A filled region in Revit is a flat, 2D shape with a boundary line and a fill pattern (a hatch) inside it. You draw it on top of a view to show a material, mark an area, or add detail that the 3D model does not have. This guide shows how to create a filled region, change its pattern and color, get one onto a sheet, and fix one that is not showing. The steps are checked against Autodesk’s Revit 2027 help.
Quick answer
To create a filled region in Revit, open a 2D view and go to Annotate tab > Detail panel > Region > Filled Region. Sketch a closed boundary, pick a type in the Properties palette, and click Finish Edit Mode.
To change the hatch, select the region > Edit Type > Duplicate > choose a new fill pattern and color.
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What Is a Filled Region in Revit?
Autodesk describes a filled region as a 2D, view-specific graphic with a boundary line style and a fill pattern inside the closed boundary. In plain words:
- 2D: it is a drawing, not part of the model. It has no height and no material.
- View-specific: it shows only in the view where you drew it. A filled region in the Level 1 plan does not appear in Level 2 or in a section.
- Detail Items: it belongs to the Detail Items category, which matters when one goes missing (see the fixes below).
You can draw a filled region in floor plans, ceiling plans, sections, elevations, detail views, drafting views and legends, and inside annotation and title block families. You cannot draw one in a 3D view or directly on a sheet.
Revit has three ways to show a hatch. Pick the one that fits the job:
| Tool | What it is | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Filled region | A 2D shape with a pattern, drawn in one view | You need a hatch in a detail, a diagram or a legend |
| Masking region | A 2D shape with no pattern that covers what is behind it | You want to hide part of a view |
| Material surface and cut patterns | A pattern that is part of a material on a model element | Every wall, floor or roof of that material should show the hatch, in 2D and 3D views |
How to Create a Filled Region in Revit (Step by Step)
- Open a 2D view, such as a floor plan, section, elevation or drafting view.
- Go to the Annotate tab > Detail panel > Region drop-down > click Filled Region.
- On the Line Style panel, choose a line style for the boundary.
- On the Draw panel, select a sketching tool and draw the boundary. It must be a closed loop.
- In the Properties palette, pick a filled region type from the Type Selector. This sets the hatch pattern.
- Click Finish Edit Mode (the green tick).
If Revit shows an error when you finish, the boundary has a gap or two lines overlap. Zoom in on the corners and close them.
✨ Tip: To cut a hole in a filled region, draw a second closed loop inside the first one. Revit leaves the inner shape empty.
✨ Tip: Revit 2027 has no Options Bar. Sketch settings such as Chain and Offset are now on the ribbon or in the Properties palette. In Revit 2026 and earlier they are on the Options Bar under the ribbon.
Change the Fill Pattern, Color and Line Style
The pattern and color belong to the filled region type. If you edit a type, every region of that type changes. So make a new type first:
- Click the filled region to select it.
- In the Properties palette, click Edit Type.
- In the Type Properties window, click Duplicate.
- Give the new type a name > click OK.
- Change the settings below > click OK.
✨ Tip: To give several filled regions the same type, hold down the CTRL key > select the regions in the view > open the Type Selector in the Properties palette > select the new type. Learn more about keyboard shortcuts
Fill pattern
A type has two layers: a Foreground Fill Pattern and a Background Fill Pattern. Click the value next to either one to choose a pattern from the list. A common setup is a line hatch in the foreground and a solid fill in the background, which gives you a colored area with lines on top.
Color
Change the foreground and background colors by clicking their boxes in the Type Properties window.
Line style
The boundary lines are set per line, not per type. Double-click the filled region (or click Edit Boundary) to go back into edit mode. Select one or more boundary lines > Line Style panel > open the drop-down that shows “Thin Lines” > select a different style.
✨ Tip: To hide boundary lines, choose “Invisible Lines” as the style. I applied this to three lines in a Break Line symbol family to show only the break line when I use the family.
Transparency
In Type Properties, untick Masking to see the model through the gaps in the pattern. When you tick it, filled regions of that type become solid and cover what is behind them.
To set your own transparency level, right-click the filled region > Override Graphics in View > click By Element. Change the value of Surface Transparency > click OK.
Drafting views behave a little differently. They use the Hidden Line visual style by default, and in Hidden Line a patterned filled region hides everything behind it. Change the view to Wireframe to see elements through the openings in the pattern.
Learn more about the transparency of elements.
Revit Filled Region Patterns: Drafting vs Model
Every fill pattern in Revit is one of two kinds. The difference is how the pattern reacts to the view scale.
| Pattern type | How it behaves | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Drafting | Based on the scale of the view. Lines set 1.5 mm apart print 1.5 mm apart at any scale. | Material symbols in details, such as concrete, earth and insulation, and diagram hatches |
| Model | Based on real dimensions in the model. The pattern looks smaller or larger on paper when the view scale changes. | Brick, tile, paving and anything with a real size |
Change the scale of a pattern
In Type Properties, click the fill pattern value, select the pattern and click the Edit (pencil) icon. Under Type, select “Custom” to change the scale of any pattern. Select “Basic” to change the line angle and line spacing of simple line patterns. Learn how to change the scale
Custom Hatch Patterns: Import a PAT File
If the hatch you need is not in the list, import it. Revit reads hatch patterns from PAT files, the same text format AutoCAD uses. The patterns that come with Revit are in this folder by default: %ProgramFiles%\Autodesk\Autodesk Revit 2027\Data.
Want free hatch pattern PAT files? Get them from our recent post:
To import a PAT file:
- Go to the Manage tab > Settings panel > Additional Settings drop-down > click Fill Patterns.
- Under Pattern Type, select Drafting or Model.
- Click the New Fill Pattern icon.
- Under Type, select Custom.
- Click Browse, select the PAT file and choose the pattern you want from it.
- Optional: change the name, the import scale and the rotation angle.
- Click OK twice.
The new pattern now shows in the fill pattern list of every filled region type and material in the project.
Learn how to create your own PAT patterns in Revit using PyRevit
✨ New in Revit 2027: you can rotate a custom fill pattern and save it as a new, rotated pattern. You no longer need a second PAT file for the same hatch at 45 degrees.
How to Add a Filled Region on a Sheet in Revit
Open a sheet and you will find the Region button greyed out. Revit does not let you draw a filled region straight onto a sheet. There are three simple ways around this.
1. Draw it in a drafting view or legend
This is the usual method for a hatch key, a diagram or a note box.
- Go to the View tab > Create panel > click Drafting View (or Legends > Legend).
- Draw the filled region in that view.
- Drag the view from the Project Browser onto the sheet.
- To hide the view title, select the viewport > Edit Type > Duplicate > set Show Title to No.
Use a legend if the same hatch key goes on several sheets. A legend can be placed on many sheets, a drafting view on only one. Learn more about drafting views and legends.
2. Draw it inside the view that is on the sheet
If the hatch belongs on top of a plan or section, double-click that view on the sheet to activate it. The Region tool becomes available. Draw the filled region, then double-click outside the view to go back to the sheet. The region now lives in the view, so it moves with it.
3. Add it to the title block family
For a filled region that should show on every sheet, such as a colored band or a logo background, select the title block > click Edit Family. In the family editor, draw the filled region, then click Load into Project. Learn more about title blocks
The same idea works for symbols. Draw the filled region in an annotation symbol family, and you can place that symbol on any sheet or view.
Edit, Resize and Measure a Filled Region
- Resize: select the filled region. Shape handles show on its edges. Drag a handle to move that edge.
- Change the shape: select the region > click Edit Boundary on the ribbon. Draw new lines or move the existing ones, keep the loop closed, then click Finish Edit Mode.
- Find the area: select the region and read Area in the Properties palette. Revit takes the area inside the outer loop and subtracts any closed loops inside it. The value is read-only.
- Change the draw order: when two regions overlap, select one and use Bring to Front or Send to Back on the Arrange panel.
Filled Region Shortcut in Revit
Filled Region is one of the tools you may find without a keyboard shortcut in a standard setup. Check yours, and add one if the box is empty:
- Go to the View tab > Windows panel > User Interface drop-down > click Keyboard Shortcuts (or type KS).
- In the search box, type “Filled Region”.
- Select the command. If the Shortcuts column is empty, click in “Press new keys” and type two letters that no other tool uses.
- Click Assign > click OK.
Now type those two letters in any 2D view to start the tool. See the full list of Revit keyboard shortcuts
Filled Region Not Showing in Revit? 4 Fixes
1. Detail Items are turned off
This is the most common cause. Filled regions are Detail Items, and that category is switched off in the view.
- Go to the View tab > Graphics panel > Visibility/Graphics (Shortcut: VV).
- On the Model Categories tab, tick Detail Items in the list to turn it on in the view.
If the tick box is grey, a view template controls it. Change the setting in the view template instead.
2. You are in a different view
A filled region shows only in the view where it was drawn. It will not appear in a duplicate made with plain Duplicate either. Use Duplicate with Detailing to copy the view together with its filled regions.
3. The region is hidden in the view
Click the light bulb icon (Reveal Hidden Elements) on the View Control Bar. Hidden items show in a different color. Select the filled region > right-click > Unhide in View > Elements. Learn more about unhiding elements
4. Another region is on top of it
A masking region or a filled region with Masking ticked covers what is under it. Select the one on top and click Send to Back.
Filled Region Not Printing as Transparent?
Colored and realistic views print in raster mode, and transparent filled regions can come out solid. The fix is to put a second, Hidden Line copy of the view on top of the realistic one, and show only the filled regions in it.
- In the Project Browser, right-click the view name.
- Open the Duplicate View menu > click Duplicate with Detailing.
- Place the new view on the sheet, exactly on top of the realistic view.
- On the sheet, double-click the new view to activate it.
- Change the visual style of the new view to Hidden Line.
- Go to the View tab > click Visibility/Graphics (Shortcut: VV).
- Untick all items on the Model Categories tab.
- Tick Detail Items > click OK.
Learn more about how Revit prints to PDF
Revit Filled Region FAQs
Where is the Filled Region tool in Revit?
Go to the Annotate tab, Detail panel, open the Region drop-down and click Filled Region. The tool is active in 2D views such as plans, sections, elevations, drafting views and legends.
Can you create a filled region on a sheet in Revit?
Not directly. The Region tool is greyed out on sheets. Draw the filled region in a drafting view or legend and place that view on the sheet, activate a view on the sheet and draw it there, or add it to the title block family.
What is the shortcut for Filled Region in Revit?
Check the Keyboard Shortcuts window (type KS) and search for Filled Region. If no keys are listed, click in Press new keys, type two free letters and click Assign.
What is the difference between a filled region and a masking region?
A filled region has a fill pattern and a color. A masking region has no pattern and only covers what is behind it. Both are 2D, view-specific Detail Items.
Can you use a filled region in a 3D view?
No. A filled region is a 2D graphic for 2D views. To show a hatch in a 3D view, add a surface pattern to the material of the element.
How do you find the area of a filled region in Revit?
Select the filled region and read the Area value in the Properties palette. It is the area inside the outer boundary minus any closed loops inside it. The value is read-only.
The Filled Region tool adds texture and detail to 2D views in Revit. Use the hatch patterns that come with Revit, or import your own as PAT files. For the best results, combine several filled regions with different line styles and transparency levels.
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.
