Updated October 2026: The Crop tool allows you to zoom in on specific parts of your Revit views and remove the surrounding area. In this tutorial, you will learn how to crop a view, show or hide the crop region, reshape it with Edit Crop, control the annotation crop, resize the crop of a perspective 3D view, and cut out images by cropping views. The steps are checked against Autodesk’s Revit help, with a note wherever a release looks different.
Quick answer
To crop a view in Revit, open the view, go to the Properties palette > Extents and check Crop View, then check Crop Region Visible to see the boundary. Select the crop region and drag its handles to resize it, or click Edit Crop to draw a non-rectangular shape.
Cropping changes only what a view shows. It does not delete or move any model elements.
Practice file · .RVT
Follow this guide on the same Revit file
The Revit project (.rvt) from this tutorial and its reference files are on the Mashyo Patreon. Open it beside this page and repeat each crop step on a real model instead of an empty project.
Get the crop views practice file
$5.5/month on Patreon, cancel anytime. One membership unlocks all 40 Mashyo practice files. See the full file library.
Each stage complements the other to achieve the result described above.
What Is a Crop Region in Revit?
The crop region is the rectangular boundary that defines how much of a view is visible. It is a property of each view, so cropping one floor plan never changes another. Autodesk describes two kinds, and a view can show both:
- Model crop region: crops model elements, detail elements such as detail lines and insulation, section boxes and scope boxes at its boundary. This is the one you resize most often.
- Annotation crop region: an outer boundary that controls view-specific annotations such as dimensions, text notes, tags and keynotes. It crops an annotation completely whenever it touches any part of it, so you never get a half-drawn tag.
| What you want to do | Use this | Steps |
|---|---|---|
| Show only part of a plan, section or elevation | Crop View on, then resize the handles | Crop a view |
| See or hide the boundary line | Crop Region Visible | Show or hide |
| Crop to an L-shape or any other outline | Edit Crop | Edit Crop |
| Stop tags and dimensions being cut off | Annotation Crop | Annotation crop |
| Resize a perspective 3D view | Size Crop | 3D views |
| Show only an image on a sheet | Image in its own cropped view | Crop an image |
How to Crop a View in Revit
Details: Set a boundary that limits the extent of what is visible in the view (elevation, section or plan).
Steps
- Open the view to which you want to apply the crop region.
- Go to the Properties palette > Extents panel > check Crop View.
- Check “Crop Region Visible” to see the boundaries.
- Click Apply.
Note: 3D views work differently: a perspective 3D view has a crop region you resize with Size Crop, and an isometric 3D view is limited with a Section Box instead.
Once a crop region has been created, it can be adjusted as needed. To modify a crop region, select it in the view and use the handles to adjust the size and shape.
Learn more about cropping views
Crop View is not the same as hiding elements
Elements outside the crop region are not deleted. They are only not drawn in that view, and they still appear in other views, schedules and quantities. To hide specific elements, use Visibility/Graphics or Hide in View instead.
Menu names can differ slightly between releases, so if a button is missing, check the Properties palette first, because the Extents settings are in the same place in each version.
How to Show or Hide the Crop Region in Revit
Crop View and Crop Region Visible are two separate settings. Crop View turns the cropping on or off. Crop Region Visible only shows or hides the boundary line, and it does not change what the view displays. A common workflow is to crop the view, then hide the boundary before you put the view on a sheet, so the rectangle does not print.
- Open the view.
- On the View Control Bar, click Show Crop Region (or Hide Crop Region), or
- In the Properties palette, check or clear Crop Region Visible.
To turn cropping off without losing your shape, clear Crop View. Revit remembers the region, so checking the box again brings the same boundary back.
How to Edit a Crop Region (Edit Crop)
The handles only give you a rectangle. To crop to an L-shape or any other outline, use Edit Crop. Autodesk notes that the region can become any non-self-intersecting polygon. Edit Crop works in plan, section and elevation views, and the crop region must be visible to select it.
- Select the region.
- Go to the Modify | Floor Plan tab > Mode panel > click Edit Crop.
- Delete the original lines and draw your new boundary.
Finish the sketch with the green check mark. The new boundary must be a single closed loop that does not cross itself. In a section or elevation the tab name changes (for example Modify | Section), but the Mode panel and Edit Crop button are in the same place.
What Is Annotation Crop in Revit?
The annotation crop region is a second boundary around the model crop region. It decides which annotations, such as dimensions, text, tags and keynotes, stay visible. If a tag or dimension disappears when you crop, the annotation crop is almost always the cause.
- Open the view and select the crop region (Crop Region Visible must be on).
- In the Properties palette, check Annotation Crop to display it.
- Select the crop region and drag the annotation crop handles outward until your tags and dimensions fit inside.
- Clear Annotation Crop when you want annotations to follow the model crop only.
The annotation crop is only a distance away from the model crop, so keep it as small as you can. A very large annotation region makes the viewport on the sheet bigger than the drawing it holds, which creates overlap with neighbouring viewports.
How to Crop and Resize a 3D View in Revit
Perspective 3D views also have a crop region, and its size controls what the camera sees. You resize it with Size Crop. Autodesk describes two modes:
- Field of View: stretches the crop region to the size you enter, so the view shows more or less of the scene. This mode works for perspective and non-perspective views.
- Scale (locked proportions): changes the width or the height and keeps the aspect ratio, so the view gets larger or smaller while the field of view stays the same. This mode is for perspective views only.
- Open the perspective 3D view and turn on Crop Region Visible.
- Select the crop region, then click Size Crop on the Modify tab.
- Choose Scale (locked proportions) or Field of View.
- Enter the new width or height and click OK.
3D crop region vs section box: the crop region trims the picture in the view, like a frame. The Section Box (Extents panel in the 3D view properties) cuts the 3D model itself in all three directions and is what you use to look inside a building. A crop will not slice through a wall for you, and a section box will not change the shape of the frame.
Tip for sheets
Size the crop of a perspective view to the space you have on the sheet before placing it. That avoids stretching the viewport later. Learn more in the guide to Revit 3D views.
How to Crop an Image and PDF in Revit
Details: Use the Edit Crop feature to keep only the image in view and then add it to a sheet.
This method is useful if you do not use any other software in your workflow. Read this guide to convert images to CAD lines and then import them into edit mode.
Steps
- Create a new floor plan view.
- Insert the image into the view.
- Activate the cropping of the view.
- Edit the borders of the region (follow the steps above).
- Create a sheet > add your main view to the new sheet.
- Add the “image view” to the sheet.
Learn more about inserting PDF files into views
✨ Tip: Type (“image description” png) into a search engine to find clipart that you can add directly to views.
Practice file · .RVT
Now do it once on a real model
Cropping is quick to read and takes a few tries to get right, especially Edit Crop and the annotation region. The practice file for this lesson gives you the Revit project from this tutorial, so you can run each step yourself and keep the file for reference.
Download the crop views practice file
$5.5/month on Patreon, cancel anytime. One membership unlocks all 40 Mashyo practice files. See the full file library.
Crop View Problems and Fixes
If the Crop View is grayed out, the active view may be associated with a scope box or be in Design Options mode. To fix this problem, go to the Properties palette and set the scope box to None and make sure the Main Model option is selected.
Why is my view cut off?
The crop region is smaller than the drawing, or the annotation crop is cutting tags and dimensions. Select the crop region and drag the handles outward, or enlarge the annotation crop. Also check the view range and far clip settings, because those can hide elements even when the crop is large enough.
Why can I not see the crop region?
Crop Region Visible is off. Click Show Crop Region on the View Control Bar or check Crop Region Visible in the Properties palette. A hidden region still crops the view if Crop View is checked.
Why does the crop not hide elements?
Crop View may be turned off, so the region is only a frame. Elements that cross the boundary are cut at the line, and annotations are hidden fully if touched by the annotation crop. Cropping never removes elements from other views or schedules.
Why is Crop View greyed out?
The view may use a scope box or be in Design Options mode. Set the scope box to None and make sure Main Model is selected. A view template that controls crop settings can also lock the checkbox.
Crop region or section box in a 3D view?
Use the crop region to frame the picture and the Section Box to cut the 3D model itself.
Cropping is simple once you know which setting does what. Use Crop View to turn the boundary on, Crop Region Visible to show it, Edit Crop for custom shapes, Annotation Crop to protect your tags, and Size Crop for perspective views. Then place the cropped view on a sheet.
FAQs
How do I crop a view in Revit?
Open the view, check Crop View in the Extents section of the Properties palette, check Crop Region Visible, then drag the handles of the region to the size you need.
How do I show or hide the crop region?
Click Show Crop Region or Hide Crop Region on the View Control Bar, or check or clear Crop Region Visible in the Properties palette. This changes only the boundary line, not what the view displays.
Can I crop a view to a shape that is not a rectangle?
Yes. Select the crop region and click Edit Crop on the Mode panel, then draw a new closed boundary. It can be any polygon that does not cross itself.
What does Annotation Crop do in Revit?
It sets an outer boundary for view-specific annotations such as dimensions, text and tags. An annotation that touches the edge is hidden completely, so enlarge the annotation crop when a tag disappears.
How do I resize the crop of a perspective 3D view?
Select the crop region and click Size Crop on the Modify tab. Choose Scale (locked proportions) to resize without changing what the camera sees, or Field of View to stretch the crop and show more or less of the scene.
Is there a Revit practice file for this tutorial?
Yes. The Revit project file for this lesson is available to Mashyo members on Patreon for $5.5/month, cancel anytime, together with the practice files for the other Mashyo tutorials. Open the crop views practice file on Patreon.
Mohamed Fakhry has helped thousands of architects and designers find their next project with step-by-step guidance on his blog, mashyo.com. About Mohamed
His journey began during his university years when he recognized the need for information-rich 3D models to accelerate learning and improve production processes. Now, Mohamed shares his expertise through Revit tutorials that are accessible to all.
