To start finding and downloading Details from your firm's Library, follow these steps. You'll be searching and downloading within minutes.
This video walks through the complete end-user setup: logging in, installing the plugin, searching for Details, downloading into Revit, sharing via stashes, requesting content, and flagging details for review. The step-by-step text below covers everything in the video.
Step 1: Log In
Look for an invite email from [email protected]. Open it and follow the instructions to sign in at app.pirros.com.
The login page at app.pirros.com showing the email and password fields. Enter the credentials from your invite email and click Log In.
Step 2: Install the Revit Plugin
Not a Revit user? Skip to Step 4. You can search, browse, Stash, and download PDFs from the web app without the plugin.
Navigate to app.pirros.com/plugin and download the installer.
The plugin download page showing the installer button and supported Revit versions. Click Download and run the installer. Close Revit before installing — the plugin will not install properly if Revit is open.
After installation, open Revit. A new Pirros tab appears in the top ribbon:
The Revit ribbon showing the Pirros tab added after successful installation. If you don't see it, restart Revit.
One installer covers Revit 2020–2027. Revit 2020–2023 always run the classic plugin; Revit 2024–2027 run Pirros in Revit once it's enabled for your firm (until then, the classic plugin).
Which plugin do you have? Look at the Pirros tab in the Revit ribbon. A single Pirros button that opens a docked panel with Browse, Updates, Sync and Settings tabs means you have Pirros in Revit. Separate Sync, Download, Settings, Pirros and Live Link buttons mean you have the classic plugin. Don't go by the version number alone: on Revit 2020–2023 the classic plugin can show a 4.x version number.
Step 3: Log Into the Plugin
Not a Revit user? Skip to Step 4.
Pirros in Revit: in Revit, open the Pirros tab and click the Pirros button. The panel opens docked to the side of the Revit window. Click the button again to hide it.
Login with the same credentials from Step 1 above.
The plugin login dialog. Enter your Pirros email and password, then click Sign In. You won't need to log in again for approximately 6 months.
Classic plugin: on the Pirros tab, click Settings → Login. A sign-in window opens; sign in with the same credentials from Step 1.
When it works, Revit shows Successfully Logged In, and from then on the classic plugin signs you in automatically each time Revit starts.
The classic plugin's Pirros button opens the Pirros website in your browser; it doesn't open a panel.
Step 4: Search for Details
Click Details in the top navigation bar. Type a keyword describing the detail you need and click Search.
The Details page with search results displayed as cards. Each card shows the Detail thumbnail, name, Project, and sheet number. Pirros searches view names, sheet names, titles on sheets, and annotation text to find relevant matches.
Typical Details vs All Details:
Typical Details — your firm's vetted, approved standards. These appear first in search and are recommended for reuse.
All Details — everything, including project-specific Details from uploaded past Projects. Use this view when searching for specific conditions from past work.
Step 5: Download Details into Revit
Not a Revit user? Skip to Step 6. You can download PDFs directly from the Detail preview without the plugin.
Select the Details you want by hovering and clicking the checkbox on each card. Then click Inset Details, then download them in Revit.
The Details page with three Details selected (checkmarks visible in top-right of cards) and the orange "Insert 3 Details" bar at the top. Click Insert Details to queue these Details for your Revit plugin.
What happens in Revit depends on your plugin:
Pirros in Revit: with Live Link on (the default, on the panel's Settings tab), the panel imports the Details into the active model automatically. Otherwise, open the panel's Browse tab, click Stashes, and click + Download in the Staged for download banner. You can also skip the website: search on the panel's Browse tab, then drag a result into your model or click its + Insert button.
Classic plugin: with Live Link connected, the Download Items window opens automatically; otherwise click Download ▸ Download on the Pirros ribbon tab. Review the Details and click Confirm.
If the Revit model isn't linked to a Pirros Project yet, the plugin asks you to link it first — see Link Your Revit Project to Pirros (Pirros in Revit and Classic Plugin). Details are upgraded to the Revit version you have open. If your Project Browser groups views into folders, new Details are sorted under --PIRROS IMPORTS--.
For the full download workflow, see Download Details from Pirros.
For step-by-step instructions for both plugins, see Get Details and Families into Your Revit Project (Pirros in Revit and Classic Plugin).
Step 6: Share Details with Colleagues
To collaborate on a set of Details before downloading, create a Stash. Stashes let you group Details together, share them with team members, and batch download or export to PDF.
If you use Pirros in Revit, your stashes are also in the panel, on the Browse tab under Stashes.
For step-by-step instructions, see Creating and Managing Stashes.
Step 7: Request Details and Projects from Admins
If you cannot find a Detail you need, request it from your Admin team.
Click Details in the left-side navigation, then Request Details at the top right
The Details page showing the Request Details button in the top right corner. Click it to submit a request to your Admin team.
To request an entire Project be uploaded:
Click Projects in the left-side navigation
Click + then Request Project and fill out the form
The Project request form where you enter the Project name, number, and a note explaining why you need it uploaded. Attach the Revit model and PDF drawing set if you have them.
For more info, see Request Projects to be Uploaded to Pirros and Request to Download Details.
Step 8: Flag Details for Review
If you find a Detail with an error or that needs updating, Flag it for your Admin team to review.
Click on the Detail to open it
Click the Flag icon at the top right
Describe the issue in the comment box
Click the send icon to submit
A Detail page with the Flag icon highlighted in the top right. Click it to open the Flag comment box where you can describe what needs to change.
Your Admins receive a notification and can update the Detail. You'll be notified when the Flag is resolved. For more info, see How to Flag a Detail for Review.
What Happens Next
After completing these steps, you have full access to your firm's Detail library. As your team uploads more Projects and builds the Typical library, the content available to you grows automatically. Check back regularly — new Details and Families are added as your firm's library evolves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I didn't receive an invite email. How do I get access?
A: Ask your firm's Pirros Admin to send you an invite. Check your spam folder for emails from [email protected]. If your firm uses SSO, go directly to app.pirros.com and sign in with your company credentials.
Q: Do I need to install the plugin to use Pirros?
A: No. The plugin is required only for downloading details into Revit. You can search, browse, create Stashes, Flag details, and download PDFs entirely from the web app at app.pirros.com.
Q: How do I know if a Detail is safe to use in my Project?
A: Details labeled as Typical Details have been vetted by your Admin team and are approved for reuse. Project Details from All Details may not be vetted — use them as reference and adjust for your Project's requirements.
Q: What if I can't find the Detail I need?
A: Try different search keywords, check the All Details view (not only Typical Details), and use Filters to narrow results. If the Detail doesn't exist in Pirros, submit a request to your Admin using the Request Details button.
Q: How often should I update the plugin?
A: The plugin auto-updates in most cases. Pirros in Revit has no update setting in the panel; updates install in the background on a schedule while Revit is closed. In the classic plugin, automatic updates are controlled by the Auto-update checkbox under Settings → About. If you're experiencing issues, go to app.pirros.com/plugin and install the latest version — it overrides the old one automatically. Close Revit before installing.