Issue:

After installing or reinstalling Revit or Revit LT, templates and/or family files, libraries appear to be missing and cannot be loaded into the project. 

Solution:

Revit Template Troubleshooting Guide - New!

Use the link preceding to access a form setup to guide you to the right information/solution related to installing/accessing default Revit family content.

---------------------------------------------------------

Revit 2021 and Newer

There was a change in how the library content is installed and only a minimal set of content is installed with Revit. To load additional family/template content, there are a few options:

  • The Load Autodesk Family command (available in Revit 2021.1 and later) provides the ability to load individual families from the cloud. For more information on this new feature, see the following from the Revit Blog: New Technology Preview Now Available: Load Autodesk Family.
  • Templates and Family Templates included in Essential Content can only be installed through the installer for Revit 2022.
    • If a deployment was used and essential content removed, the MSI has to be run separately.
    • Example: For US essential contents run, the RCLEENU.msi from <deployment name>\image\RVT_2022_en-US\x64\RCLEENU\
  • Download the content from AKN: How to download Revit Content.
Note: If extraction of downloaded files fails, Run the Extraction as Admin (Right-click, Run as Admin).
 

Revit 2020 and Older

Templates and family content can be configured during the Revit installation. If this content was not installed as expected, review the steps in the video or follow the written instructions below the video:


Download the Content

Download and extract the content using the links in the article: How to download Revit Content.
Note: If a version prior to 2016 is needed, see the Alternative Instructions section below.


Update Revit Options

If family content (or project templates) still does not exist in Revit, review the steps in the video or follow the written instructions below the video:

Perform these steps to set the correct paths to the content within Revit:

  1. Open Revit.
  2. Go to the Revit Options > File Locations.
Note: Windows must have Show Hidden Files and Folders enabled:  Show hidden files.
  1. Click the Green + sign, and enter the desired default project template. Project templates are located by default in the following folder: C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\RVT ####\Templates\US Imperial\
Note: The Architectural template file is named "Default.rte".
  1. Set the default path for family template files to the following: C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\RVT ####\Family Templates\English_I
  2. Click Places.
  3. Set the Library Path for the Imperial Library (or just Library) to the following: C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\RVT ####\Libraries\US Imperial
  4. Set the Library Path for the Imperial Detail Library (or just Detail Library) to the following: C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\RVT ####\Libraries\US Imperial\Detail Items
  5. Click OK.
  6. Then click OK again.
Note: In the paths listed, replace #### with the product version, and replace RVT with the specific product (for example, RLT for Revit LT, RAC for Revit Architecture, etc.), and replace US Imperial / English_I with the specific language.

 

Alternative Instructions

For situations where downloading using the links in the How to download Revit Content article are not working:
  1. From the Control Panel, select Uninstall a program (if in the Category view) or Programs and Features (if in the Icon view).
  2. Select the Autodesk Revit Content Libraries #### for the specific version.
Note: Substitute #### with the product version.
  1. Choose Uninstall/Change.
  2. When prompted, click Uninstall and follow the prompts to finish uninstalling the Content Library.
  3. Run the original Revit installer (USB Media or download).
Note: Re-download it again if the installer doesn't exist, avoid using the Install Now option in Autodesk Account. Switch to Download Now and download the installer instead. If the Download Now option does not display, switch to the Multi-language version in the drop-down menu.
  1. If it is not already checked, check the box next to Content Library.
Note: The installer finds that Revit is already installed and the option to install Revit will be unchecked. However, since the Content Library is not loaded this option should be checked by default, but sometimes it may not be.
  1. Click the drop-down menu near the checkbox to control which content will be installed.
Note: If the content is blank here as well, this indicates that there is a problem with the installer, Try downloading it again (avoiding the Install Now option) and try again.
  1. Verify that the desired content is listed and checked, collapse the content installer options, and click Next.
  2. Wait for the content to download.
Notes:
  • Depending on Internet speed, content download may take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. If the content is not being downloaded, security/antivirus software may be preventing the download. If so, temporarily deactivate applications or security settings (antivirus, firewall, proxy server settings, etc.) which might block the download.
  • For older product versions, uninstall the content library entirely through the Control Panel > Programs and Features, then reinstall from the original installation media.
  • If the normal uninstall option fails (above):
  1. Use the Autodesk Uninstall Tool to remove the libraries.
  2. If the uninstall tool is not able to remove the content library, try using the Windows Uninstall Tool.
  3. If the content library is removed (no longer shows up in Programs and Features Control Panel after a refresh), continue with reinstalling the Revit content (by running the Revit installation again).