Explore the step-by-step process of setting up a direct link between Revit and Twinmotion, including ensuring the 3D view includes all necessary details for a seamless transition. Discover the built-in functionality for Twinmotion, using plugins and understanding the difference between an initial link and a sync.
Key Insights
- Before setting up a direct link between Revit and Twinmotion, it's important to ensure all necessary 3D details are included in the Revit view, such as scene detail at a high level.
- Built-in functionality for Twinmotion is available in Autodesk's Revit 2025-2026. For older versions, a Datasmith exporter for Revit can be downloaded from the Epic Games Twinmotion site.
- Understanding the difference between an initial link and a sync is crucial. The initial link establishes the connection and brings the full model across, while syncing pushes updates without rebuilding the entire file.
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Now that we've cleaned up our Revit view, let's actually set up the direct link. So again, before we set up the direct link, let's make sure that everything that is in this 3D view, including the scene detail at a high level, again, for example, usually fine includes door handles, but if I go to medium, it removes those. We want to make sure that we're kind of at fine, so it includes all the 3D pieces that we want.
We want to make sure everything is in here that we want to bring in. And then if we go up to view, and you can see here on this ribbon, there is a built-in functionality for Twinmotion. As of Twinmotion, or as of Revit 2025-2026, Autodesk created a, you know, signed a contract with Twinmotion to allow Twinmotion or to bring Twinmotion into Revit to create the synergy between them.
And they've also given Twinmotion free included in the Autodesk package, which is really great news, and I love to see Autodesk putting effort into, you know, third-party applications. If you do not see this in your model, you can actually go into your web browser, and you can go into your, or Epic Games, or you can go into your Epic Games launcher. You can search for Epic Games launcher, and you can actually pull up Twinmotion, and if you scroll down to plugins, you can download the plugins, and that'll link you to the Epic Games Twinmotion site, where here is, you can download the Datasmith exporter for Revit.
So it's built into Revit 2024 and higher, no download required, but if you're using an older version of Revit, you can download that here on this site, Twinmotion, and that's US slash plugins. Okay, let's go back to Revit, make this full screen. So once you click on this, this will actually open it, and click this little arrow down below, it'll open up a series of settings.
So one click, you can open up this 3D view directly into Twinmotion, and then down here, this is where you would sync, and set it up if you want to sync this over. So say you made a modification in Revit, you just click this button, and it'll re-sync it directly into that. You could export a Datasmith file, so you can have it separately if you ever want to use it again, without having Revit open, and then you have your different export settings.
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This kind of gives you what is the scale for this, just your level, tessellation, I usually keep things all at the standard setting. It's important to understand the difference between an initial link and a sync. So the initial link is like opening the door, it establishes the connection, and brings the full model across.
After that, syncing is like refreshing the model, you're just pushing updates without rebuilding the entire file. One tip here, try not to work in Revit with multiple views open that show unnecessary categories. Stick to your Twinmotion export view when linking, so you don't accidentally bring across things like additional pieces.
So I want to make sure that when I'm when I'm linking this, that I have this view only. I don't accidentally relink one of these other views that I don't want. So I would close out of those other views, so I only have the 3D view Twinmotion export.
And another best practice is to save your Revit file before syncing. If something goes wrong, you'll always have a clean checkpoint to return to. And remember, syncing is one way.
You're pushing data from Revit into Twinmotion. Any changes that you make inside Twinmotion, like replacing materials or adding furniture, won't travel back into Revit. So keep that in mind.
So let's right now, let's let's click the Twinmotion button here. Let's make sure that our 3D view is set up. Our detailing is that fine.
All of our visibility is set up how we want. I'm not worried about this level as this will not carry through or any reference lines. So let's click this Twinmotion button right here and open in Twinmotion.
And as that opens, I will see you in the next video as we will explore what that looks like when that is being brought in.
