What the viewer is and what it is for
IFC viewer shows a building model in the IFC format directly in the browser, with no installation and no account.
You open a model from disk (without signing in), explore its elements and properties, isolate storeys, make a section, measure distances or show the floor plan. You can also show several models at once (federation) in shared coordinates. After signing in to IFC manager you also get server models, DXF export and the Coordination (BCF), IDS and AI assistant tools.
Everything is private and offline: parsing and rendering run in your browser and disk files are never uploaded.
When used without signing in, the viewer sends one body-less anonymous visit record. The server resolves only an approximate country, region and city from the IP locally; it does not store the actual IP or call an external geolocation service.
Two modes: without sign-in and IFC manager
The viewer works in two modes. You switch them with the button at the top right of the bar.
Anonymous mode
Opening and viewing models from disk: elements and properties, storeys, tree, sections, measuring, floor plan and federation. At the top right there is the IFC manager button (sign-in) and, once a model is loaded, a Home button (house icon) — it returns to the welcome screen.
IFC manager
Everything from anonymous mode and more: server models, DXF export, Coordination (BCF), IDS editor and AI assistant. The header turns orange and on the right there is the Sign out button.
Via IFC Access
The IFC manager button goes to the IFC Access sign-in page (password, MFA). The viewer itself never handles passwords. After signing out you return to the viewer welcome screen.
Orientation in the window
In the middle is the 3D scene, at the top the control bar and floating panels around it.
Top bar
On the left the Model, Filter, Panels menus; the Coordination, AI assistant and IDS tools only in IFC manager mode. On the right Help, the IFC manager / Sign out switch and, in anonymous mode, the Home button.
Floating panels
Loaded models, Storeys, Tree, Sections, Measure and the corner Floor plan window. They are toggled in the Panels menu.
Footer
Identification of each loaded model (name, version, author from the IFC).
Step by step
From loading a model to exporting the floor plan.
Load a model
In the Model menu you have these options:
- From disk: Open files or Attach files (several files at once) — without signing in.
- By drag & drop: drop
.ifcfile(s) anywhere onto the window. - From server (only IFC manager): pick a model from the list and choose Open (replaces the scene) or Attach (adds to the loaded ones).
During loading, progress is shown at the bottom (download and geometry processing).
Control the view
- Rotate: drag with the left mouse button.
- Pan: drag with the right mouse button.
- Zoom: with the mouse wheel.
Select an element and read its properties
Clicking an element highlights it and opens its attributes and property sets. Other elements dim (ghosting) so the selected one is clearly visible. Click outside the selection to clear it.
Filter elements by IFC class
In the Filter menu, tick to show and untick to hide elements of a given IFC class (walls, doors, windows). The Hide / Show all button toggles everything at once.
Work with storeys
In the Storeys panel you show or hide individual storeys, or with the Isolate button keep just one (the camera frames it). All storeys restores the whole model.
The corner Floor plan window shows up for single-storey models, or when you isolate one storey.
Make a section cut
In the Sections panel you enable a horizontal section (by height) and two vertical sections (X and Y direction). You change the position with the slider, flip the cut side with the button, and Clear all sections turns them off.
Measure distances and areas
In the Measure panel, by clicking in the model you measure edge lengths, distances, areas and volume. It is handy for a quick dimension check.
Show the floor plan and export DXF
The corner Floor plan window shows a plan section with room labels and is available even without signing in. In IFC manager mode it additionally gains the Plain DXF (the server assembles a plain drawing for CAD) and DXF drawing (a drawing on a standard sheet, to scale, with a corner title block) buttons.
DXF export is an IFC manager feature and is processed by the server. A server model is used directly; a disk model is sent to your server for DXF only after your consent, processed and immediately deleted. In anonymous mode the DXF buttons are not shown.
Show multiple models (federation)
With the Attach button you add another model to the scene in shared coordinates. In the Loaded models panel you toggle visibility of each or detach it. The base model cannot be detached, only replaced by opening a new one.
Turn panels on and off
In the Panels menu you turn individual panels and overlays on or off: Loaded models, Storeys, Tree, Sections, Measure, Floor plan, Coordinates.
More tools
After signing in to IFC manager you have three separate tools above the open model in the top bar. Each has its own help. They are not shown in anonymous mode.
Issues (BCF)
Defects and issues tied to model elements, shared via the BCF standard. Coordination help ↗
Questions about the model
Ask about the model in natural language. The assistant only reads, it never changes the model.
Data standards
An authoring editor of requirements (buildingSMART IDS) and model checking. IDS help ↗
Common situations
| Situation | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| The model did not load | Unsupported or corrupted file | Verify it is a valid .ifc (2x3 / 4 / 4x3). |
| The corner Floor plan window is not shown | The model has multiple storeys stacked above each other | In the Storeys panel Isolate one storey. |
| The DXF buttons are not visible | Anonymous mode | DXF export is an IFC manager feature — sign in with the IFC manager button. |
| Coordination, IDS or AI is missing | Anonymous mode | These tools are available only after signing in to IFC manager. |
| The scene went dark after a section | Conflict between the section and the grid | The grid hides automatically during a section; turn the section off with Clear all sections. |
| An attached model is somewhere else | A different coordinate base of the model | Federation uses a shared base; small offsets come from the model data. |
Glossary
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| IFC | An open format for exchanging building models (Industry Foundation Classes). |
| Federation | Showing multiple models at once in shared coordinates. |
| Element | A single object in the model (wall, door, window), with attributes and properties. |
| Property set (Pset) | A group of data about an element, for example Pset_WallCommon. |
| GlobalId | An immutable element identifier in IFC; elements are recognized across tools through it. |
| Storey | A building level (IfcBuildingStorey); it can be shown, hidden or isolated. |
| Section | A plane that cuts away part of the model and reveals the inside. |
| Ghosting | Dimming inactive elements so the selected one stands out. |
| Floor plan / DXF | A horizontal section with labels; .dxf is a drawing format for CAD. |