Revit keyboard shortcuts are the biggest difference between fast and slow Revit users. The same task is finished by someone who knows the keys while the other person is still hunting for a ribbon button.
The tables here were counted in the Keyboard Shortcuts dialog of Revit 2027.2 at the Institute and grouped by task rather than by ribbon tab. To learn Revit properly from the start, see the Learn Revit course path.
How many Revit 2027 shortcuts there are and how to type them
| Item | Figure and use |
|---|---|
| Commands in total | 1864 commands appear in the 2027 shortcut table |
| Commands with a default key | 193. The rest are empty for users to assign |
| How to type | Press two or three letters in a row, no Enter, not case-sensitive |
| Several keys per command | Some commands take more than one, e.g. Zoom to Fit accepts ZE, ZF and ZX |
For Revit keyboard shortcuts, 193 out of 1864 shows the default set covers only a small part, weighted towards walls, doors, columns and editing. Many everyday architectural tools such as roofs, ceilings, stairs and sections have no key at all. The exercise at the end shows how to add them.
Step 1 — open the Keyboard Shortcuts dialog
There are three ways in. The quickest is to type KS. The others are View › Windows › User Interface › Keyboard Shortcuts, or File › Options and the User Interface page.
| No. | Item | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keyboard Shortcuts: Customize | Opens the shortcut table |
| 2 | Ribbon tab switching | How the ribbon changes tab after you clear a selection; Project Environment defaults to Return to the previous tab |
| No. | Item | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Search | Type a command name to filter; matches any part of a word |
| 2 | Filter | Filter by status or by ribbon tab |
| 3 | Assignments | Three columns: Command, Shortcuts assigned, and Paths to the ribbon location |
| 4 | Press new keys | Field for new keys, with Assign to add and Remove to delete |
| Item | Meaning |
|---|---|
| All | All 1864 commands |
| All Defined | Only commands that have keys: the list to learn |
| All Not Defined | Commands without keys: the list to assign |
| All Reserved | Keys Revit keeps for itself, shown in grey, cannot be reassigned |
| Each tab | Architecture Tab, Annotate Tab and so on, filtered by where the command sits |
Read the Paths column. A row such as Architecture>Build means the tool is on the Architecture tab, Build panel. It lets you work backwards: know the key, find the button.
Step 2 — how to create shortcuts in Revit and change them
- Type KS to open Keyboard Shortcuts.
- Type a command name into Search, for example
Roof. - Click the command row in Assignments.
- Click into Press new keys and type the keys you want, for example
RF. - Click Assign. The new key appears in the Shortcuts column.
- Click OK to close.
| Rule | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Length | Up to 5 letters or digits. The default set includes three-letter keys such as EOD |
| Shared keys | Two commands can share a key. While typing, use the arrow keys on the status bar to pick one and Spacebar to run it |
| Change or remove a key | Select the row, select the key in Shortcuts and click Remove, then assign a new one |
| Ctrl, Shift, Alt | Combine with a single letter or digit; Alt needs Ctrl or Shift as well. Best avoided because they clash with system keys |
| Reserved keys | Tab, Esc, Enter, Spacebar, Ctrl+C, Ctrl+Z, Ctrl+S and others cannot be assigned |
Tip. Revit keyboard shortcuts built from the first letters of the English command name are easiest to remember, as in the defaults: WA for Wall, DR for Door, WN for Window. Autodesk lists the reserved keys on its About Reserved Keys page.
Revit shortcut list: selection, modelling, editing
The Command column uses the exact English names in the Keyboard Shortcuts dialog. The key for creating walls in Revit is WA; for doors it is DR.
| Key | Selection, properties and modelling |
|---|---|
| MD | Modify — back to selection mode |
| PP, Ctrl+1, VP | Properties — toggle the Properties palette |
| CS | Create Similar — place an element of the selected type |
| MA | Match Type Properties — copy a type from one element to another |
| SA | Select All Instances: In Entire Project |
| FF | Find in Project Browser — find the open view in the browser |
| WA | Wall |
| DR | Door |
| WN | Window |
| CL | Column |
| SB | Floor: Structural |
| LL | Level |
| GR | Grid |
| RM | Room |
| RT | Tag Room |
| CM | Place a Component |
| LI | Model Line |
| RP | Reference Plane |
| PK | Set: Pick a Plane — pick a work plane |
| Key | Editing and groups |
|---|---|
| AL | Align |
| MV | Move |
| CO, CC | Copy |
| RO | Rotate |
| MM | Mirror - Pick Axis |
| DM | Mirror - Draw Axis |
| OF | Offset |
| AR | Array |
| RE | Scale |
| TR | Trim/Extend to Corner |
| SL | Split Element |
| DE | Delete |
| PN, UP | Pin, Unpin |
| PT, SF | Paint, Split Face |
| CP, RC | Cope, Remove Coping |
| AC | Activate Controls and Dimensions |
| EP | Edit Part |
| GP | Create Group |
| EG, UG | Edit Group, Ungroup |
| AP, RG | Add to Group, Remove from Group |
| AD | Attach Detail Group |
| FG, CG | Finish, Cancel group editing |
The defaults also cover structure and MEP, according to Autodesk's default shortcut list: BM beam, BR brace, FT wall foundation, DT duct, PI pipe, CT cable tray, CN conduit, PX plumbing fixture, LF lighting fixture, EE electrical equipment.
Annotation, view and Revit canvas theme shortcuts
| Key | Annotation, dimensions and text editing |
|---|---|
| DI | Aligned Dimension |
| EL | Spot Elevation |
| TX | Text |
| FR | Find/Replace |
| TG | Tag by Category |
| DL | Detail Line |
| EW | Edit Witness Lines |
| Ctrl+B, Ctrl+I, Ctrl+U | Bold, Italic, Underline |
| Ctrl+=, Ctrl+Shift+= | Subscript, Superscript |
| Ctrl+Shift+A | All Caps |
| Ctrl+Q | Close Text Editor |
| Key | Views and display |
|---|---|
| VG, VV | Visibility/Graphics |
| GD | Graphic Display Options |
| VR | View Range |
| TL | Thin Lines |
| WF, HL, SD | Wireframe, Hidden Line, Shaded with Edges |
| TW, WT | Tab Views, Tile Views |
| CA | Canvas Theme — change the drawing area background |
| KS | Keyboard Shortcuts — the shortcut dialog itself |
The key for the background colour is CA, which opens Canvas Theme to switch the drawing area between light and dark.
Revit hide and isolate shortcuts
| Key | Hide and unhide |
|---|---|
| HH | Hide Element — temporary |
| HC | Hide Category — temporary |
| HI | Isolate Element — show only the selection |
| IC | Isolate Category — show only its category |
| HR | Reset Temporary Hide/Isolate |
| EH | Hide in View: Hide Elements |
| VH | Hide in View: Hide Category |
| EU, VU | Unhide Element, Unhide Category |
| RH | Toggle Reveal Hidden Elements Mode |
| EOD | Override Graphics in View: Override by Element |
| LW | Linework — change the line style of one edge |
| BX | Selection Box — section box around the selection |
| CX | Toggle Reveal Constraints Mode |
| Pair | Difference |
|---|---|
| HH and EH | HH hides temporarily, undone by HR or the sunglasses icon. EH hides in view, undone only by EU or through RH |
| HC and VH | The same difference for a whole category: HC temporary, VH in view |
| HI and IC | HI keeps only the selected element, IC keeps its whole category; both temporary |
| RH and RC | RH reveals hidden elements. RC in the right-click menu repeats the last command, on the Modify tab it removes coping |
Mixing these up causes the familiar question: I unhid it, so why is it still not visible?
Zoom, snap and other shortcuts
| Key | Zoom and navigation |
|---|---|
| ZE, ZF, ZX | Zoom to Fit |
| ZA | Zoom All to Fit |
| ZR, ZZ | Zoom in Region |
| ZO, ZV | Zoom Out (2x) |
| ZP, ZC | Previous Pan/Zoom |
| ZS | Zoom Sheet Size |
| Key | Snaps, typed while drawing |
|---|---|
| SE, SM, SC | Endpoints, Midpoints, Centers |
| SN, SI, SP | Nearest, Intersections, Perpendicular |
| ST, SQ, SX | Tangents, Quadrants, Points |
| S2 | Mid between 2 points |
| SW, SR | Work Plane Grid, Snap to Remote Objects |
| SZ | Close — close the loop being drawn |
| SO, SS | Snap Off, Turn Override Off |
| PC, LM | Snap to Point Clouds, Snap to Coordination Models |
| Key | Rendering, management and single keys |
|---|---|
| RR, RD, RG | Render, Render in Cloud, Render Gallery |
| SU | Sun Settings |
| UN | Project Units |
| TS, BP | Toposolid Smooth Shading, Topography Cut Void Stability — terrain |
| GL, PM | Global Parameters, Parameters Service |
| ER, RL, RW | Editing Requests, Reload Latest — for worksharing |
| RC | Repeat Last Command |
| MP | Move to Project |
| TV, HT | Toggle visibility, Show Help Tooltip |
| F3, F9, F11 | Accelerated Graphics - Tech Preview, System Browser, Background Processes |
| Ctrl+` | Activate the first contextual tab |
Note that RG has two meanings: Remove from Group while editing a group, Render Gallery elsewhere. Revit resolves it by context, and when several tools match you pick on the status bar, as Autodesk's Use Keyboard Shortcuts page explains.
Try it: add keys for missing tools and move them to another computer
These tools are used constantly in architectural work but have no key in Revit 2027. The suggested keys are unused in the defaults and follow the first letters of the command.
| Command | Suggested key |
|---|---|
| Roof by Footprint | RF — roof |
| Ceiling | CI — ceiling |
| Floor: Architectural | FA — architectural floor (the defaults only have SB for structural floors) |
| Stair, Railing | SH, RN |
| Curtain Grid, Curtain Wall Mullion | CQ, MU |
| Toposolid | TP |
| Section, Callout | SN2, CO2 |
| Schedule/Quantities, Sheet | SQ2, SS2 |
| Filled Region, Detail Component | FI, DK |
| Purge Unused, Manage Links, Interference Check | PU, ML, IF |
An architectural key set for the team. Do it on one computer, then move it to a second one.
- Type KS. Find
Roof by Footprint, click Press new keys, typeRFand click Assign. - Assign CI to Ceiling, SH to Stair and RN to Railing from the table above.
- Click Export and save
KeyboardShortcuts.xmlto the office's shared library folder. - On the second computer, type KS, click Import and pick the file.
- When Revit asks, choose merge to keep existing keys and add the new ones, or overwrite to replace them all.
- Type
RFin a floor plan to check the roof tool starts.
The shortcut file belongs to the computer and user, not to the project. Move to a new computer without importing and every custom key is gone. To go back to the defaults, delete KeyboardShortcuts.xml in the Revit 2027 folder under %APPDATA%\Autodesk\Revit, as described on Autodesk's Keyboard Shortcuts page.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to press Enter after a Revit shortcut?
No. The tool runs when you type the last key. If several tools match, use the arrows on the status bar and press Spacebar.
What is the shortcut for the background colour in Revit?
Type CA to open Canvas Theme and change the drawing area background.
I pressed HR and the element is still hidden. Why?
It was hidden in view with EH or VH. Press RH to reveal it, select it, then press EU or VU.
Do my custom keys survive a reinstall?
No, unless you exported the XML file first and import it again.
Related articles
- A Revit learning path for beginners — which tools to learn first and when to learn shortcuts
- How to create walls in Revit — the Wall tool, key WA
- How to dimension in Revit — Aligned Dimension, key DI
- Revit filled region and 2D details — Filled Region and Detail Component have no default key