This step-by-step tutorial shows architects how to install and use the RunDiffusion Revit plugin for AI rendering and architectural visualization. You will connect your account, select a BIM project view, capture the framing, describe the visual direction, and review the generated result.
This guide follows the current RunDiffusion Revit plugin demo from sign-in through Studio review. It also explains how personal and team accounts affect token use, where the Revit panel keeps results, and how to send a selected render to your RunDiffusion workspace.
Quick Answers
- Access. RunDiffusion for Revit is available on Autodesk Marketplace. Install it directly; no access request is needed.
- Supported versions. One installer supports Autodesk Revit 2024, 2025, 2026, and 2027.
- Source views. The plugin can render 3D views, sections, and elevations.
- Generation. Choose a view, capture the framing, select an image model, write a prompt, set the output options, and select Generate.
- Results. Review source and generated images in Studio. Use Send to RunDiffusion when you want the selected result in your RunDiffusion workspace.
What RunDiffusion for Revit supports
- Sketch to render. Turn a shaded or low-fidelity Revit view into a presentation-ready visual guided by your prompt.
- View-based generation. Use a 3D view, section, or elevation as the source.
- Multiple image models. Choose from the image models available in the Tool menu without leaving Revit.
- Personal and team accounts. Switch the account used for tokens and shared RunDiffusion workspace access.
- Local review and reuse. Open results in Studio, keep them in the on-machine Library, reuse one as a reference, or send it to RunDiffusion.
For a broader look at where the plugin fits, see AI architecture plugins for Revit and design tools.
Requirements
- RunDiffusion for Revit, installed from Autodesk Marketplace.
- A RunDiffusion account with an active subscription and available tokens.
- Autodesk Revit 2024, 2025, 2026, or 2027.
- The RunDiffusion Revit plugin installed for the Revit version you use.
- A Revit project with a 3D view, section, or elevation to render.
Generation uses tokens from the personal or team account selected in the plugin. Confirm the active account before starting a render.
Install the RunDiffusion Revit plugin
Installation step 1: Install from Autodesk Marketplace
Close Revit, then install RunDiffusion from its Autodesk Marketplace listing.
Installation step 2: Install the plugin
One installer supports Autodesk Revit 2024, 2025, 2026, and 2027. Restart Revit after installation.
Installation step 3: Restart Revit
Open Revit after installation and confirm that RunDiffusion appears in the ribbon. You can now open Settings and connect your account.
Connect RunDiffusion to Revit
Step 1: Open RunDiffusion Settings
Open the RunDiffusion tab in the Revit ribbon and launch RunDiffusion Settings. On the Connection tab, select Sign in.
Step 2: Approve the device connection
A browser authorization page opens while the plugin displays a temporary device code. Confirm that both codes match, then select Allow. If they do not match, cancel the request and restart sign-in from Revit.
Wait for the browser to confirm that RunDiffusion is connected to Revit, then return to the plugin.
Step 3: Choose the RunDiffusion account
Open Account in the RunDiffusion panel. Use Personal to render from your personal workspace, or select Change to choose an available team account. The selected account supplies the tokens used by the render.
Create an AI render from a Revit view
Made with RunDiffusion
Compare façade materials
One captured office view, explored in limestone and terracotta. Studio keeps the source and generated option side by side.
Made with RunDiffusion
Add landscape and context
Explore a buff-brick finish and planted campus around a captured office view, then review the result beside its source in Studio.
Made with RunDiffusion
Explore an evening lighting concept
Visualize warm interior and entrance lighting against a blue-hour sky, using the captured office view as a reference.
Step 4: Pick the source view
Open Render and select Pick a view. Choose the 3D view, section, or elevation you want to render, then select Use view. The selected view appears in Preview.
Step 5: Frame and capture the view
Adjust the framing in Preview. Use Match output when you want the preview shape to follow the selected output ratio, then select Capture this framing. The capture is added as a reference for the generation.
You can also add references from the RunDiffusion library, Uploads, or a local file.
Step 6: Configure the AI render
Choose an image model from Tool, enter the prompt, select the output size and aspect ratio, and complete the available tool settings. The estimated token cost appears beside the selected options.
The demo uses the prompt: Render this door in an Art Deco style.
Step 7: Generate and watch the progress
Select Generate. A progress strip appears at the top of the panel, and the running job count appears at the bottom. You can keep working in Revit while the job runs in the background.
Review, share, and reuse the result
Step 8: Compare the result in Studio
When the render finishes, Studio shows the source view beside the generated output. Use Open Source or Open Result to inspect either file, Open Folder to view the local files, or Send to RunDiffusion to add the selected result to your RunDiffusion workspace.
Step 9: Open the local Library
Open Library to browse renders kept on this machine. Select Open to inspect a result, Reference to use it in another generation, or Folder to locate its files.
For team review, send the result to RunDiffusion and then follow the RunDiffusion Miro plugin tutorial to place it on a Miro board.
Prompt tips for Revit AI renders
- Name the target. Identify the façade, room, entrance, massing study, material, or lighting condition you want to change.
- State the visual direction. Describe the architectural style, materials, time of day, weather, landscape, and level of realism.
- Protect important geometry. Tell the model to preserve the camera, massing, window layout, floor count, or other elements that should remain consistent.
- Change one decision at a time. Keep the source view and most settings fixed when comparing materials, styles, or lighting directions.
Example: Render this entrance in an Art Deco style. Preserve the camera, building massing, window layout, and street geometry. Add dark bronze metalwork, geometric glazing, warm stone trim, and late-afternoon light.
Troubleshooting
The RunDiffusion tab is not visible in Revit
Confirm that the plugin is installed for a supported Revit version and that Revit was restarted after installation.
The device codes do not match
Do not approve the request. Cancel it, return to RunDiffusion Settings, and start sign-in again to generate a new code.
The wrong account or token balance is shown
Open Account or RunDiffusion Settings and switch between Personal and the correct team account. Refresh the account if the balance does not update.
The capture area changed
If you change the output ratio or preview shape after capturing, reset the framing and select Capture this framing again so the reference matches the intended output.
Generate is unavailable
Confirm that a supported view is selected, the prompt is present, a model and output are chosen, and the active account has enough tokens for the displayed estimate.
The result is not in the shared RunDiffusion workspace
Open the result in Studio and select Send to RunDiffusion. The Revit Library shown in this workflow contains renders kept on the current machine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Revit versions does the RunDiffusion plugin support?
The Autodesk Marketplace listing supports Autodesk Revit 2024, 2025, 2026, and 2027. One installer covers all four versions.
Which Revit views can I render?
You can use 3D views, sections, and elevations. Choose the view in Pick a view, then frame it in Preview before generating.
Which image models are available inside Revit?
The current beta page lists Nano Banana Pro, Nano Banana 2, and GPT Image 2.0. The Tool menu in your installed build is the source of truth for the models available to your account.
Does the plugin use my RunDiffusion tokens?
Yes. The render uses tokens from the personal or team account selected in the plugin. The estimated cost appears before generation.
Where are completed Revit renders stored?
The Revit Library in this workflow shows renders kept on the current machine. Use Send to RunDiffusion in Studio when you want a selected result in the RunDiffusion workspace for platform or plugin access.
Can I reuse a completed render as a reference?
Yes. Open Library and select Reference on the result, or add a reference from the RunDiffusion library, Uploads, or a local file in the Render tab.
Can the Revit plugin batch multiple views?
Yes. The current beta page lists batch rendering for sets of views or prompt variations. The exact controls may depend on the installed beta build.
AI rendering for Revit architecture workflows
A Revit AI rendering plugin is most useful when you need faster visual feedback without interrupting the BIM workflow. Keep the project view as the source, use the prompt to direct materials, lighting, landscape, and atmosphere, then compare the result with the original geometry in Studio.
AI-generated imagery is a visualization layer, not a replacement for design validation. Confirm dimensions, assemblies, code requirements, and constructability in Revit before treating any generated image as a design decision.
Early-stage massing and concept visualization
Use AI rendering for Revit during schematic design to turn shaded massing views into clearer architectural concepts. Capture one camera and generate controlled variations for façade rhythm, material direction, landscape character, daylight, or surrounding context. Keeping the same view makes the options easier to compare.
Façade, material, and lighting studies
Architectural visualization from Revit can help a team test how the same building reads in different finishes or conditions. Specify the element to change, name the material or lighting direction, and state which geometry must remain fixed. This is useful for façade reviews, entrance studies, exterior material palettes, and day-to-night presentation options.
Photorealistic Revit renders for design reviews
Once the camera and core geometry are established, use the plugin to create photorealistic Revit renders for internal reviews, client conversations, proposals, and early presentation boards. Generate multiple options from the same capture, then review the source and output side by side before choosing what to share.
From Revit rendering to team presentation
Send an approved result to RunDiffusion when it needs to move beyond the local Revit Library. Your team can then reuse the image in the RunDiffusion platform or place it on a Miro board for comparison, annotation, and presentation planning. This creates a practical AI architecture workflow from BIM view to shared visual review.
Continue learning about AI for architecture
Explore the RunDiffusion architecture guides for related rendering and visualization workflows, or use the AI architecture guide for architects to connect concept design, architectural rendering, prompts, and team workflows.
Start rendering from Revit
RunDiffusion for Revit is available on Autodesk Marketplace. Install it for your team, connect your existing account, and use the steps above to move from a Revit view to an AI-rendered concept.
Pick a model and start generating
These models are tuned for detail — open one and put this guide to work.
