Options Dialog: User Interface Tab

Set options to change the behavior of the user interface.

Video: Configure the User Interface

• File tabOptions. Click the User Interface tab.

Tools and analyses

Select or clear the check boxes to control the tools and functionality that are available in the user interface.

Option	Description
Architecture tab and tools	Provides access to architectural tools, including doors, windows, stairs, rooms, and areas.
Structure tab and tools	Provides access to the structural tools, including trusses, braces, beams, slabs, and rebar.
Steel tab and tools	Provides tools to place structural connections and detail steel framing elements.
Structural analysis and tools	Provides access to the following: more functions in the Structural Settings dialog structural analysis tools on the Analyze tab Analytical Model Visibility on the View Control Bar
Systems tab: mechanical tools	Provides access to mechanical tools on the Systems tab, including ducts and air terminals.
Mechanical analysis tools	Provide access to related tools on the Analyze tab, including spaces and zones, heating and cooling loads reports, pressure loss reports, duct systems checking, and color fills for duct systems.
Systems tab: electrical tools	Provides access to electrical tools on the Systems tab, including wire, cable tray, conduit, electrical equipment, devices, and lighting fixtures.
Electrical analysis tools	Provides access to related tools on the Analyze tab, including spaces and zones, panel schedules, and circuit checking.
Systems tab: piping tools	Provides access to plumbing and piping tools on the Systems tab, including mechanical equipment, pipes and accessories, plumbing fixtures, and sprinklers.
Piping analysis tools	Provides access to related tools on the Analyze tab, including spaces and zones, heating and cooling loads reports, pressure loss reports, and pipe systems checking.
Massing & Site tab and tools	Provides access to tools used in conceptual design and massing studies, as well as site design tools used to create toposurfaces, building pads, and other site features.
Energy analysis and tools	Provides access to the following: Analyze tabEnergy Optimization panel File tab Export gbXML Project Information dialogEnergy Settings

Configure

Use the following settings to configure parts of the user interface.

Option	Description
Keyboard Shortcuts	Displays a dialog to add, remove, import, and export keyboard shortcuts. You can change predefined keyboard shortcuts, and add your own key combinations for Revit tools.
Double-click Options	Displays a dialog to specify double-click behavior for entering edit mode for the following element types: Family Sketched Element Inside Views/Schedules on Sheets Outside Views on Sheets Assemblies Groups Stairs Depending on the element type, you can choose to have double-click do the following: Do nothing Edit type properties Edit the element Activate a view Deactivate a view
Tooltip assistance	Specifies the desired level of information about ribbon tools. The default is Normal. See Tooltips.
Enable Recent Files List at Home	Displays the Recent Files list on the Home page. This list displays thumbnail images for the models and families that you worked on most recently. From the Recent Files list, you can click a thumbnail image to open the file.

Tab switching behavior

Use the following settings to specify how tabs behave on the ribbon.

Option	Description
After clearing a selection or after exiting	Specifies the desired behavior in the project environment or in the Family Editor: Stay on the Modify tab: After you deselect an element or exit a tool, the Modify tab stays in focus. Return to the previous tab: After you deselect an element or exit a tool, Revit displays the ribbon tab that displayed previously.
Display the contextual tab on selection	Displays the contextual tab for a selected element, providing immediate access to relevant tools. When this option is turned off, the contextual tab opens but does not come into focus; instead, the current tab remains in focus. Click the contextual tab to access it.

View switching

Use the following settings to specify behavior when switching view tabs with keyboard shortcut.

Option	Description
Tab Position Order	Crtl+(Shift)+Tab cycles the open views based on the tab position order of the views.
History Order	Crtl+(Shift)+Tab cycles the open views based on the history of when the view was opened. Most recent to least recent.

Visual experience

Option	Description
Active theme	Specifies the visual theme to use for the Revit user interface: Light (the default), or Dark.
Use hardware graphics acceleration if available	Improves performance when rendering the Revit user interface by making use of available hardware. For more information, see Hardware Acceleration.