Shortcuts in Revit you must use

Skill level: novice

Product: all Revit platform

What are "Shortcuts"?

"Shortcuts" (or "hotkeys", "fastkeys", "shortkeys") are key combinations, which allow you to use functions in applications faster by pressing buttons on your keyboard. These combinations increase your speed and productivity by minimizing amount of mouse moving and clicking.

Short keys are based on the names of the commands in Autodesk Revit. For example, function "Door" corresponds a short key "DR", for a "Grid" - "GR", and so on. Buttons  should be pressed one-by-one, at first - letter "G", and then "R". You don't need to push "Enter", Space or nothing else. After pressing second button function activates immediatly.

In my every Revit courses (I'm certified Autodesk Revit instructor) I pay much attention to on using these keys, because they can improve your workflow and make it faster and convinient. To help Revit starters in using them, I've make this short list of my own Revit most useful short keys. Of corse, this is only a small part of keys you are able to use, but I believe it can be useful during your first Revit steps.

Basic

CS - Create Similar

Very fast creation of objects, similar to existing ones.

It's a good feature to create new objects based on existing ones with their properties. Simply select object, press CS and place new with type and properties of inital.

Tab - selecting chain or overlaping objects

Allow you to switch objects under mouse arroy (if there are some), or chain of linear construction (e.g. lines, walls, pipes, ducts and so on. Indespensable for MEP engineers

Enter - repeating last action

Sometimes it can be useful. But is necessary to remember that works a little bit different, that in AutoCAD - not all actions can be repeatable.

VG - Visiblity/Graphics

Helpful combination that opens window Visiblity/Graphics. It can override visiblity options for active view.

TR - Trim

Useful feature for working with linear objects. With this cool cut tool you simply click on a parts of object you want to trim and recieve correct joint.

TL - Thin Lines

Activates Thin lines mode (like in AutoCAD), so its handy to work in TL while you zooming to close a part of a view (for exemple, for fix wall connection errors).

DI - Alined dimension

Placing parralel dimension without necessity of pressing the button on the Annotation tab or on a Quick access bar

Windows managing

WT - Tile Windows

Automatically places opened window tile-like in the Revit window. Active window becomes top left. Very useful with ZA (look down).

ZA - Zoom All to Fit

Fits all data on a view to its window. As I said before, I usually use it in pair with WT (look up).

ZF - Zoom to Fit

Fits data to window like ZA, but only for a current view.

Ctrl+Tab - Swiching windows

Like Alt+Tab in Windows switches applications, this combination switches Revit views. By the way, it works almost in all Windows-based software.

Ctrl+Shift+Tab - Swiching windows (back to front)

The same, but in back direction.

HH - Hide Element

One of my favorite key. Temporary hide is an opportune to switch off selected object (or several objects) on a view for a time. For example, it can be useful when you want to see objects behind a wall or under a floor/roof. This feature doest't affect on print or export, so that's why while something is temporary hidden there is a blue border inside of your window.

HI - Isolate Element

Like HH temporary hides selected objects, HI isolates selected ones. It's good when you want to review only a part of construction. Also doest't affect on print or export settings.

HR - Reset Temporary Hide/Isolate

Cancels temporary hiding or isolation

Other

KS - Keyboard Shortcuts

Opens Short keys managment window, where you can customise almost all listed combinations.

Added

I also involve to this post self-added combinations. Of corse, you can greatly extend it as you want - here are only a few combinations.

JO - Join Geometry

Geometry join tool. Useful for fixing objects joining issues.

SE - Section

Sections creation.

Now that's all. I hope, you could find something useful for you!

Please lease leave your favorite short keys in comments - most useful I'll add to that list with pleasure.

Yours respectfully,
Alexander Vysotskiy
leading BIM engineer of PSS
Revit training, consulting, families creation
e-mail: me@AVysotskiy.com
Skype: VisikPro
Blog: http://AVysotskiy.blogspot.com/