- From install to first markup in seven steps
- What Bluebeam's support pages say about Revu
- Signing in to Revu 21 with a Bluebeam ID
- Finding your way round the Revu screen
- Saving custom markups in the Tool Chest
- Working with people who don't have Revu
- Before you rely on it for a live project
- Where Bluebeam sits in a construction toolkit
- My take on learning Bluebeam
- Frequently asked questions
To use Bluebeam, install Revu, create a Bluebeam ID, sign in and open a PDF. From there you add markups, comments and measurements, save the markups you reuse to the Tool Chest, use the Markups List, and bring teammates in through Studio Projects or Sessions.
Bluebeam's start page describes Revu as the desktop application for marking up, collaborating on and working with PDF drawings and documents. Alongside it sit Studio, for cloud Projects and live Sessions, and a separate web and mobile product for marking up on the go.
Here's the getting-started path from Bluebeam's own support site, written as a short walk-through, followed by sign-in, the interface, the Tool Chest, working with people who don't have Revu, and the limits the support pages flag.
From install to first markup in seven steps
- Install Revu.
- Create a Bluebeam ID and sign in to Revu, choosing your server region when the sign in dialog appears.
- Open a PDF in Revu.
- Get to know the Menu bar, the Properties toolbar and the panel access bars; the toolbars are configurable.
- Add markups and comments to the drawing, and take measurements.
- Save any markup you'll reuse by right-clicking it and choosing Add to Tool Chest.
- Use the Markups List, and turn to Studio when others need to work on the same documents.
What Bluebeam's support pages say about Revu
| Topic | Bluebeam's support pages |
|---|---|
| Revu itself | A desktop application for marking up, collaborating on and working with PDF drawings and documents |
| Getting started | Install Revu, create a Bluebeam ID, sign in, open a PDF and learn the basics of markups |
| Signing in to Revu | In Revu 21 you sign in with your Bluebeam ID instead of a serial number and product key |
| No active plan | You can still open, view and print PDFs with Read-only access |
| Interface | Menu bar, Properties toolbar, panel access bars and configurable toolbars |
| Tool Chest | Stores custom markups, comes with preloaded tool sets, and saves a markup through Add to Tool Chest |
| Working together | Studio for cloud Projects and live Sessions, plus a web and mobile product for marking up on the go |
| Teammates without Revu | They can join Studio in Read-only mode in Revu 21 or on Bluebeam on web and mobile |
Signing in to Revu 21 with a Bluebeam ID
The support site says that in Revu 21 you sign in with your Bluebeam ID instead of entering a serial number and product key. When Revu 21 opens, a sign in dialog appears: choose your server region and use the BBID email tied to your plan.
If you plan to use Studio from inside Revu, the same support page adds one more step. In the Studio panel, select Use my Revu login credentials before signing in.
If your plan has lapsed, the support site says you can still open, view and print PDFs with Read-only access, but Revu 21 runs with limited features in that mode.
Finding your way round the Revu screen
The support site describes the Revu 21 interface as four parts: a Menu bar, a Properties toolbar that shows properties for whatever item you've selected, panel access bars and configurable toolbars.
The getting-started page then points to the pieces you use most at the start: adding markups and comments, taking measurements, the Markups List and opening tools in the Tool Chest. Those are the parts to learn first.
Saving custom markups in the Tool Chest
The Tool Chest stores custom markups and comes with preloaded tool sets. To keep a markup you've styled, right-click it and choose Add to Tool Chest.
You can also change what a tool does by default. Right-click the markup, open Properties, adjust it, then choose Set as Default at the bottom of the Properties panel.
Two limits apply. Several markup types, such as notes, hyperlinks and file attachments, can't be saved into tool sets. And the support pages say your plan level in Revu 21 decides which Tool Chest tool sets are available, so two people on different plans may not see the same tool sets.
Working with people who don't have Revu
Studio is Bluebeam's space for cloud Projects and live Sessions. The support site says teammates without Revu can join Studio in Read-only mode in Revu 21, or through Bluebeam on web and mobile.
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The limits on that page are clear: Studio collaborators without Revu can only use Read-only or View mode. Tell people which mode they'll be in before you invite them, so they know what to expect.
Before you rely on it for a live project
- Revu is a desktop application, and you need a Bluebeam ID to sign in to Revu 21.
- Without an active plan, Revu 21 runs in Read-only mode with limited features: open, view and print.
- Tool Chest tool sets depend on your plan level.
- Notes, hyperlinks and file attachments can't go into tool sets.
- Studio collaborators without Revu can only use Read-only or View mode.
- The help pages focus on Revu 21 but still mention the previous version, and the support home announces a newer option called Bluebeam Max, described as AI-powered, so check which version your firm runs before following a guide.
Where Bluebeam sits in a construction toolkit
Bluebeam's support pages describe Revu as a tool for PDF drawings and documents, not for running a whole project. For programmes, tasks and teams, look at construction project management software, and if your main concern is sequencing work on site, my guide to construction scheduling software is the better starting point. If you only need to edit everyday PDFs rather than drawings, the PDF editors for business round-up covers other options.
My take on learning Bluebeam
Start where Bluebeam's own getting-started page starts. Sign in, open a PDF, and practise three things: adding a markup, saving it to the Tool Chest and finding it in the Markups List. Then set your tool defaults with Set as Default, and check which version and plan you're on before you follow any other guide.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a Bluebeam ID to use Revu?
Yes. In Revu 21 you sign in with your Bluebeam ID instead of a serial number and product key.
Can I open PDFs in Revu without an active plan?
Yes, in Read-only mode. The support site says you can still open, view and print PDFs.
How do I save a custom markup in Bluebeam?
Right-click the markup and choose Add to Tool Chest.
How do I change a tool's default settings?
Right-click the markup, open Properties, adjust it, and choose Set as Default at the bottom of the Properties panel.
Can people without Revu see my drawings?
Yes. Teammates without Revu can join Studio in Read-only mode, in Revu 21 or on Bluebeam on web and mobile.
Why can't I add a note to my Tool Chest?
The support pages say several markup types, such as notes, hyperlinks and file attachments, can't be saved into tool sets.
