Bluebeam Release 21.6 - Everything You Need to Know

After consistently delivering high-impact features in each release, Bluebeam raises the bar once again with the latest 21.6 release. This update doubles down on the user's needs and provides multiple enhancements in a way that gives teams even greater control over markup processes, tool management, and device compatibility. 

In this post, we’ll break down everything new in Bluebeam Revu 21.6, so you can hit the ground running and get even more out of your everyday tools.

Bluebeam Revu 21.6 - Latest Updates

Revu 21.6 is a functionality-driven release that focuses on what matters most: improving markup efficiency, expanding device compatibility, and refining toolset management. With improved integration for design and construction workflows and better compatibility with third-party software, it’s a solid upgrade for users who need speed and accuracy on the job.

Tool Chest Enhancements

The Tool Chest is one of the powerful features in Bluebeam, and version 21.6 has introduced some major updates to its markup workflows. These improvements make the Tool Chest more intuitive and user-friendly, particularly for QA/QC teams and technical professionals, by reducing repetitive tasks and streamlining bulk actions for quicker and easier performance.

Watch the video below to explore what’s included in the new Bluebeam Tool Chest. 

Tool Chest Upgrades in Bluebeam Revu 21.6

So, what’s new in Tool Chest? 

Improved Tool Set Management

Managing tool sets has now become easier with the redesigned UI in the Bluebeam Tool Chest Update. While the functionality – adding, reordering, importing, and exporting tool sets – remains the same, the interface now offers a more polished and responsive feel. 

You can quickly access the “Manage Tool Sets” and “Tool Chest Settings” options through the updated dropdown menu to create new or import existing sets, and can control how comments behave, whether to include specific markup types, and if tools should update with each use.

New Punch Key Options

With the new 21.6 updates in the Punch Key toolset, you now have the CSV-based symbol import option. When working with a large library of tags or standardised site symbols, this enhancement can save you a lot of time and effort, meaning that instead of manually creating or dragging in individual markups, you can import your entire Punch Key library at once. 

Multi-Select Markups & Drag-and-Drop 

Along with all other powerful enhancements, Revu 21.6 also enhances its markup selection and dragging feature so you can be more productive with minimal clicks. You now have the option to select multiple tools within a Tool Chest and reorder, duplicate, or move them all at once. To move them to another toolset, you can simply drag the selected markups and place them where needed. 

Enable/Disable Columns in Detail Mode  

Previously, Detail View offered a rich display of metadata, including “Subject,” “Layer,” and “Comments,” for each tool; however, users had limited control over which fields appeared. With 21.6, you can now enable or disable columns to customise the “Tool Chest” display. 

Want a cleaner look? Toggle off the unwanted columns. Prefer a deeper view for QA? Turn them back on. This feature gives you granular control and helps you stay organised, reduce distractions, and zero in on the most relevant information for the task at hand.  

Search By Layer 

In earlier versions, searching within the Tool Chest was limited. Now, users working in Detail View can filter tools based on their assigned Layer. For example, typing “HVAC” or “flooring” will instantly surface relevant tools tagged with those layers. This feature is handy when working on large projects where symbol libraries can become challenging to manage, and you want to search by layer tags. 

Per-Tool Chest Shortcut Numbering

Now the shortcut keys are not restricted to the "My Tools" set only, but you can assign keyboard shortcuts within any Tool Set, which makes the creation of repetitive markups faster. This means you can assign numbers (e.g., 1, 2, 3) to your desired toolset. When using the tools within, you can press the number corresponding to your symbol in your current toolset, and it will open the tool on the PDF. 

Direct Markups On Capture 

Captured Image Markup Upgrades in Bluebeam Revu 21.6

With Revu 21.6, users can now annotate directly on embedded images without needing to extract them from Capture first. This feature enables field engineers and site supervisors to take a photo of an issue (such as a misaligned pipe or cracked slab) and add notes, arrows, or highlights directly to the embedded image in the markup. 

How to mark up directly on Embedded Images?

1. Click the lens icon on your makeup with an embedded image.
2. Click the settings icon on the image view at the bottom right.
3. Your image will appear in a new Revu window. Mark the image with your desired annotations or comments.
4. Save the image and return to the image lens associated with the markup. Your markups and comments will appear on the embedded image.

This simplifies RFIs, punch walks, and visual inspections by keeping the image and its annotations in one place. For workflows that rely on precise visual communication, this feature reduces the back-and-forth typically involved in extracting images and applying separate markups.

ARM Processors – Full Support for ARM-based Windows PCs

Device flexibility has become more important than ever, particularly as professionals split their time between the office and the field. Bluebeam Revu now natively supports ARM-based Windows devices, including the Microsoft Surface Pro X and Snapdragon-powered laptops running Windows 11 ARM.

How does it help? 

• Revu runs natively on the ARM64 architecture and offers improved performance and reduced battery consumption.
• Field professionals can confidently use lightweight devices without sacrificing functionality.
• Actions like panning, zooming, or switching tabs are snappier, especially on mobile-first hardware.

Microsoft Edge WebView2-Based Sign In

As part of its ongoing alignment with Microsoft’s ecosystem, Bluebeam has replaced its legacy sign-in framework with Microsoft Edge WebView2. This Chromium-based engine provides a faster, more secure, and modern sign-in experience.

With this update, Single Sign-On (SSO) support now works more reliably with Azure AD and Microsoft 365 accounts. Logins are faster, with fewer bugs and delays, and overall compatibility with enterprise environments is greatly improved, fully aligning Revu with Microsoft’s latest authentication standards.

Autodesk 2026 Plugins – Support for AutoCAD, Revit, and Navisworks 2026

Bluebeam now supports the latest 2026 versions of AutoCAD, Revit, and Navisworks.

With the Revu 21.6 release, Bluebeam demonstrates its commitment to supporting the tools that design teams already rely on, enabling them to maintain consistent and high-fidelity document workflows from model to markup.

Bluebeam Revu 21.6 – Offering Precision in the Details

The latest Bluebeam Revu is a refinement that builds on the foundation of previous versions, making everyday tasks smoother, faster, and more aligned with how modern construction professionals work.

From enhanced Tool Chest controls to smarter Capture annotations, this release addresses both quality-of-life improvements and strategic feature gaps. For power users managing complex drawing sets, leading punch walks, or preparing review packages, Revu 21.6 introduces enough polish to notice, and enough depth to appreciate.

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