Revit Phase Filters: Choosing the Right Filter for Renovation Views

Autodesk’s Revit 2026 documentation describes phase filters as rules that control how elements appear in a view according to their phase status. Filters determine how new, existing, demolished, and temporary elements are handled in a view. When preparing drawings that communicate different project states during renovation or phased construction, you need to choose an appropriate filter alongside the view’s phase. This guide is based on the default filters and phase statuses described in Autodesk’s official help.

1. Distinguish phase statuses before choosing a filter

In Revit documentation, “New” means that an element was created in the phase assigned to the view. “Existing” describes an element created in a previous phase that remains in the current phase. “Demolished” refers to an element created in a previous phase and demolished in the current phase. “Temporary” describes an element created and demolished in the same phase.

These statuses describe where the same element sits in the project timeline. So you need to consider both the stage represented by the view and the phase status of its elements. Filters organize the display according to these statuses; they do not change what the statuses mean.

Every view has a phase. Autodesk notes that a view can show one or more phases of the construction process. A working plan may have a different presentation purpose from a view of the completed project. Start by deciding which stage the drawing should communicate, then consider the element statuses and the filter to use.

2. Choose a default filter based on the view’s purpose

Revit’s default phase filters emphasize different statuses. The table below summarizes each option according to its definition in the official documentation. The “Suggested value” column is not a general Autodesk recommendation; it is a practical match between the view’s purpose and the filter.

Match your selection to the drawing’s purpose. For example, use Show New in a view focused only on newly added elements; use Show Demo + New when demolition and new construction need to be read together. Show Previous + New is another documented default for presenting the previous state alongside new work.

The None option does not mean an empty view or a view without phases. Without a phase filter, the view shows elements from all phases. Show Previous Phase may return no results at the start of a project: according to Autodesk, there is no previous phase in the first phase, so the filter shows no elements.

3. Consider visibility and graphic display separately

Which element statuses a phase filter shows and how those statuses are represented graphically are separate considerations. Autodesk’s Revit 2026 help states that, with the Show All filter, new elements use their category graphics settings, while existing, demolished, and temporary elements use the Graphic Overrides settings for phases.

The documentation gives the path to phase graphic overrides as Manage tab › Phasing panel › Phases › Graphic Overrides tab. You can use these settings to control the graphic representation of phase statuses in a view. Even when the filter makes the intended statuses visible, check separately whether the graphic distinctions in the drawing are clear.

This distinction matters in particular when presenting multiple statuses in the same view. Show All handles new, existing, demolished, and temporary elements under one filter, but the rules used to display them graphically differ. After choosing a filter, check how the phase statuses are represented in the view as well.

4. Validate the view step by step

1. Determine what stage the view represents. Decide whether the drawing should show the current state, demolition and new work, or the completed project. This makes it easier to select the appropriate default filter.

2. Review the view’s phase and the element statuses together. Assess model elements using the definitions of new, existing, demolished, and temporary. The view’s phase is important for understanding the scope of the filter.

3. Choose a filter that matches the purpose. Consider Show New for new elements only, Show Demo + New for demolished and new elements, and Show Complete for the completed project state.

4. Check the graphic settings. When using Show All, remember that existing, demolished, and temporary elements are displayed using phase graphic overrides. If needed, review the Graphic Overrides tab mentioned in the documentation.

5. Compare the result with the drawing’s purpose. Check whether the groups of elements shown communicate the intended project stage. If Show Previous Phase is selected, also check whether the view is in the first phase.

Common mistakes

• Choosing a filter by name without considering the view’s purpose: Default filters include different groups of elements, so choose according to the stage the drawing should communicate.

• Interpreting Show Demo + New as showing elements that will be demolished in the future: The documentation defines this filter as showing demolished elements and newly added elements.

• Assuming None is a filter that hides elements: None removes the phase filter from the view and shows elements from all phases.

• Expecting elements from a previous phase in the first phase: Show Previous Phase shows no elements in the first phase.

• Confusing the phase filter with the graphic display: Phase graphic overrides also need to be considered, especially with Show All.