To add individual Revit families (.rfa files) to Pirros, upload them through the Families page. Before uploading, configure your thumbnail preview settings to control how families appear.
Prerequisite: You need the Admin role with Create/Upload Families permission.
Step 1: Configure Thumbnail Preview Settings
Set your preferred thumbnail style before uploading — this controls how families appear in Pirros.
Click the gear icon to open Settings
The Settings dropdown accessed via the gear icon. Click it to open the settings page.
Click Uploads → Thumbnail Previews in the left sidebar
The Uploads settings with the Thumbnail Previews option. Click it to configure how family thumbnails are generated.
Configure these thumbnail options:
Visual Style — how the family is rendered:
The Visual Style options for thumbnail previews. Choose between wireframe, hidden line, shaded, or realistic styles depending on how you want families to appear.
Detail Level — geometry complexity:
The Detail Level options: Coarse, Medium, or Fine. Higher detail levels show more geometry but may render slower for complex families.
3D View Angle — the camera angle for all thumbnails:
The 3D View Angle options showing different camera perspectives. Choose the angle that best represents your families.
Custom Appearance by Category — override settings for specific family categories:
The Custom Appearance section allowing different thumbnail settings per Revit family category (e.g., casework, doors, furniture). Use this when certain categories need a different view angle or style than the default.
Important: Thumbnail settings only apply to families uploaded after the change. Previously uploaded families keep their original thumbnails unless re-uploaded.
Step 2: Upload RFA Files
Navigate to the Families page and click + New Family
The Families page with the + New Family button in the top right. Click it to open the upload interface.
Drag and drop RFA files (or entire folders) into the drop zone on the left
The upload interface showing the drag-and-drop zone on the left and the Select Directory option. Drag RFA files or folders here, or click Select Directory to browse your file system. If a family has a .txt type catalog file, select both files together to keep them linked.
As Pirros scans the files, families appear on the right side
The upload interface with scanned families listed on the right side. Each family shows its name and detected types.
Step 3: Assign Families Before Upload
Choose where the families should live — Typical library or a specific project:
Click the checkbox at the top left to select all families, then click Assign Project
The family list with the select-all checkbox and Assign Project button. Select the families you want to assign, then click Assign Project to choose their destination.
Select Typical Families or a specific project, then click Save
The project assignment dialog showing Typical Families and project options. Select where these families should be stored and click Save.
Finish Uploading
Click Upload at the bottom to start processing:
The Upload button at the bottom of the upload interface. Click it to begin processing. Family uploads are typically faster than detail uploads due to smaller file sizes.
What Happens Next
Uploaded families appear on the Families page with thumbnails rendered using your configured settings. Your team can search for, browse, and download them immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I change thumbnail settings after uploading?
A: Thumbnail settings only apply to new uploads. To update thumbnails for existing families, re-upload them after changing the settings.
Q: What if my family has a .txt type catalog?
A: Select both the .rfa file and the .txt file together when uploading. This keeps the type catalog linked to the family so all types are available in Pirros.
Q: Why do some family thumbnails look blank?
A: System families (walls, floors, curtain walls) often generate poor default thumbnails due to Revit limitations. Upload a custom thumbnail image from the family's full page to replace it.
Q: Can I upload families from ACC instead of drag-and-drop?
A: The Families upload page supports drag-and-drop and directory selection from your local machine. For families inside Revit models hosted on ACC, use the RVT model upload workflow instead — see Uploading RVT Models Containing Families.