Revit versions
Revit files from 2015 to 2026: read without Revit, never downgraded
Revit opens older files and upgrades them, but never saves back to an earlier version. Our converters read the data from any of these years; to hand a model to someone on an older Revit, send IFC.
What we do not do
We do not convert RVT files between Revit versions, and we do not turn a newer RVT into an older one. None of the converters saves an RVT for another Revit version.
What the converters read
RVT projects and RFA families saved with Revit 2015 to 2026, the same binary for every year. No Revit installation or Autodesk licence on the machine.
Smoke test, version 18.4.1: 10/10 files converted to Excel and 10/10 to valid IFC4, on Revit 2017 to 2024 samples. See the method and limits.
- 2015
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 2019
- 2020
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025
- 2026
| Saved with | XLSX | IFC | DAE | RVT for an older Revit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revit 2015 to 2026 | yes | yes | yes | no |
| Revit 2014 and older | no | no | no | no |
Last column: saving the file as an RVT for an earlier Revit. None of the converters does this.
Sending a model to an older Revit: use IFC
Convert the newer RVT to IFC without Revit. The receiving team links or opens the IFC in their own Revit version. Geometry, properties and quantities come across; native families and constraints do not.
# Revit 2026 file in, IFC out, no Revit installed > RVT2IFCconverter.exe "C:\Projects\Building.rvt" preset=extended # the data as a table, from the same file > RvtExporter.exe "C:\Projects\Building.rvt"
Questions about Revit versions
Can you convert a Revit 2025 file to Revit 2024?
No. We do not downgrade RVT files, and Revit itself cannot save to an older version either. What we do: read files from 2015 to 2026 without Revit and export them to Excel, IFC or DAE.
How do I find out which Revit version saved a file?
Ask the sender, or open the file in Revit: when a file from an earlier version is opened, Revit reports that it will be upgraded.
What is the best exchange route between Revit versions?
IFC. Export to IFC with Revit to IFC, and the receiving team links or opens the IFC in their Revit version. Native Revit families and constraints do not survive the trip; geometry, properties and quantities do.
What about Revit 2014 and older?
Not supported. In our smoke test a Revit 2012 file failed by design. Open and upgrade such files in a current Revit first.
A file from a version that does not convert?
Write to info@datadrivenconstruction.io, use the contact form or book a call. Artem Boiko or an engineer from the DDC team replies by e-mail.