.ifc File Extension

Learn what .ifc files contain, which applications open them, and how Poly supports them.

File extension details for .ifc

Partial Support
File typeIndustry Foundation Classes
MIME type
EncodingSTEP Physical File clear-text encoding
Operating systemsWindows, macOS, Linux
Opens withAutodesk Revit, FreeCAD, BIMcollab
Poly supportPartial. Poly recognizes .ifc as 3D content and processes supported files.
Indexed by PolyYes. Poly indexes filenames and visual similarity for processed geometry; scene counts are displayed in Details.
Preview in PolyPartial. Poly provides an interactive 3D preview for supported constructs.
Poly agentYes. An optimized rendition of the 3D object or scene is provided to the agent, allowing compact yet information-rich multimodal interaction with 3D files.

What kind of file is .ifc?

IFC is buildingSMART's open international standard for exchanging Building Information Modeling data. Its prevalent exchange form is the STEP Physical File Format, with entity instances governed by an EXPRESS schema.1 IFC can carry building elements, relationships, properties, quantities, and project context. Model View Definitions describe subsets for particular workflows.

How do I open a .ifc file?

Autodesk Revit and FreeCAD can open or import many Industry Foundation Classes files. Check export settings when a model contains materials, textures, lights, cameras, or animation. Conversion can discard format-specific data.

Poly support for .ifc

Poly recognizes .ifc as 3D content and indexes filenames and visual similarity for processed geometry. Scene counts are displayed in the Details panel. Poly's 3D preview and extracted counts depend on supported constructs.

ConstructPoly behavior
Geometry and scene structureAvailable when the file imports successfully.
Materials and texturesDepends on the constructs present and supported rendition.
Lighting, cameras, and animationAvailable when present and supported.

Working with .ifc

Keep the source before converting. glTF is a practical real-time delivery target. For CAD or BIM, retain the original exchange file and record its schema or application protocol.

Footnotes

  1. https://standards.buildingsmart.org/IFC/RELEASE/IFC4_3/HTML/content/introduction.htm.
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