A Revit north arrow is a view annotation that helps readers understand plan orientation. You can place it with the Symbol tool, load a north arrow family if one is missing, and rotate or copy it across views. The important part is knowing whether your view is using Project North or True North.
This guide shows the full workflow: add a north arrow, edit its graphic style, copy it to other views and sheets, set True North correctly for site plans and sun studies, and fix the common issue where the arrow appears to point the wrong way.
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In This Guide
A north arrow symbol is only an annotation. Rotating the symbol changes what the arrow looks like in that view, but it does not rotate the building, project coordinates, or solar study direction. Use Revit’s north settings when the model orientation itself needs to be corrected.
Add a North Arrow in Revit
Use this method when a north arrow family is already loaded in the project.
- Open the plan view, site plan, or sheet where you want the north arrow.
- Go to Annotate tab > Symbol panel > click Symbol.
- In the Properties palette, open the Type Selector.
- Choose the north arrow type, such as North Arrow 2.
- Click in the drawing area or sheet to place the symbol.
- Move, align, or rotate the symbol if the view requires it.
North arrows are usually Generic Annotation families. If you are building a coordinated documentation set, keep the arrow style consistent across drawings and decide whether arrows belong inside the view, on the sheet, or in the title block template.
Load a North Arrow Family
If the Type Selector does not show a north arrow, load one first.
- Go to Insert tab > Load from Library panel > Load Family.
- Browse to the Revit content library or your office annotation folder.
- Open the Annotations folder.
- Select a north arrow .RFA file and click Open.
- Return to Annotate > Symbol and place the newly loaded type.
The typical local library path is similar to C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\RVT 20XX\Libraries\English\US\Annotations, but the exact location can vary by Revit version, language, company deployment, and whether local content libraries were installed. In Revit 2026, you can also use Load Autodesk Family to search online Autodesk sample content directly from Revit.
Learn about other Revit annotation symbols
Edit the North Arrow Symbol
Edit the family when you want a different arrow shape, line weight, text style, filled region, or office graphic standard.
- Select the north arrow annotation.
- Go to Modify | Generic Annotations tab > Mode panel.
- Click Edit Family.
- In the Family Editor, edit or delete the existing lines, text, and filled regions.
- Use Create tab tools to draw the new arrow graphic.
- Save the family with a new name if you do not want to overwrite the original.
- Click Load into Project.
A clean north arrow usually uses simple lines, filled regions, and a clear N label. See the guide on filled regions and hatch patterns if you want a solid or half-filled symbol.
Copy a North Arrow to Views and Sheets
Use Aligned to Same Place when the arrow needs to land in the same position on multiple similar views.
- Place and rotate the north arrow correctly in the source view.
- Select the annotation and press Ctrl+C.
- Open the destination view or sheet.
- Go to Modify tab > Clipboard panel.
- Open the Paste drop-down and choose Aligned to Same Place.
Do not assume the arrow is correct just because it was pasted in the same location. Check the destination view’s Orientation property. A Project North floor plan and a True North site plan can show the same model at different rotations.
Project North vs True North
Autodesk defines every Revit model with two north orientations. Project North is the practical drawing direction, usually aligned with the building grid so plans fit neatly on sheets. True North is the real-world site direction used for survey orientation, solar studies, rendering, energy analysis, and heating/cooling load workflows.
| Setting | Use it for | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Project North | Floor plans, construction documents, readable sheet layout | View Properties > Orientation |
| True North | Site plans, sun studies, real-world orientation, analysis | View Properties > Orientation |
| Rotate True North | Set the real north angle after you have reliable survey/site information | Manage > Project Location > Position |
| Rotate Project North | Change drawing orientation for Project North plan views | Manage > Project Location > Position |
Best practice is to model with Project North aligned to the top of the drawing area, then define True North after receiving reliable survey coordinates or site information. This keeps normal plans readable while allowing site plans, shadows, and solar studies to use the correct real-world direction.
Set True North in Revit
- Open the Site Plan view.
- In the Properties palette, set Orientation to True North.
- Add a reference line or north arrow that shows the correct true north direction from the survey.
- Go to Manage tab > Project Location panel > Position drop-down > Rotate True North.
- Enter the angle from Project North to True North, or rotate graphically using the reference.
- Check the site plan, shadows, and arrow direction.
If a project was started at an odd angle and you only need plans to read better on sheets, use Rotate Project North or rotated scope boxes instead of manually rotating annotation symbols on every view.
Fix Common North Arrow Problems
The north arrow points the wrong way
Check the view’s Orientation property first. The arrow may be correct for Project North but wrong for True North, or the opposite.
Rotating the arrow did not fix sun shadows
That is expected. A north arrow is only an annotation. Use Rotate True North when shadows, solar studies, or site orientation need to be corrected.
The north arrow family will not load
Confirm it is an annotation or generic annotation family, not a model family. Also check whether your local Revit content library is installed.
The arrow is too large or too small
Edit the family or duplicate the type and adjust the graphic size. Avoid scaling random instances if your office needs consistent sheet graphics.
Acquired coordinates do not match True North
Autodesk has documented cases where Project North being slightly off can affect the True North rotation after acquiring coordinates. Check Project North alignment and coordinate workflow before changing symbols manually.
FAQ
Where is the north arrow family stored in Revit?
It is usually in the Revit content library under Annotations, with a path similar to C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\RVT 20XX\Libraries\English\US\Annotations. The exact folder depends on version, language, and installation settings.
Does rotating the north arrow rotate the building?
No. The north arrow is an annotation symbol. Rotating it changes only the symbol. Use Rotate True North or Rotate Project North when the model or view orientation needs to change.
Can a Revit north arrow rotate automatically?
Not with a basic generic annotation family. You can build a parametric family with an angle parameter, but you still need a reliable workflow for setting the correct angle per view.
Should I place the north arrow on the view or on the sheet?
Place it in the view when it must relate directly to that view’s orientation. Place it on the sheet or title block only when your office standard uses a fixed sheet graphic and the orientation is managed consistently.
Once your north arrow is placed correctly, continue with Revit annotation symbols, or use filled regions to design a custom symbol style.
References
- Autodesk Help: Project North and True North
- Autodesk Help: Rotate True North
- Autodesk Help: Load a Tag or Symbol Style
- Autodesk Support: Acquired Coordinates and True North Rotation
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.
