IFC File Format (.ifc)
An IFC file holds a building information model under the buildingSMART schema, representing walls, doors, spaces and systems as typed objects with properties and relationships instead of bare geometry.
IFC at a glance#
| Full name | Industry Foundation Classes |
|---|---|
| File extension | .ifc |
| Category | 3D Models |
| Developer | buildingSMART (formerly the International Alliance for Interoperability) |
| First released | 1996 |
| Compression | Lossless |
| Specification | ISO 16739-1 |
| FileFlip support | FileFlip reads this format but does not write it |
What a .ifc file can hold#
These are the things a IFC file either supports or does not, and they are what decides whether a conversion keeps everything or quietly drops something.
| Embedded metadata | Yes |
|---|---|
| Textures and materials | Yes |
| Comments | Yes |
| Schema or validation | Yes |
Strengths and limitations of IFC#
What IFC does well
- Describes what a wall or door is, not just its shape, so quantities, properties and relationships travel with the geometry
- Vendor-neutral, so a model built in one firm's authoring tool opens correctly in another firm's software
- A versioned schema, IFC2x3 through IFC4.3, lets the standard add domains like infrastructure without breaking older files
Where IFC falls short
- IFC2x3 and IFC4 files aren't fully interchangeable, and a lot of software still only exports IFC2x3
- The schema allows several ways to model the same element, so geometrically identical buildings can produce very different IFC depending on the authoring tool
- Large models produce very large text files, since the common IFC-SPF encoding is plain text
Use IFC when a building model needs to move between architecture, engineering and construction software that don't share a native format.
Convert away from IFC when the destination only needs the geometry, such as loading a building into a generic 3D viewer or game engine.
How to open a .ifc file#
A .ifc file opens in the programs below, grouped by the platform you are on. If you would rather not install anything, FileFlip converts IFC into a format your machine already opens, and it does it in the browser tab rather than on a server.
| Platform | Programs that open it |
|---|---|
| Windows | Autodesk Revit, Graphisoft ArchiCAD, Solibri, FreeCAD |
| macOS | Graphisoft ArchiCAD, Blender (Bonsai), FreeCAD |
| Linux | Blender (Bonsai), FreeCAD |
| Web | FileFlip |
IFC questions people ask#
What is an IFC file used for?
IFC is the neutral file format for Building Information Modelling, letting architects, structural engineers and contractors exchange a building model between different software without everyone using the same package.
What's the difference between IFC2x3 and IFC4?
IFC4 is the newer schema, published in 2013, extending IFC2x3 from 2006 with more precise geometry and additional building domains. Because the two schemas aren't fully compatible, many projects still standardise on IFC2x3 for exchange since it has the widest tool support.
Can I open an IFC file without BIM software?
Free options exist beyond commercial BIM suites: Solibri offers a free model viewer, and Blender can open IFC files with the Bonsai add-on. Both let you inspect the model without a paid Revit or ArchiCAD licence.
Does an IFC file include 3D geometry?
Yes, alongside the properties and relationships that make IFC more than a shape format, each building element carries actual geometry, so an IFC file opens as a real 3D model, not just a database of attributes.
Converting IFC files#
Convert IFC to another format
FileFlip does not write .ifc files, so nothing on the site converts into this format. It works as a source only.
Every conversion runs inside your browser. The file is read from your disk, the work happens on your own machine, and nothing is uploaded. How FileFlip works names the engine behind each family and how to verify that for yourself.