A Revit view template saves the settings of a view, such as scale, detail level and visibility, so you can use them again on other views. This guide shows how to create a view template from the current view, apply it to many views at once and copy it to another project. The steps are checked against Autodesk’s Revit 2027 help.
Quick answer
To create a view template in Revit, open the view that has the settings you want. Go to View tab > Graphics panel > View Templates > Create Template from Current View. Type a name, click OK, choose which properties to include and click OK again.
To use it, select views in the Project Browser and pick the template in the View Template row of the Properties palette.
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Making Things Look Good
View templates are one lesson in module 4. The same module teaches the settings you save in them: visibility, materials, rendering and title blocks.
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What Is a View Template in Revit?
A view template is a saved set of view properties. You set up one view the way you like it, save those settings as a template and give the template to other views. All of them then look the same, which keeps your sheets consistent.
Each template belongs to one view type. A floor plan template works on floor plans, a section template on sections, a 3D template on 3D views. View templates also work in Revit LT.
| Property in a view template | What it controls |
|---|---|
| View Scale | The scale of the view, for example 1:100. |
| Detail Level | Coarse, Medium or Fine. |
| V/G Overrides | Which categories show and how they look. There is one row each for Model, Annotation, Analytical Model, Import, Filters, Worksets and Design Options. |
| Model Display, Shadows, Sketchy Lines, Lighting | The visual style (such as Hidden Line), transparency, shadows and sun settings. |
| View Range | The cut plane, top and bottom of a plan view. |
| Phase Filter and Discipline | Which phases show, and which discipline the view is drawn for. |
| Color Scheme | Room, area, space or zone colors in the view. |
| Far Clipping, Background, Rendering Settings | Extra rows that only show for sections, elevations or 3D views. |
A view template does not save things you did to single elements, such as Hide in View > Elements or an override on one wall. It does not save the crop region or the view name.
View Template vs Revit Project Template
These two are often mixed up. A view template lives inside a project and controls how views look. A project template is the .rte file a new project starts from. A good project template has your view templates already in it.
Looking for the starting file and not view settings? See the Revit project template guide.
How to Create a View Template From the Current View
This is the fastest way. You set up one view, then create the view template from the current view settings.
- Open the view you want to use as a base. It can be a floor plan, a section, an elevation or a 3D view. Set its scale, detail level and Visibility/Graphics the way you want other views to look.
- Go to the View tab > Graphics panel > View Templates drop-down and click Create Template from Current View.
- Type a name for the view template and click OK.
- In the View Templates window, tick Include for each property the template should control, change any value if needed, and click OK.
The view template is added to the list of view templates in your project. You can now use it on other views of the same type.
Create a View Template From a View in the Project Browser
You do not need to open the view. In the Project Browser, right-click the view name and click Create View Template From View. Name it and click OK. The result is the same.
What the Include Column Does
A ticked property is controlled by the template. An unticked property is left alone, so each view keeps its own value. For example, untick View Scale if your plans use the same graphics at 1:100 and 1:50. Tick only what must be the same in every view.
Create a View Template by Duplicating an Existing One
If you already have a view template that is close to what you need, duplicate it and change only what is different.
- In the Properties palette, scroll down to Identity Data.
- Click the button in the View Template row.
- Select the view template that you want to copy and click the Duplicate icon below the list.
- Enter a name for the new view template.
- Change the properties you need and click OK.
You can do the same without touching a view: go to View tab > View Templates > Manage View Templates. The Duplicate, Rename and Delete icons are below the list of names. Use the Discipline and View type filters above the list to find a template faster.
Save Graphic Display Options as a View Template
Use this way when you only care about the look of a view, such as shadows, sketchy lines or a background.
- On the View Control Bar, click Visual Style > Graphic Display Options.
- Set the options you want.
- Click Save as View Template.
- Name the template, click OK, check the Include column and click OK.
The new template takes the view type of the view you are in.
How to Apply a View Template to Multiple Views
Revit has two ways to use a view template on a view. They sound the same and behave differently, so pick the right one.
| Assign | Apply | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Links the view to the template. | Copies the template settings to the view once. |
| When you edit the template later | Every linked view updates. | The view does not change. |
| View properties | Grayed out for the properties the template controls. | Stay editable. |
| Where | Properties palette > View Template. | View tab > View Templates > Apply Template Properties to Current View. |
| Use it for | Sheet views that must stay the same. | Working views, or a quick start you will change. |
Assign a View Template to Several Views
- In the Project Browser, hold Ctrl and click each view. Select views of one type, for example only floor plans.
- In the Properties palette, under Identity Data, click the button in the View Template row.
- In the Assign View Template window, select the template in the Names list.
- Click OK.
The View Template row now shows the template name for every selected view. To remove it later, do the same and select <None>.
Apply Template Properties Without a Link
- Select one or more views in the Project Browser.
- Right-click and choose Apply Template Properties. Or go to View tab > View Templates > Apply Template Properties to Current View.
- Select the template and click OK.
The views change at once, but the View Template row in Properties still says <None>. Tick Show Views in this window if you want to copy the settings of another view and not of a template.
Apply a View Template to All Views on a Sheet
In the Project Browser, right-click a sheet name and click Apply View Template to All Views. Pick the template and click OK. If a view on the sheet already has an assigned template, Revit asks if it should apply only the properties that template does not control. Click Yes.
Set a Default View Template for New Views
You can give a template to a view type, so that each new view of that type gets it. Open a view, click Edit Type in the Properties palette and set View Template applied to new views. Tick New views are dependent on template if new views should be linked to it and not only start from it.
How to Edit a View Template
- Go to View tab > Graphics panel > View Templates > Manage View Templates.
- Select the template in the Names list.
- Under View Properties, change a value or click Edit next to a V/G Overrides row.
- Click OK. Every view with this template assigned updates.
The same window shows Number of views with this template assigned, so you can see how many views a change will touch. For plan views, the template can also hold the view range.
✨ Tip: name templates by view type, scale and use, for example “Plan 1-100 Construction” and “Plan 1-100 Presentation”. The list stays easy to read when a project has 30 templates.
Test Changes With Temporary View Properties
Use temporary view properties to change a view that has a template, without changing the template and without removing it. On the View Control Bar at the bottom of the view, click Temporary View Properties. The menu has four choices:
- Enable Temporary View Properties: the grayed-out properties unlock. The view gets a purple border while this mode is on.
- Temporarily Apply Template Properties: choose another template to try on this view.
- Recent Templates: the last 5 templates you used.
- Restore View Properties: leave the mode. The view goes back to its own template.
Note: Revit 2027 removed the Options Bar, but this button is on the View Control Bar, which has not moved.
Copy View Templates to Another Project
View templates are saved in the project. To use them in another project, copy them with Transfer Project Standards. Open both projects first, and start from the project that should receive the templates.
- Go to the Manage tab > Settings panel > click Transfer Project Standards.
- Open the Copy from menu and select the source project.
- In the Select items to copy list, click Check None and then check View Templates.
- Click OK.
If a template with the same name already exists, Revit asks what to do. Choose Overwrite to replace it, or New Only to copy just the templates the project does not have.
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.
Copy Selected View Templates With PyRevit
The free PyRevit add-in can copy the view templates you choose into several projects in one go. Open the projects that should receive the templates, then follow these steps:
- Go to the PyRevit tab > open the Views menu.
- Click Copy selected view templates to other open models.
- Select the templates you want to transfer.
- Click Select.
- Select the destination projects.
- Click OK.
How to Delete a View Template
- Go to View tab > View Templates > Manage View Templates.
- Select the template and check Number of views with this template assigned.
- Click the Delete icon below the list.
- If views use the template, choose a replacement view template for them, or remove the view template references.
Revit View Template Not Working? What to Check
- View properties are grayed out. A view template is assigned and it controls them. Edit the template, untick Include for that property, or set the View Template row to <None>.
- The template is not in the list. The list only shows templates for the type of the selected view. A floor plan template does not show for a section or a ceiling plan.
- You changed the template and the view did not update. The template was applied, not assigned. Assign it in the Properties palette.
- One view must look different. Duplicate the template for that view, or untick Include for the property that differs.
- An element is still hidden after you assign the template. It was hidden with Hide in View > Elements. Templates do not control single elements. Use Reveal Hidden Elements to bring it back.
- The view range, scale or phase filter will not change. Same cause as the first one: the template controls that row.
Revit View Template FAQs
What is a view template in Revit?
A view template is a saved set of view properties, such as view scale, detail level, discipline and visibility settings. You use it on other views so that they all look the same.
How do I create a view template from the current view in Revit?
Open the view. Go to View tab, Graphics panel, View Templates, and click Create Template from Current View. Type a name, click OK, choose the properties to include and click OK.
What is the difference between applying and assigning a view template?
Assigning links the view to the template, so later changes to the template update the view. Applying copies the settings once, and later changes to the template do not affect the view.
How do I apply a view template to multiple views?
In the Project Browser, hold Ctrl and select the views. In the Properties palette, click the View Template row, select the template and click OK. To apply without a link, right-click the selection and choose Apply Template Properties.
Why are view properties grayed out in Revit?
A view template is assigned to the view and controls those properties. Change them in the view template, or set the View Template property of the view to None and then edit the view.
How do I copy a view template to another project?
Open both projects. In the project that should receive it, go to Manage tab, Transfer Project Standards. Select the source project in Copy from, click Check None, check View Templates and click OK.
How do I remove a view template from a view?
Select the view in the Project Browser. In the Properties palette, click the View Template row, select None in the list and click OK. The view keeps its current look and its properties can be edited again.
Is a view template the same as a Revit template?
No. A view template controls how views look and is stored inside a project. A Revit project template is the .rte file a new project starts from, and it can contain many view templates.
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.
