently asked questions

What are the basic Revit commands?

The most used are Level, Grid, Wall, Door, Window, Floor, Roof, Column, Stair and Room. Most are on the Architecture tab; Grid and Level are on the Datum panel.

Why do Floor and Roof have no shortcut?

Revit 2027 assigns no default key to them. You can assign one in the Keyboard Shortcuts dialog, opened with KS.

How are Revit drawing commands different from AutoCAD?

AutoCAD draws lines; Revit places elements. A Revit wall already has a thickness, a height and materials, and shows correctly in every plan, elevation and section.

In what order should beginners learn the basic commands?

In the order a building is modelled: levels and grids, walls, doors, floors, roofs, stairs, then rooms and dimensions. Free Revit self-study materials lists the guides in this order.

In short, basic Revit commands live on the Architecture tab and share one way of working: pick a shape on the Draw panel, type lengths, use Tab to pick chains and Esc to leave. Only some commands have default shortcuts, so remember the main ones: WA, DR, WN, GR, RM, CL.