The wait is finally over for all you Mac and Revit users thanks to Frame. No more Bootcamp, Parallels or switching between a PC and Mac, well, yes, but no. Autodesk don’t have a Revit for Mac version but there is an application called Frame that it can run through and Autodesk have certified it for Revit and AutoCAD. Run Revit On Mac. How to install Revit on a Mac NOTICE: It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you are on at least Mac OSX Sierra (10.12) with 8 GB memory (RAM) and 100 GB of storage (hard drive) to reduce problems with the VM This process will take a while and computer should be left on and awake.
Download a 30-day free trial of Revit. Autodesk provides software for students and educators worldwide. Software for Mac; Products by Industry.
Autodesk Revit is a BIM (Business information modeling) software that includes some high-level tools to make real-life architectural and constructional designs. Through this software, you have the liberty to bring down your imagination on a workspace.
Revit provides you the tools required in the construction of attractive building, functional and tough overview structures. The software is specially made for architects and engineers.
One can create impactful and detailed models and present them in a more engaging way. The design can be presented in an impressive visualization with its 3D modeling feature.
The software was developed by Charles River software, later known as Revit Technology further acquired by Autodesk in 2002. Along with its specialty to create some 3D and 2D models, its effective in building strong 3D visuals. You can put your ideas flexibly no matter how complex it is.
The software supports export and import in various file formats such as DGN, DWG, and IFC, etc. That’s is the reason for the software’s versatility. You can share your ideas with your colleagues and make a solid collaboration, even if they are working on other platforms.
Unfortunately, Autodesk Revit is not available for Mac. As a student, if you have purchased a mac for civil, or mechanical engineering, you might get into a shock after hearing this. But this is the fact. However, the fact doesn’t end here. There are remedies to get you recovered. Know more about Revit on Wikipedia.
Bootcamp, Virtual Box, and other popular Windows emulators can be used to run Autodesk Revit on MacOS. Because this software doesn’t have an official version for Mac computer, there is no other way to use it on Mac computers.
It’s been a long time since the Autodesk has provided support for AutoCAD in mac, but if we talk about Revit, still there is no native support in vision.
The good news is, we have got two ways through which you can use Autodesk Revit on Macintosh operating system.
These two methods however focus on making a Windows install in your Mac anyhow, rather than modifying the software in any way.
3 Best Ways to Run Autodesk Revit on MacOS?
Using Bootcamp
Bootcamp is the most preferred method to use Autodesk Revit if you are a Mac user. Apple allows the user to make partition of their hard drive and install Windows. It all happens with the Bootcamp support, which will let you boot into windows without any trouble.
At the same time, you can experience a Windows machine if you never did. The plus point is, the idea gives you a hassle-free true Windows experience without consuming RAM while running it as an application unlike in the case of Virtual Machine.
If you want to give Revit a try on a personal basis and not on an enterprise-level, you can go with this option. As a student, you can try dual booting through Bootcamp, no issue until Autodesk release support, but if you are a professional in this field or a part of a big organization, you may need to get a Windows machine.
How to boot into Windows through Bootcamp?
System Requirements:
- An Intel-based Mac with OS X version 10.6 or later.
- At least 4GB of RAM for a hassle-free experience
- At least 20 GB of available storage on the partition dedicated to Windows
- A USB flash drive that’s 8GB or larger.
- And most important that is enough time.
Step 1: Run the Bootcamp assistant and install any updates and firmware required to avoid any sort of trouble.
STEP 2: Get an official 64-bit ISO image of Windows. And create a Windows bootable media with the help of any software or the Bootcamp itself. To do that, you should choose “Create a Windows 7 or later version install disk” from the Select Tasks menu.
Bootcamp will most probably locate to the download folder. In case, if you have the ISO somewhere else, you can locate it by yourself. See that it will give you a message that your entire data will be lost in the flash drive. So, create a backup of your flash drive if you need and you are ready to continue. It will take not more than 20 minutes to set up the USB. Now you are ready to install Windows in your partition.
Step 3: Now either make the use of USB or directly use the ISO. Launch Bootcamp Assistant and click continue and let the application automatically recognize the ISO file on your system.
Step 3: It’s time to make a partition, so you should be precise and concerned about the fact that Windows takes almost 12-14 GB of space. You must not define the partition drive beneath at least 20 GB, so that you can get smoother experience in Revit.
Step 4: Proceed further by clicking the install button. After the Windows support software is downloaded, you can type your password in the popup to continue.
The computer will restart with the “choose your language” menu. Click install if all set and enter the product key if you have one, otherwise proceed. Select the version of Windows to be installed and click Next. Click on Custom: Install Windows only and select the “Drive 0 Partition X: BOOTCAMP”, and nothing else.
Windows 10 will be installed after several restarts. For the first time the Windows load up to the desktop, a popup to install Bootcamp software will appear. Simply install it.
Now switching back to mac OS or making frequent switches among the two is the easiest thing. Just restart your system and hold the option key to find icons for each operating system, and click the arrow to launch your preference.
Now it’s time to get Revit, which I suppose you will immediately head to the official website of Autodesk and download the software, make install and enjoy.
Using Virtual Machine
If you are not contented with the ideas of changing the boot menu to dual boot, which is obviously an all-new thing for a newbie user, you have another option available without manipulating with the boot menu. Despite Virtualizing entire PC, you may consider a virtual machine software such as VirtualBox or Parallel Desktop. You can create a Windows environment on your mac desktop.
All you need is a virtual box. Let’s go with Oracle VM VirtualBox which currently is most versatile in terms of availability. The software is available for Windows, Linux, Macintosh, and Solaris hosts. You can download the software from its official website.
How to install Virtual Machine on Mac?
Requirement:
- At least 4GB of RAM, recommended 8GB so that you can give 4GB to the virtual machine.
- At least 20GB of available storage.
- VM VirtualBox Software.
- Windows ISO image.
STEP 1: Install the Oracle VM VirtualBox. While installing, it will ask for some plugins to be installed. Make sure you install each of them.
STEP 2: Get an official 64-bit ISO image of Windows. You can get a 32-bit also but my preference is 64-bit.
STEP 3: In the menu, click on the Machine and choose the “New” option. A popup screen will come out asking you to fill the name of the machine, type of operating system and its version. Name it anything you want but in type, you will choose Microsoft Windows and you should specify the version you have downloaded the ISO of, and also if it’s 64-bit or 32-bit.
STEP 4: In the next screen you will be prompted to choose RAM size that you want to provide to the machine. Move the slider to at least 4GB.
STEP 5: The last thing you will be prompted to choose is a Virtual Hard Disk size. Feed it at least 20GB of free space continue. The popup will disappear moving you to the info of a Virtual Machine you have just created. Now it’s the time to start the Virtual Machine and install Windows in it.
STEP 6: Click on the Green arrow at the top to start the Machine. After that, you will be asked is to locate the Windows ISO.
Now make changes to the graphics configuration and network settings and you are ready for the windows installation. Your machine will open up with the Windows logo continuing to the installation screen. Now make changes to “choose your language” menu if needed otherwise
Click install if all set and enter the product key if you have one, else proceed. Select the version of Windows to be installed and click Next. Click on Custom: Install Windows only and select the only partition that appears.
Windows 10 will be installed.
You will have to download Revit inside the Windows box. If you have pre-downloaded it in your mac, sadly, there’s no way to import it inside.
Using Windows Emulator
Revit Software Student Download
You have another impressive option to easily run Autodesk Revit or any other Windows program on Mac. For that, you will have to find a good Windows emulator that can run on your system.
On the internet, you can find a lot of different options to choose from. In other words, you just have to install an emulator and then it will work as an operating system in the form of a software.
So, once you install the emulator, you have to install your Windows software and it will be ready to go. Some popular emulators which you can use are as follows.
Autodesk Revit For Mac Student Download
Popular Windows Emulators For Mac
- Crossover
- QEMU
Note: Using a Windows emulator will put extra load on your system. So, make sure to keep this thing in your considerations.
One more thing, don’t prefer Virtual Machine idea over the dual booting if you are very serious about using Revit. It can be a little painful.
Conclusion:
I hope you will now be able to use Autodesk Revit on your Mac. Share this article with others to help them too.