The view range in Revit is a set of horizontal planes that decides which elements a plan view shows and how they are drawn. This guide explains the four settings, how to change them, the VR shortcut, the view range of a reflected ceiling plan and what to check when something is missing. The steps are checked against Autodesk’s Revit 2027 help.
Quick answer
To change the view range in Revit, open a plan view and type VR, or click Edit next to View Range in the Properties palette. Set the Top, Cut Plane, Bottom and View Depth, then click OK.
In a floor plan you mostly change the Cut Plane and the Bottom. In a reflected ceiling plan you change the Cut Plane and the Top, because the view looks up and the Bottom is not used.
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Views Under Control
View range is one lesson in module 3. The same module teaches the tools you use with it: crop regions, phases, sections, callouts and 3D views.
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What Is View Range in Revit?
A plan view is a horizontal slice through the model. The view range tells Revit where that slice starts, where it cuts and where it stops. Every plan view has its own view range: floor plans, reflected ceiling plans, structural plans and area plans.
It is made of two parts. The primary range has three planes: Top, Cut Plane and Bottom. The view depth is one more plane outside the primary range. Sections, elevations and 3D views do not have a view range.
| Setting | What it is | What it does to elements |
|---|---|---|
| Top | The upper limit of the primary range. | Elements above it do not display. |
| Cut Plane | The height at which the view slices the model. | Elements that cross it are drawn as cut, with the heavier cut line weight. |
| Bottom | The lower limit of the primary range. | Elements between the Cut Plane and Bottom are drawn in projection. |
| View Depth | An extra plane beyond the primary range. By default it sits at the same height as Bottom. | Elements between Bottom and View Depth are drawn with the <Beyond> line style. |
In the default templates a floor plan starts with the Top at 2300 mm (7′-6″), the Cut Plane at 1200 mm (4′-0″), and the Bottom and View Depth at 0, all measured from the level of the view.
How to Change the View Range in Revit
You change the view range in the same way for any plan view.
- In the Project Browser, double-click a plan view name to open it.
- Click an empty part of the view so that the Properties palette shows the view properties.
- Under Extents, click Edit next to View Range, or type VR.
- For each plane, pick a level and type an offset from that level.
- Click Apply to see the change without closing the window, then click OK.
For your floor plans, you usually only need to adjust the Cut Plane and the Bottom.
Levels and Offsets
Each plane is a level plus an offset. Associated Level is the level the view belongs to. Level Above and Level Below show the real level name in brackets, for example “Level Above (Level 2)”. You can also pick any level by name, and Top and View Depth can be set to Unlimited.
The planes must stay in order. The Top must be at or above the Cut Plane, the Cut Plane at or above the Bottom, and the View Depth at or below the Bottom. If the order is wrong, Revit shows a warning and keeps the old values.
Note: Click the “<< Show” button in the View Range window to see a picture of the planes with a number next to each one.
View Range Shortcut in Revit: VR
The view range shortcut in Revit is VR. Open a plan view, make sure nothing is selected and type V then R. You do not press Enter. The View Range window opens at once.
If nothing happens, you are probably in a section, an elevation or a 3D view, or a view template controls the view range (see the fixes below). To check or change the keys, go to View tab > User Interface > Keyboard Shortcuts and search for “View Range”.
How Elements Display Inside the View Range
Where an element sits between the planes decides how Revit draws it in a floor plan. These are Autodesk’s rules.
| Where the element is | How it shows in a floor plan |
|---|---|
| Crosses the Cut Plane | Cut line weight. If its category cannot be cut, projection line weight. |
| Below the Cut Plane, above the Bottom | Projection line weight. |
| Below the Bottom, inside the View Depth | <Beyond> line style. Floors, structural floors, stairs and ramps still use projection line weight when they are within 4 ft (about 1.22 m) below the Bottom. |
| Above the Cut Plane, below the Top | Not shown, unless it is a window, casework or a generic model. Those three show in projection. |
| Above the Top or below the View Depth | Not shown, unless you set an underlay. |
The Cut Plane and Categories That Cannot Be Cut
The cut plane decides which elements you see from the inside. Walls, floors, columns, doors and windows can be cut. Many categories cannot, such as furniture, plumbing fixtures and most MEP families. They always show in projection, even when the cut plane passes through them.
To check a category, open the Visibility/Graphics window (shortcut: VG). The Cut column is grayed out for the categories that cannot be cut.
Why a Short Wall Is Not Cut
A wall shorter than 2 m (6 ft) is not drawn as cut, even when the cut plane passes through it. Revit measures from the top of the wall down to the Bottom of the primary range. This is why a low partition or a parapet shows with thin lines.
If the wall should look cut, check its Top Constraint and height first. A wall set to Unconnected with a small height is the usual cause. Connect it to the level above, with a negative offset if it must stop short, so that it is taller than 2 m.
View Depth and the Beyond Line Style
The view depth is an extra plane below the Bottom in a floor plan, or above the cut plane in a ceiling plan. Use it to show things that sit lower than the floor, such as footings, a sunken terrace, or stairs and balconies seen through a floor opening.
Elements between the Bottom and the View Depth use the <Beyond> line style, which is a solid line by default. To change how it looks, go to Manage tab > Additional Settings > Line Styles. Learn how to edit your line styles
Set the View Depth to a level with an offset, or to Unlimited if you do not want a lower limit. Keep it tight on upper floors. A deep View Depth on Level 3 pulls in the floors below and makes the plan hard to read.
Reflected Ceiling Plan (RCP) View Range in Revit
The view range of a reflected ceiling plan uses the same window, but the view looks up from the cut plane, so three things change:
- The Bottom is not used. It is grayed out and follows the Cut Plane.
- The primary range is the space between the Cut Plane and the Top. Elements in it show in projection.
- The View Depth goes up from the cut plane, not down. Elements above the Top and inside the View Depth use the <Beyond> line style.
So in an RCP you only adjust the Cut Plane and the Top, and sometimes the View Depth.
RCP View Range Settings
These values suit a room with a ceiling at 2700 mm (about 9′-0″). The rule is simple: the cut plane must be below the ceiling, and the Top must be above it.
| Setting | Example value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Top | Level Above, offset 0 | Covers the ceiling and the space above it up to the next floor. |
| Cut Plane | Associated Level, offset 2300 mm (7′-6″) | Below the ceiling, above the door heads, and still low enough to cut the walls. |
| Bottom | Grayed out | Not used in a ceiling plan. |
| View Depth | Level Above, offset 0 | Must be at or above the Top. Raise it only if you need to see something higher. |
Set the view range of an RCP:
- In the Project Browser, open the view under Ceiling Plans.
- Type VR.
- Set the Cut Plane offset to a height below your ceiling, for example 2300 mm.
- Set the Top to Level Above, or to an offset above the ceiling.
- Click OK.
Common Ceiling Plan View Range Problems
- The ceiling does not show. The cut plane is above the ceiling, so the view starts in the space over it. Lower the cut plane below the ceiling height. A low ceiling in a corridor or bathroom is the usual case.
- The walls are missing or look thin. The cut plane is above the top of the walls. Lower it until it passes through them.
- Doors or furniture do not show. That is normal. They are below the cut plane and the view looks up. To see them as a faint background, set an underlay.
Do you still need the view itself? See how to create a reflected ceiling plan in Revit, with ceilings, lights and tags.
Use a Plan Region for a Different View Range in One Area
A plan region gives one part of a view its own view range. Use it when a high window, a split level or a mezzanine sits above or below the cut plane of the rest of the plan. It controls hosts and hosted elements, mainly windows and doors in walls. It cannot control MEP elements.
Apply One View Range to Many Views With a View Template
After you set a view range that works, save it in a view template and apply it to other views. A view template stores view properties so that all plans of one kind look the same.
- Go to the View tab > Graphics panel > View Templates drop-down.
- Click Create Template from Current View.
- Name your view template.
- Under View Properties, click Edit next to View Range.
- Change the view range if needed > click OK.
- In another view, open the View Templates drop-down.
- Click Apply Template Properties to Current View.
Make one template for each kind of plan, such as floor plans, ceiling plans and site plans. Learn more about view templates
Copy View Templates to Another Project
To use the same view range in another project, copy the view templates with Transfer Project Standards:
- Open both project files.
- Go to the Manage tab > Settings panel > click Transfer Project Standards.
- Select the source project in the “Copy from” drop-down menu.
- Check “View Templates”.
- Click OK.
This copies all view templates. To copy only one, save a copy of the source project, delete the other view templates in the copy, then transfer from that copy.
Show Elements Outside the View Range With an Underlay
An underlay shows another level as a faint background, without changing the view range. For example, you can show the ceiling grid or the roof structure over a floor plan, or the furniture under a ceiling plan.
In the Properties palette, under Underlay, set Range: Base Level and Range: Top Level, then choose Look down or Look up for the Underlay Orientation.
Show Lights and Outlets in the Same Plan
Outlets sit low on the wall, below the cut plane, so they show in a floor plan. Ceiling lights and high wall lights sit above the cut plane, and lighting fixtures are not one of the three categories that show there. That is why the lights are missing.
- Underlay: in the floor plan, set an underlay of the same level with the orientation Look up. The ceiling and its lights appear as a background under the outlets.
- Higher cut plane: duplicate the view and raise the Cut Plane and the Top above the wall lights. This also changes how walls, doors and windows are cut, so use it in a separate electrical plan.
- Two views: show the lights in the ceiling plan and the outlets in the floor plan, and place both on the same sheet.
View Range in Linked Models
By default, a linked model follows the view range of the host view. If the link was set up with different levels or cut heights, it can look wrong in your plan. Check it now and then, so that the host and the link match.
To show the link with the view range of one of its own views:
- Go to the View tab > Graphics panel > click Visibility/Graphics.
- In the Revit Links tab, click the button in the Display Settings column for the link.
- Select “By Linked View” and choose the view.
Select “Custom” if you want to take only the view range from the linked view and keep the other settings from the host.
See the View Range in a Section
The view range is easier to understand when you can see it. In a section view, draw three reference planes or model lines at the heights of your Top, Cut Plane and Bottom. Now you can see which elements each plane touches before you type a number. You can use the same lines as guides in 3D views.
✨ Tip: to see a reference plane in a 3D view, go to the Architecture tab > Work Plane panel > click Show. Open the Set menu, click Set Work Plane, select the new reference plane, and then click OK.
Revit View Range Not Working? What to Check
- View Range is grayed out. A view template controls it. Change the range in the view template, or set the View Template property to None for a moment to test.
- There is no View Range in Properties. You are in a section, an elevation or a 3D view. Only plan views have a view range.
- An element is missing. Compare its height with the planes in a section. If it is above the cut plane and is not a window, casework or a generic model, it will not show.
- The range is right and the element is still missing. Check the category in Visibility/Graphics, then filters, the phase filter, design options, worksets and the crop region.
- One area ignores your changes. A plan region overrides the view range there, even when its boundary is hidden. Turn on Plan Region in Visibility/Graphics > Annotation Categories.
- Lower floors show through. The View Depth is too low or set to Unlimited. Raise it to the Bottom.
- Other views did not change. The view range belongs to one view. Use a view template to change many views at once.
Revit View Range FAQs
What is view range in Revit?
View range is a set of horizontal planes that controls which elements a plan view shows and how they are drawn. It has a Top, a Cut Plane and a Bottom, which form the primary range, plus a View Depth.
What is the shortcut for view range in Revit?
The shortcut is VR. Open a plan view and type V then R to open the View Range window. You do not need to press Enter.
How do I change the view range in Revit?
Open a plan view. In the Properties palette, under Extents, click Edit next to View Range, or type VR. Set the level and offset for the Top, Cut Plane, Bottom and View Depth, then click OK.
Why is View Range grayed out in Revit?
A view template is applied to the view and it controls the view range. Edit the view range in the view template, or set the View Template property of the view to None.
What is the difference between Bottom and View Depth?
Bottom is the lower limit of the primary range, where elements show in projection. View Depth is an extra plane below it. Elements between the two show with the Beyond line style.
How does view range work in a reflected ceiling plan?
A reflected ceiling plan looks up from the cut plane. The primary range is between the Cut Plane and the Top, the Bottom is not used, and the View Depth goes up. Set the cut plane below the ceiling so that the ceiling shows.
Why can’t I see an element in my floor plan?
Most often the element is above the cut plane. Only windows, casework and generic models show between the Cut Plane and the Top. Lower the element, raise the cut plane, use a plan region for one area, or set an underlay.
Can I use the same view range in several views?
Yes. Save the view range in a view template and apply the template to the other plan views. When you change the template, every view that uses it updates.
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.
