Revit Print at 100%: Keep Sheet and View Scales Correct
For scale-critical Revit sheets, Autodesk recommends printing at 100% and matching the printer paper size to the sheet title block.
Beginner takeaway: 100% preserves the sheet’s intended physical size; Fit changes it.
What you need to understand first
Revit view scales are meaningful only when the sheet itself is output at the intended physical size. A printer mismatch can silently make every view scale wrong on paper.
- Autodesk explicitly recommends 100% when using the scales listed in view properties.
- The printer paper should match the title-block size when printing sheets at 100%.
- Fit is intended for situations where exact scale is not critical.
Related guides: Revit Title Block and Paper Size Do Not Match: How to Fix Printing, CAD Plot Scale: Metric, Architectural & Engineering, and AutoCAD PDF Is the Wrong Scale: How to Fix It.
Step-by-step workflow
Step 1 — Identify sheet size
Where: Title block
Do this: Confirm A1, ARCH D, etc.
Check: Physical target is known.
Step 2 — Select matching printer paper
Where: Print Setup > Paper
Do this: Choose the same sheet size.
Check: No automatic reduction required.
Step 3 — Set Zoom
Where: Print Setup > Zoom
Do this: Choose 100%.
Check: Revit does not fit/enlarge the sheet.
Step 4 — Preview/output PDF
Where: Print Preview or PDF
Do this: Check complete border.
Check: Sheet fits at true size.
Step 5 — Measure hardcopy
Where: Physical output
Do this: Measure one known dimension or scale bar.
Check: Printed scale is correct.
What usually goes wrong
| What you see | Likely layer | First check |
|---|---|---|
| Everything too small | Fit/reduced paper | Use matching paper + 100%. |
| Only one view wrong | View scale | Check that view, not print zoom. |
| PDF correct, paper wrong | Viewer/printer scaling | Use Actual Size. |
| Border clips at 100% | Printable area/title-block margin | Check device/paper compatibility. |
Practical example
A Revit A1 sheet contains plans at 1:100 and details at 1:20. Printing that A1 sheet to A3 with Fit makes both scales invalid on paper. Print to A1 at 100% for the issue set; create a separately labeled reduced reference copy when needed.
What not to do
- Do not write ‘1:100’ on a sheet and then issue a Fit-to-page hardcopy without clearly marking it reduced.
- Do not change individual view scales to compensate for reduced print paper.
- Do not assume the PDF viewer uses 100% automatically.
Good office standard
Issue PDFs and hardcopies at real sheet size/100%, and mark reduced reference prints clearly when they are intentionally not to scale.
Quick verification before you move on
- Use one representative drawing or sheet, not a production batch.
- Verify page size, orientation and a known dimension.
- Compare Preview/PDF with the physical output when a printer is involved.
- Save the setting or set only after the result is repeatable.
Official references
Frequently asked questions
Why does Autodesk recommend 100%?
It preserves the sheet’s intended physical size so listed view scales remain valid.
When is Fit acceptable?
When scale is explicitly not critical, such as a reduced reference print.
What if the border clips at 100%?
Check the selected printer’s printable area and the title-block safe margin rather than reducing the sheet automatically.
Explore more in Revit Printing & PDF Guide.