How to change Revit units from feet to meters?

ByCADbrief Staff

Short Answer

To change revit units from feet to meters, use the project units command in Autodesk Revit. Go to the Manage tab, open Project Units, then change Length from Feet to Meters. This is the most common professional method for controlling display units across the project. It does not automatically rescale modeled geometry.

What You Need to Know Before

Warning: Changing project units in Revit usually changes how values are displayed, not the actual size of the model. A common failure happens when imported CAD files or incorrectly created families were modeled in feet but assumed to be meters, causing major scale mismatches.

How to Change Revit Units from Feet to Meters

  • Command: Project Units

  • Shortcut: UN

  • Quick Steps:

    1. Go to the Manage tab on the Ribbon, then click Project Units in the Settings panel.
    2. In the Project Units dialog, find Length and click the current unit format value.
    3. Change Units to Meters, adjust options like Rounding, then click OK.

Variables & Settings

  • Key Setting: Length unit format in the Project Units dialog

  • Expert Setting: The Rounding option affects how dimensions and properties are displayed. For metric workflows, setting appropriate decimal precision helps avoid misleading values during coordination, scheduling, and documentation.

Why it Fails

  • Cause 1 (Geometry): The model was originally created at the wrong size, so changing units only changes display values and does not correct geometry scale.

  • Cause 2 (layers/Locks): Linked DWG or Revit files may use different unit assumptions, creating coordination issues when host units are switched to meters.

  • Cause 3 (Command/Logic): Users expect Project Units to convert all dimensions physically, but Revit treats this as a formatting change for most project data.

Quick Fix & Best Practice

  • Quick Fix: Run Project Units with UN, set Length to Meters, then verify a known dimension using the Measure tool or a placed dimension.
  • Manager’s Verdict: Use this method for standard metric documentation and coordination, but do not rely on it to fix incorrectly scaled models or imported content.

FAQ

Does changing Revit units from feet to meters resize the model?
No, it normally changes display units only.

What is the Revit shortcut for Project Units?
The shortcut is UN.

Can I change only length units to meters in Revit?
Yes, you can change Length without changing all other unit categories.

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