Video: Customize the Ribbon Interface

Control and customize the user interface to better match your individual workflows.

This video demonstrates the following:

  1. Add a tool to the quick access toolbar.
  2. Move tools on the toolbar and add separators.
  3. Move the toolbar below the ribbon.
  4. Reposition panels on a tab or pull them away to float in the interface.
  5. Move and delete tabs on the ribbon.
  6. Reset the ribbon to its default condition.
Note: This video was recorded using Revit 2017. When using a newer software release, you may notice differences in functionality and user interface.

Transcript

The ribbon interface presents all the tools you need to work in Revit. You can customize the ribbon to accommodate the way you work.

The quick access toolbar provides a place for the tools you use most often. To add a tool, right-click it and select Add to Quick Access Toolbar. To further customize the quick access toolbar, click the arrow at the end of the toolbar, and select Customize Quick Access Toolbar.

Use this dialog to move tools on the toolbar and add separators. When the quick access toolbar is above the ribbon, space limitations may prevent some of the added tools from displaying. Select Show Quick Access Toolbar Below Ribbon to move the toolbar below the ribbon so that more tools can display.

The panels on each tab of the ribbon are organized from left to right, with the most commonly used tools in the left panel. Click and drag a panel to reposition it on the tab, or pull it away from the ribbon to float it in the interface.

A floating panel remains visible even when its tab is no longer displayed. To return the panel to its original tab, hover over the panel name and click the Return Panels to Ribbon control.

To reposition a tab, press and hold Control, and drag the tab to a new location on the ribbon. In some cases, you may want to not display a tab because its tools are discipline-specific.

To remove tabs from the ribbon, click the application menu, and click Options. In the Options dialog, click User Interface, and clear check marks for tabs you do not want to display.

In this example, the structural and MEP-specific tabs are removed. Click OK to exit the dialog, and the tabs no longer display on the ribbon.

To gain space in the drawing area, you can minimize the ribbon interface. The control near the end of the tabs allows you to cycle through ribbon states. Depending on the state, you need to hover or click to reveal the tools. Continue to click the control to get to the desired ribbon state.

You can reset any changes made to the interface by deleting the UIState.dat file located at %APPDATA%\Autodesk\Revit\Autodesk Revit <release>. When you delete the file and restart Revit, the ribbon resets to the default condition.

Use these ribbon customization techniques to alter the Revit interface to match your individual workflows.