I still remember the look on the client’s face when I walked into the meeting carrying nothing but an iPad. No workstation laptop. No charger. Not even the usual “just in case” USB stick we all pretend we’ll use one day. Just an iPad. They raised an eyebrow like I’d shown up to a BIM review with a sketchbook. Fair reaction, Revit and tablets don’t exactly have a friendly history.

But then I opened the project. A full architectural model, walls, MEP routing, sheets, published views, spinning on a tablet like it was the most normal thing in the world. The client leaned in, touched the screen, and asked, “Wait… you’re running Revit on that?”

That’s the moment most people ask the same question: “Can you actually use Autodesk Revit on an iPad?” And the honest answer is yes, but not in the way people imagine. If all you need is quick access to your model, marking up issues, or checking details in the field, there’s a workflow for that. And if what you need is full Revit, modelling, families, parameters, add-ins, everything, you can do that too.

In reality, there are only two workflows that truly work today:
Workflow A: View & annotate using Autodesk’s mobile ecosystem
Workflow B: Full Revit through Vagon Cloud Computer, a complete Windows workstation streamed to your iPad

One is simple. The other is powerful. Ready for Workflow A?

Workflow A: View & Annotate

Before we talk about running “full Revit” on an iPad, it’s worth getting one thing out of the way: Revit doesn’t run natively on iPadOS. You can’t install it. You can’t open an .exe. And you definitely can’t expect a tablet to crunch a multi-gigabyte BIM model the same way your workstation does. But here’s the twist, for a lot of everyday tasks, you don’t need full Revit at all. Autodesk’s mobile ecosystem already gives you a surprisingly capable workflow for viewing, navigating, and marking up your projects right from the iPad.

Think of this as the “field-ready” version of Revit. You upload your RVT file to Autodesk Docs, BIM 360, or ACC, publish the views you want, and then open everything on the iPad using Autodesk’s mobil-e viewer. Suddenly you can walk through a building with your model in your hands, rotate a 3D view to show a clash, highlight a mistake, or drop an issue directly on an element, all without booting up a laptop.

And if you’ve got an Apple Pencil, the experience gets even better. Markups actually feel like markups instead of clumsy finger drawings. Issue tracking is quick. Comments sync to the cloud. Your team sees every change the moment you make it.

Of course, there are limits. You’re not editing geometry. You’re not loading families or adjusting parameters. You’re not doing documentation work or modeling ductwork on a 10-inch screen. This workflow exists for one purpose: move through your model, understand it, communicate changes, and capture issues instantly.

So when does Workflow A shine? Site visits. Client meetings. Coordination sessions. Quick design reviews when you don’t want to carry a workstation around. It turns your iPad into a lightweight BIM companion, not a replacement for Revit, but a surprisingly powerful extension of it.

And if you want to refine your workflow even further, taking a look at some top Revit plugins can make both mobile reviews and cloud sessions noticeably smoother.

Workflow B: Full Revit on iPad Through Vagon Cloud Computer

If you want the full Revit experience on an iPad, not a viewer, not a markup tool, but the actual desktop software with every command, every family, every add-in, the only practical way to do it today is with Vagon Cloud Computer.

Revit can’t run on iPadOS. It’s a Windows-only application built around keyboard, mouse, and GPU power. So instead of trying to force it onto a tablet, Vagon gives you a full Windows workstation in the cloud. You run Revit on that machine, and your iPad simply connects to it.

A lot of people compare platforms at this stage, and if you’re in that boat, this breakdown of Revit vs Rhino is a good reality check before choosing your workflow.

How It Works

You log into Vagon, start a high-performance Windows machine (with GPU), install Revit or use a setup you’ve already prepared, and open your RVT projects from Autodesk Docs, BIM 360, ACC, OneDrive, or your usual cloud storage. Nothing is stored on the iPad, all the processing stays inside Vagon’s computer, which is why even big models respond quickly.

On the iPad, you see your normal Revit workspace exactly as it is on a desktop. Same interface, same ribbons, same shortcuts, same plugins. It behaves like your workstation because it is a workstation, just accessed remotely.

What the Experience Feels Like

With a keyboard and mouse or trackpad connected, the whole setup feels surprisingly natural. You can model, adjust parameters, work on sheets, run add-ins, modify families, and handle MEP or structural workflows without limitations. It’s the full Revit environment, not a reduced version.

You’re basically carrying an iPad that can instantly turn into a full BIM workstation whenever you need it.

Where This Workflow Is Useful

Traveling. Working remotely. Visiting clients. Jumping between meetings. Making quick edits on-site. Checking a detail while you’re away from your main computer. Anywhere you need full Revit but don’t want to carry a heavy workstation laptop.

It’s not meant to replace your primary PC, it gives you a second one that fits in your bag.

What to Keep in Mind

You’ll want a stable internet for the smoothest experience, and using touch alone isn’t ideal for detailed modeling. The battery drains a bit faster when streaming. But once you accept those practical points, you get something most people don’t expect to be possible: full Autodesk Revit running on an iPad, powered entirely by the cloud.

If you ever switch between iPad and macOS, this guide on how to run Revit on Mac follows the same logic as the Vagon workflow and fills in the gaps for desktop users.

Why This Matters More Than Ever

The architectural world has slowly been shifting toward hybrid work, but the tools haven’t always kept up. For years, Revit basically tied you to a desk. If you weren’t in front of your workstation, you weren’t doing much. That worked fine in the 2010s, but today the way we collaborate has changed completely. Clients expect quick turnarounds. Teams are distributed. Coordination happens in hallways, on-site, in the car, and sometimes even mid-flight.

That’s why using Revit on an iPad isn’t just a clever trick, it solves a real workflow problem. It lets you stay connected to your model without lugging around a heavy machine. It lets you show a client a design instantly instead of waiting to get back to your desk. It saves you from rescheduling a meeting just because the laptop wasn’t charged or the workstation wasn’t nearby. And when something urgent comes up, you can handle it from wherever you are instead of delaying the entire team.

Most importantly, it frees Revit from the office. You’re no longer tied to one location, one device, or one rigid workflow. The viewer gives you speed. The cloud workstation gives you power. And together they finally make Revit flexible enough to fit the way people actually work today.

If you’re curious how much the GPU actually affects Revit performance, this guide on GPU on Autodesk Revit breaks it down clearly.

Choosing the Right Workflow

Once you’ve seen both workflows in action, the choice becomes pretty straightforward. They’re built for completely different moments in your day.

If you’re on-site, walking through a building, reviewing progress, or meeting with a client, Workflow A is the one that makes sense. It’s fast, it’s simple, it loads instantly, and it lets you annotate issues without fighting a full desktop interface on a small screen. You’ll move through the model quickly and communicate what needs attention just as easily.

But the moment you need to do something to the model, edit geometry, tweak a family, update a detail, run a script, change a parameter, fix an MEP route, the viewer won’t get you anywhere. That’s the point where Workflow B with Vagon Cloud Computer becomes the only real option. It gives you a complete Windows workstation ready to run full Revit from your iPad, whether you’re at home, in a hotel lobby, or waiting in an airport seat.

Most Revit users end up using both. Viewer for mobility. Vagon for production. The iPad becomes flexible enough to follow you through the whole process, instead of staying in your bag until you’re done for the day.

Anyone dealing with performance issues, especially on weaker machines, will appreciate this look at Revit on low-end devices and how cloud power changes the equation.

Best iPad Models for This Workflow

Not every iPad handles Revit workflows the same way. Viewing and annotating models isn’t very demanding, but streaming a cloud workstation smoothly does benefit from better hardware. The good news is that you don’t need the absolute top-end device, just the right combination of screen size, battery life, and connectivity.

#1. iPad Pro 12.9” (M1, M2, or M4)

This is the best overall option if you want the closest “portable workstation” feel. The large screen makes navigating views easier, the refresh rate keeps motion smooth, and the M-series chips handle multitasking effortlessly. If you’re pairing a keyboard and mouse, this size feels closest to a laptop.

#2. iPad Pro 11” (M1, M2, or M4)

A great balance between portability and workspace. It’s lighter, easier to hold on site, and still has the performance and display quality needed for long Vagon sessions. If you move around a lot but still need heavy usage, this one hits a sweet spot.

#3. iPad Air (M1 and M2)

This is the best “budget but still powerful” pick. It handles Workflow A without hesitation and streams Vagon Cloud Computer smoothly as long as your internet is stable. The screen is smaller and not as bright as the Pro models, but for most users, it’s more than enough.

#4. iPad (10th gen)

Surprisingly capable for Workflow A. It’s not the ideal candidate for long hours of cloud workstation use, but if your needs are mostly annotation, issue tracking, and quick view checks, it works perfectly fine. It’s also lighter on the wallet.

What to Avoid

Very old iPads (pre-2020) struggle with sustained cloud streaming, especially over weaker WiFi. They work in a pinch, but they’re not something you want to rely on every day for Revit-related tasks.

Bottom Line

If your workflow is mainly viewing and marking up, almost any modern iPad works. But if you plan to use Vagon frequently for full Revit sessions, the iPad Pro (11” or 12.9”) is noticeably smoother, brighter, and more comfortable to work on.

A Real-World Example

A few months ago, I had a hotel renovation project where half the discussions happened on-site and the rest happened while I was moving between meetings. Normally that would’ve meant dragging around a workstation laptop, a charger, and a bag full of cables. Instead, I decided to try something different: iPad only.

During the site visit phase, I used Workflow A. I published the key 3D views from Revit, opened them on the iPad, and walked the contractor through the model right inside the building. When we spotted a conflict between the existing ceiling and the new mechanical route, I marked it up directly with Apple Pencil and logged the issue on the spot. No laptop. No boot-up time. No fuss.

Later that day, I had to actually fix that conflict. This is where Workflow B with Vagon Cloud Computer kicked in. I connected to my cloud machine from the same iPad, opened the full RVT file, adjusted the ductwork, updated the ceiling grid, fixed the clash, and republished the view. The whole change took maybe fifteen minutes, and it didn’t matter that I was sitting in a café instead of the office.

The combination of both workflows made the project move faster. Fast reviews when I was walking around the property, full editing when I needed it, all from a device that weighed less than a notebook. And once you’ve worked like that for a few weeks, it’s hard to imagine going back to the old “carry your whole workstation everywhere” routine.

Final Thoughts

Using Revit on an iPad isn’t about replacing your workstation. It’s about giving yourself the freedom to stay connected to your projects no matter where you are. When you just need to review, annotate, or talk through a design with a client, Autodesk’s mobile tools are more than enough. They’re quick, lightweight, and perfect for the parts of the job that don’t require full editing power.

But the moment you need a real Revit, every tool, every view, every add-in, the iPad can only get there through a cloud workstation. That’s where Vagon Cloud Computer becomes the bridge. It lets the tablet act like a full BIM machine when you need it and a simple viewer when you don’t.

With both workflows in your pocket, the iPad stops being just a tablet and turns into a flexible part of your Revit setup. You don’t have to pick one mode of working anymore. You use the lightweight side when you’re moving and the full-power side when you’re creating. And once you get used to that kind of flexibility, it’s hard to imagine going back to a setup that only works in one place.

If your process includes pushing designs into visualization tools, this walkthrough on exporting from Revit to Twinmotion connects perfectly with the workflows you’re already using on the iPad.

FAQs

1. Can Revit run on an iPad at all?
Revit can’t run directly on an iPad because it’s a Windows-only application. You can’t install it, launch it, or open RVT files the way you would on a desktop. Anything you do on the tablet relies on either Autodesk’s viewer tools or a cloud workstation.

2. How do people actually work with Revit on an iPad then?
There are two real approaches. For quick viewing and markup, Autodesk Docs, BIM 360, or ACC let you publish your model and open it in their mobile viewer. For full modeling, editing, and production work, you connect the iPad to a Windows machine in the cloud through Vagon Cloud Computer, where Revit runs normally and the tablet simply streams the interface.

3. What are the limits of Autodesk’s viewer workflow?
The viewer is built for reviewing, not editing. You can look around the model, explore published 3D views, mark up sheets, log issues, and use Apple Pencil to add notes. But you can’t modify geometry, families, parameters, or any element inside the model.

4. Does this require internet access?
Yes. The viewer can display certain published views offline, but the full model is always online. Vagon Cloud Computer requires a stable connection since the iPad is streaming a full workstation in real time.

5. How smooth is Vagon for running full Revit sessions?
Smoother than most people expect. Because all computation happens on Vagon’s workstation, the iPad doesn’t do the heavy lifting. With a mouse, trackpad, or keyboard connected, the experience feels close to working on a laptop. Touch-only modeling is possible but not ideal for precision work.

6. Can I still use my plugins and add-ins?
Yes. Vagon provides a complete Windows environment, so every Revit plugin, add-in, or extension behaves exactly as it does on your physical machine.

7. Where should RVT files live in this setup?
Most teams store models in Autodesk Docs, BIM 360, or ACC, and Vagon connects to all of them. Cloud drives like OneDrive or Dropbox also work. Files remain inside the cloud computer rather than on the iPad, so large projects load quickly.

8. Is this approach suitable for very large models?
For quick viewing, lighter published views perform best. But for full modeling, Vagon is well-suited for large, complex RVT files because the cloud machine handles all the heavy processing. A stable internet connection is the key factor in how responsive it feels.

9. Who benefits the most from using Revit on an iPad?
Anyone who moves throughout their day, architects, engineers, BIM managers, site teams, consultants, or students. If you often need to review or adjust a model away from your workstation, the iPad fills that gap without forcing you to carry a laptop everywhere.