Revit 2026 rotate tool

[ChrisOsborne]

Is there a way to have the rotate tool in Revit 2026 default to "Centre" rather than "Place"? 

Each time I use the tool it defaults back to "Place"

[RuoqianLu]

Yes, the improvement to remember Rotate setting released with 2026.1. Thanks for testing!

[kent123]

Thanks for taking note,

Issues are still not resolved after Revit 2026.2 unfortunately, in following threads:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/revit-architecture-forum/revit-2026-0-1-s-attached-detail-group-tool-...

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/revit-architecture-forum/revit-2026-0-1-s-group-tool-quot-converts-th...

[kent123]

Serious, why can't Revit 2026's new rotate's context tool 'Center' be made the ability to be assigned keyboard shortcut?

Autodesk can have more than thousands even infinite number of keys be assigned to tools, which is unique to all other competitor platforms.

Since, rotate's context 'Place' is the default, why not allow shortcut to be assignable for 'Center' to enable user to just activate by key without turning the eyes away from the main window & needing to activate that via Ribbon at top of the window....for a small move like that?

[arq_42]

Actually, you can, but it will take you 2 shortcuts to get it:

I explained it here 

on the shotcut assignment screen (KS), there are "Place center of rotation" and "Center of rotation on center of selection set" options

"Place center of rotation" allows you to launch the rotation tool with the "Place" option already active, regardless of the last time you used rotate.

Both, once the rotate tool is activated, allow you to switch between both modes (Selection or Center).

It would be great if "Center of rotation on center of selection set" also activated the rotate tool, you would save 1 shortcut.

Meanwile, I use them to switch between both options.

[kent123]

Thanks for that...so,

Ribbon's

'Place' is the short for 'Place center of rotation'

'Center' is the short for 'Center of rotation on center of selection set '

In fact, Autodesk has revised their command name once whereby for pre-2026's,

'Place center of rotation' was previously 'Define a new center of rotation'.

'Center of rotation on center of selection set' was previously 'Set the center rotation to the default position'.

Yeah, it is not a toggle where you'd only need a single key to activate either of the tool. Yes, it could remember the last selection…BUT it does not help if both ‘Place’ and ‘Center’ are both used equally in amount.

Autodesk is trying to satisfy both user's preferences as some prefer 'Place' and some prefer 'Center' as the primary default selection. 

Still it is a hassle needing to remember/decide, in split seconds, which one to choose from/which one is active at any one time during active workings. 2026 has added uncertainty, more steps & more keys required to do the most used second-nature rotate tool than the legacy toggle SPACEBAR tool from default selected object's rotation origin in all prior revisions (2025-2013). Frankly, WHY the change Autodesk? It is basically still doing the same thing and it seems it is not any better than the legacy rotate workflow.

It is a simple yet a crucial tool that we all use more than any other tools in Revit, which beg the need to have the easiest, shortest, quickest, and no-fuss path towards activating the tool.

Was thinking about a quick toggle key of hold+'CTRL' to toggle between 'Place' & 'Center'....BUT it has already be used within the same rotation tool for toggle between the options of whether or not to make copies for the object that is being rotated.

it seems there is no other choice but to have a shortcut key for each of the 2x context tools.....

Legacy pre-2026 rotate workflow is a no-brainer, it is swift and naturally 2nd-nature...but 2026's rotate has become non-toggle & mechanical, unfortunately. Any split seconds counts in saving steps/time.

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2026 has become either more mechanical and strapped with more hoops for user to jump through in order to execute a tool, for instance the simple rotate tool...OR 2026's core tools that no longer have the ability to be assigned a keyboard shortcut, like the following posts:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/revit-architecture-forum/revit-2026-0-1-s-attached-detail-group-tool-...

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/revit-architecture-forum/revit-2026-0-1-s-group-tool-quot-converts-th...

[kent123]

In response to previous for a CORRECTION, & to clear things out.

The rotate tool in 2026.2 still has the toggle via SPACEBAR to get focus back to the default tool. In 2026.2 case, the rotate's default context tool is 'Place', not 'Center'.

Therefore, one only need 1 keyboard shortcut to activate 'Center', and when needing to get back to default 'Place' just enter SPACEBAR, which is similar to pre-2026's rotate EXCEPT default has been flipped in 2026 to Center.

[kent123]

@arq_42,  I found that only need 1x key for 'Center'...whilst use SPACEBAR t toggle back to default 'Place'

[arq_42]

I wasn't aware of this option of using spacebar.

I've been trying, but I can only get it to switch from center to selection, but not vice versa.

My way of working is to use R3 as a shortcut to launch the tool in selection mode, and R4 to switch to center mode.

Once launched with R3, I can quickly switch between them hitting R3-R4-R3-...

(I chose 3 and 4 because they're next to R, and I can tap them quickly using my index and middle fingers.)

But again, yes, it should be able to be done faster.