Managing Menu Tabs in Revit

When using Autodesk Revit software, the display of tabs across the top of the software can be annoying or helpful.  Revit allows you to easily adjust the order of the tabs, as well as which discipline tabs are displayed.  Turning off unnecessary tabs is very helpful if you are discipline specific (as are most users) and don’t want to see and work around the tabs for commands for disciplines that you never use.  Less is more.

To start with, let’s look at the process to eliminate having to see the tabs for unused disciplines.

Turning Off Unnecessary Discipline Tabs

1. Pick on the Options button at the bottom of the Application menu (the large “R” at the top left corner of the Revit window).
2. In the Options dialog box, select the User Interface category on left side.
3. In the Configure area, remove the checkmarks for disciplines that you do not want to see in the ribbon.  Some notes about the options:
   1. While there is only one Systems tab, you can turn off the Mechanical, Electrical, or Piping ribbon panels separately.
   2. Most of the disciplines have analysis tools that can be turned off without turning off the tab.  The tools listed are panels under the discipline tab.
   3. Commands will still work with keyboard shortcuts even if the commands do not show on the ribbon.
   4. These settings are user specific on the computer and do not affect other users.
4. Pick the OK button.
5. The de-selected information will be applied as soon as you exit the dialog box.

Re-ordering the Tabs

It is very common to have your discipline-specific tab be the first one shown (the left-most position) so that it is easier accessible.  It is also the one that will be displayed with its associated panels by default when a Revit session is started.

1. Highlight the tab in the ribbon that is to be relocated to a different position.
2. Press the CTRL key, and drag the tab to the new location.

Both of these customizations are extremely easy, so you can adjust the ribbon tabs to make your life easier.

 

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