Autodesk Revit 2021 Release

The latest release of Autodesk Revit 2021 and related Revit 2021 products are officially released.

Autodesk Revit 2021 Release

The new Revit 2021 notably includes lots of new Civil and related interoperability improvements.

See the What’s New in Revit 2021 page for details and access to all the latest help.

New features

• Generative design: Generate design alternatives to quickly explore solutions based on your goals and constraints. Iterate faster using the power of automation, and make more informed design decisions. Use the samples provided or customize in Dynamo. See Generative Design.
• Slanted walls: You can create slanted walls in Revit. When creating or modifying a wall, use the Cross-Section parameter to make it slanted. Then use the Angle from Vertical parameter to specify its angle from -90 to +90 degrees, where zero degrees is vertical. See About Slanted Walls.
• Enhanced realistic views: Realistic views have been enhanced with better graphics and faster navigation. We've improved Automatic Exposure, and edges display when they are enabled in Graphic Display Options.
• Link and unload PDF and raster images: You can link a PDF or image file into a 2D view from a local or cloud storage location and maintain visual fidelity, performance, and functionality. This feature provides the ability to efficiently use 2D documents shared by others outside the BIM process for reference as you create a Building Information Model.
• Cloud models can be hosted on Europe data centers: This applies to workshared cloud models (using Revit Cloud Worksharing) and non-workshared cloud models (using Cloud Models for Revit). See Hosting Data on Europe Data Centers.
• Stripe rows in schedules on sheet views: When working with wide schedules on a sheet view, you can set the rows to display in contrasting colors to make it easier to follow rows across the schedule. When you enable this feature in the Schedule Properties dialog Appearance tab, you can select custom colors for the alternate rows. You can also set Stripe Rows in a template. See Display Contrasting Rows in a Schedule.
• Bridge categories for the Connected Bridge workflow: Revit built-in categories have been extended to better support bridge design in Revit. This supports the Civil Structures Workflow with Autodesk InfraWorks and Revit.
• A new Infrastructure category filter discipline has been added: Within the Infrastructure filter, 26 model categories and 20 annotation categories are now available. These categories support visibility/graphics overrides, object styles, schedules and tags.
• Customized workspace: You can create a profile that allows Revit to provide a workspace recommendation that is tailored to your work discipline and job role. See Your User Profile.
• View filters - Enable in view: View filters applied to a view can be enabled and disabled in the Visibility and Graphics dialog. View filter effects are turned on and off instead of adding and removing filters for the view. See Apply a Filter.
• Coordinates of linked files visible: To more easily coordinate linked files, you can see the survey point, project base point, and internal origin of linked models in the host model. See Display Coordinate Origin Points.
• US Survey Feet unit type: US survey feet can be selected for length units.
• Updated units logic: We've added new units of measurement and updated all units logic. See the Revit API documentation for additional information.
• Cuts Geometry parameter for voids in families: Voids used in families have a new parameter: Cuts Geometry. This parameter controls whether the void will cut intersecting geometry in the family. See Cut Geometry.
• Design options enhancements: In the Design Options dialog, option sets and design options are automatically sorted in alphanumeric order. View templates more consistently control the visibility of design options.
• Tag rotation: We've added a family parameter, Rotate With Component, for additional tag categories. This parameter adds flexibility when documenting projects. For a complete list of enabled tag categories, see Rotate Tag with Component.
• Rotate section heads: The parameter, Rotate With Component, has been renamed to Rotate Text With Component. The text in a section head now rotates as the section head is rotated, and it's oriented to the angle of the section. See About Section Head Families.
• Dynamo Revit 2.5: Dynamo Revit 2.5 is automatically installed with Revit as an internal add-in. Updating Revit does not affect the Dynamo versions installed with the previous Revit release. See About Revit Dynamo 2.5.
• New Dynamo Revit nodes: Ten new Dynamo nodes are available under the Element category. The addition of these nodes allows you to easily manipulate Revit element functions. See Revit Nodes for Dynamo 2.5.
• New standard 3D rebar shapes: You can now define 3D rebar shapes by rotating the hooks at the ends of the bars. Model rebar chairs (sanders) or other 3D bars and extract full fabrication data in the schedules. See Create Standard 3D Rebar Shapes using Hook Orientation.
• Couplers connecting arc shaped rebar: You can now use rebar couplers to connect tangent arc-shaped bars in circular concrete structures. See Place a Rebar Coupler.
• End treatment without couplers for rebar: You can add an end treatment to the end of a bar without the need for a rebar coupler; you can specify end treatments for any rebar in the project without connecting that bar by a rebar coupler. See About Reinforcement End Treatments.
• Easier hook length adjustments: You can now easily specify the hook lengths for each rebar in the project, without the need to duplicate the hook type and change the length for that type. See Create Standard 3D Rebar Shapes using Hook Orientation and Rebar Instance Properties.
• Edit the shape of bolt patterns and contour cuts: You can edit the shape and size of existing steel element contour cuts or bolt patterns, including bolt, anchor, hole, and shear stud patterns. See Edit the Shape of Bolt Patterns and Contour Cuts.
• New stiffener connection type for detailed steel modeling: The stiffener connection is now included in the Revit steel connections list. This new connection type consists of one or two steel plates that reinforce a beam or column section, welded to the input beam or column. See Standard Connections.
• 3D solid fabric sheet visualization: You can view fabric sheets and custom fabric sheets in 3D views as solid or unobscured. See Create and Edit Custom Fabric Reinforcement Sheets.
• Integrated precast automation: The former Structural Precast Extension for Revit is now integrated into Revit with a dedicated Precast ribbon tab, located next to the Steel tab. The precast features are available with the native Revit installation, simplifying their deployment and making them available in all languages supported by Revit. See Structural Precast.
• Integrated structural analysis storage and exploration: Formerly an add-on, this is now integrated into Revit in the Analyze ribbon tab. The features are available with the native Revit installation, eliminating the additional installation of the extension required in prior releases.
• Integrated Steel Connections Automation nodes in Dynamo for Revit: Starting with Revit 2021, the Steel Connections nodes dedicated to placing steel connections are provided with the Revit installation, as part of Dynamo for Revit. All the nodes, custom nodes, and sample scripts are pre-installed, and all the functionalities that were provided by the "Autodesk Steel Connections 2020" package will be available without the need of additional setup, speeding up the deployment and offering an integrated experience within Dynamo for Revit. Manually downloading the package using the Package Manager is no longer needed. See Use the Steel Connections for Dynamo Nodes.
• New fixes in the Advance Steel Extension for Revit: Some fixes concerning SMLX import and export were made in the new version of the Advance Steel Extension for Revit. See New in the Advance Steel 2021 Extension for Revit.
• Worksharing and MEP elements: Using worksharing with MEP elements has been improved to provide a more consistent experience and enable better collaboration among stakeholders.
  See Using Worksharing with MEP Elements.
• Single phase L-N panelboard: To better support distribution systems commonly found outside the US, Revit supports single phase two-wire L-N panelboards.
• Electrical circuit naming: To better support circuit identification conventions outside the US, you can define circuit naming schemes in the Electrical Settings dialog. Use the Panel's Circuit Naming instance parameter to select a scheme. See About Circuit Naming.
• Select phase for switchboard circuits: Use the Switch Phases command to assign a phase to a circuit in a switchboard panel. See Switch circuit phases in a switchboard panel schedule.
• New parameters for spare and space circuits: The Frame parameter is now available for spare circuits and displays in panel schedules. Similarly, Space circuits now support the Poles and the Schedule Circuit Notes parameters. See About Circuit Properties.
• Panel schedules display in the Project Browser: The Sheets view lists the panel schedules that appear on each sheet. See Add a panel schedule to a sheet.
• Max #1 Pole Breakers: This parameter on panelboards has been renamed to: Max Number of Single Pole Breakers. See About Panel Properties and Set Options for a Panel Schedule Template.
• Max Number of Circuits for Switchboards: Switchboards now have a Max Number of Circuits parameter, replacing the maximum number of #1 pole breakers.
• P&ID Modeler for BIM 360 Docs: Revit now references P&ID drawings stored in BIM 360 Docs when collaborating with users using Plant 3D. See Open a P&ID in P&ID Modeler for Revit.

Not available in the 2021 release

The following features and workflows are not available.

• Revit Model Review has been removed and is not available for Revit 2021.
• Site Designer for Revit has been removed and is not available for Revit 2021.