Convert RVT to DWG

To convert RVT to DWG, open the model in Revit and export the views you need through File > Export > CAD Formats > DWG. An RVT is a building model, so you always export drawings of it, one DWG per view or sheet. This site does not read RVT files, but it opens the exported DWG in a browser tab to check it.

Why RVT to DWG is an export, not a conversion

An RVT file stores walls, doors, floors, and their parameters as objects in a database. A DWG stores lines, arcs, text, and blocks. There is no one-to-one translation, so Revit draws the chosen view (a floor plan, a section, an elevation, a 3D view) into DWG geometry. Ten views make ten DWG files, or one DWG per sheet if you export sheets.

That is also why no tool can take an RVT and hand back "the DWG". You decide what to export: plans for a consultant, elevations for a planning submission, a 3D view for a visualization team.

Export RVT to DWG in Revit, step by step

1. Open the RVT and go to File > Export > CAD Formats > DWG.
2. In the export dialog, choose "Select export setup" and open the setup editor. On the Layers tab pick a standard (AIA is the usual choice in the US) so walls, doors, and dimensions land on predictable layers.
3. On the Units & Coordinates tab set the DWG unit to match what the recipient expects, millimeters or inches, and choose shared or internal coordinates.
4. Back in the dialog, pick the views and sheets to export. You can save the selection as a set for next time.
5. Click Next, choose a folder and the DWG version under "Files of type". Older versions open in more programs.
6. Untick "Export views on sheets and links as external references" if you want one self-contained DWG per sheet.

Converting a Revit file to DWG without Revit

Revit is the only program that reads RVT natively, so every route without it still runs Revit somewhere. The practical options:

• Ask the author for DWGs. It takes them a minute with a saved export setup, and they know which views matter.
• Revit trial. Autodesk offers a time-limited trial, enough to export a set of views from one project.
• Cloud conversion services. Some online converters run the export on their servers. You upload the whole building model, which is often confidential, and you rarely control the layer setup.
• IFC instead of RVT. If the author can export IFC, open-source tools such as FreeCAD and BlenderBIM read it, and FreeCAD can produce 2D views from it.

RVT files are also version-locked: a model saved in a newer Revit will not open in an older one. If an export fails, the version is the first thing to check.

Common problems in exported DWGs

• Everything on one layer or on layers named by category numbers. The export setup was left on defaults; choose a layer standard and export again.
• Hatches as thousands of lines. Revit fill patterns can export exploded. Set them to export as hatches in the setup.
• Wrong scale. The DWG unit did not match the project. A 3000 mm wall that measures 118 is in inches.
• Empty-looking file. A sheet export puts the content into a paper-space layout and model space may look empty. Export the individual views if the recipient works in model space.

Check the exported DWG in the browser

Drop the DWG on dwgviewer.app before sending it on. The layers panel shows at once whether the layer standard was applied, the measure tool confirms the units, and the status bar entity count warns you about exploded hatches. The viewer displays model space only, which is another reason to export plan views rather than sheets for checking.

Nothing is uploaded: the drawing is read in the browser tab and disappears when you close it. If you need the drawing in a different CAD format next, the DWG converter overview lists every direction, and what is a DWG file explains versions.

Frequently asked questions