How to export a Revit model to IFC (ISO 19650 ready)

IFC export is a mapping exercise, not a file conversion. The settings you pick decide whether the receiving team gets a usable federated model or a bag of generic solids.

Why there is no uploader on this page

RVT is a closed format that no browser can read, so an in-page converter would have to send your file to a server. The procedure below does the job properly in the application that owns the format — and where a browser-side route exists, it is linked underneath.

Converting RVT to IFC, step by step

1File → Export → IFC. Choose the schema the project's BIM Execution Plan names — usually IFC4 Reference View or IFC2x3 Coordination View 2.0.
2Open Modify setup: set the Project Origin (Shared coordinates for federation), and decide whether to export only elements visible in the view.
3Map categories to IFC classes on the Property Sets and Class Mapping tabs — unmapped families land as IfcBuildingElementProxy, which is what ruins most exports.
4Tick Export base quantities and the property sets the client asked for (COBie, IFC common).
5Set up a dedicated 3D view with only the elements to be issued, and export from that view rather than the whole model.
6Validate the result in a free viewer (usBIM, BIMcollab ZOOM, Solibri Anywhere) before issuing.

What to watch out for

Export from a 3D view named for the purpose — coordination, quantities, handover — because each needs different content.
Shared coordinates matter more than anything else: a correct model at the wrong origin is useless in the federated model.
Check the file size and element count against the source; a suspiciously small IFC means a view filter excluded content.

RVT — Revit model

Autodesk Revit's native BIM model — geometry plus parameters, phasing and relationships.

IFC — Industry Foundation Classes

The open, ISO-standard BIM exchange format required on most ISO 19650 projects.

Questions

Which IFC version should I export?

Whatever the BIM Execution Plan specifies. Where it is silent, IFC2x3 CV2.0 remains the most widely supported for coordination, and IFC4 Reference View for newer workflows.

Why are my elements IfcBuildingElementProxy?

Their Revit category has no IFC class mapping. Fix the class mapping table in the export setup, or set the IfcExportAs parameter on the family.

Can this be done in the browser?

No. RVT is a closed Autodesk format — exporting needs Revit itself. That is why this page is a procedure, not an uploader.

Does IFC round-trip back into Revit?

Not usefully. IFC is an exchange and coordination format; the imported result is not parametric. Keep the RVT as the source of truth.