Upgrade IFC

Convert an older IFC2x3 model to the newer IFC4 format.

An IFC2x3 to IFC4 converter that runs online, in your browser — upload a legacy IFC2x3 file, run the upgrade, and download a valid IFC4 file. No desktop software to install, no command-line toolkit to compile, no scripting.

IFC2x3 is still what a large share of authoring tools export by default, but a growing set of platforms — cloud CDEs, model checkers, IDS validation workflows — expect or require IFC4. The usual answers (re-export from the original authoring tool, or build a conversion script) assume you still have the source model and the software licence. This tool covers the common real-world case: all you have is the IFC2x3 file, and you need it as IFC4 today.

When to reach for it: When a platform or tool requires IFC4 format, or you want to use IFC4-specific features like improved geometry definitions.

What you get: An IFC4 file converted from the original IFC2x3 schema. Entity types and properties are mapped to their IFC4 equivalents.

Example: Upgrade an old 2x3 export before running IDS checks that expect IFC4.

Why upgrade IFC2x3 to IFC4?

The push to IFC4 usually arrives from outside the team: a platform refuses the upload, a validator flags the schema, or a client's information requirements name IFC4 explicitly. The common triggers:

Platform requirements — some newer cloud CDEs and model-checking services only accept IFC4.
Validation workflows — a typical trigger is upgrading an old 2x3 export before running buildingSMART IDS checks that expect IFC4.
Schema improvements — IFC4 has better geometry definitions and supports classifications and properties that IFC2x3 can't express.
Consistency — federations mixing 2x3 and 4 files are harder to validate and compare; upgrading the stragglers gets every file onto one schema.

What the converter changes — and what it keeps

The upgrade maps entity types and properties to their IFC4 equivalents and re-saves the model against the IFC4 schema. Geometry, property sets, and classifications are carried through — the point is a schema migration, not a remodel. The output is a normal .ifc file you can drop straight into whichever IFC4-only platform rejected the original.

The conversion is one-way by design: only upgrading is supported, not downgrading back to IFC2x3. Your uploaded original is never modified, so if some downstream tool still needs 2x3, keep the source file alongside the upgraded one.

Not sure what schema your file is? Check first

IFC files don't advertise their schema in the filename, and plenty of "IFC4" exports turn out to be IFC2x3 when a validator rejects them. Before converting, drop the file into the free File Info inspector: it reports the schema version (IFC2x3 / IFC4), element counts by class, and the spatial hierarchy in a read-only scan that doesn't count against your daily limit. If the file is already IFC4, the problem is somewhere else — usually missing data an IDS check or Model Health Check will pinpoint.

Upgrade as part of a bigger cleanup

Old IFC2x3 files often carry more than an old schema — duplicate GlobalIds, far-from-origin coordinates, orphan references. Because the upgrade runs on BIMCamel's pipeline workers, you can chain it with the Repair Center or a Model Health Check in one saved pipeline: repair, upgrade to IFC4, validate, and download a file that's ready for a modern toolchain.

The same applies in reverse order for federations: if a project mixes 2x3 and 4 exports, upgrade the 2x3 stragglers first, then merge — validation and comparison tools behave far more predictably when every member file speaks the same schema.

How to convert IFC2x3 to IFC4 online

Upload your IFC2x3 file
Click Run to convert the schema
Download the IFC4 file

Under the hood

BIMCamel parses IFC files in the browser using the open-source web-ifc engine and renders models with @thatopen/components + three.js. Heavy operations (clean / optimise / validate / convert) run on disposable server-side workers using the same web-ifc stack plus our own .NET pipeline; results stream back to your browser as soon as they're ready. Uploads sit on our servers only as long as your tier's retention window allows and are never used to train AI.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an online IFC2x3 to IFC4 converter?

Yes — this page is one. Upload an IFC2x3 file, click Run, and download the IFC4 result from your browser. No desktop install, no conversion toolkit, and the free tier covers everyday file sizes.

Do I need to install anything?

No. The converter runs in your browser against BIMCamel's processing workers — no desktop software, no licence, no plugin. Any modern browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari) will do.

Why would I convert from IFC2x3 to IFC4?

Some platforms (especially newer cloud CDEs and model-checking services) only accept IFC4. IFC4 also has better geometry definitions and supports classifications and properties that IFC2x3 can't express.

What does the upgrade actually change?

Entity types and properties are mapped to their IFC4 equivalents and the file is re-saved against the IFC4 schema. Geometry, property sets, and classifications are carried through.

Can I convert IFC4 back down to IFC2x3?

Yes — use the separate Downgrade IFC tool. It re-encodes IFC4-only tessellated geometry as classic B-rep, maps IFC4-only classes to their IFC2x3 equivalents, and reports anything the older schema can't express. Your uploaded original is never modified either way.

Is my original IFC2x3 file changed?

No. The upgrade writes a new IFC4 output file; the file you uploaded stays untouched, so you can keep the 2x3 original for older tools and use the IFC4 copy everywhere else.

Will the IFC4 file still work in older software?

Most IFC2x3-era software can read IFC4 in a degraded mode, but not every feature round-trips. If you need backward compatibility, keep the IFC2x3 original alongside the upgraded file.

How do I know whether my file is IFC2x3 or IFC4?

Open it in BIMCamel's free File Info inspector — it reports the schema version (IFC2x3 / IFC4) along with element counts and the spatial hierarchy, in a read-only scan that doesn't count against your daily limit.

Can I run IDS validation right after upgrading?

Yes — that's the most common pairing. Upgrade the 2x3 export first, then run the IFC Checker against your buildingSMART IDS specification; the two steps chain into one saved pipeline so every future revision is upgraded and validated in a single run.

What's the maximum IFC file size?

Up to 25 MB as a guest, 100 MB with a free account, 500 MB on Pro, and 1 GB on Team. The caps are on upload size only — every tool itself is available on every tier.

What happens to my file after processing?

Your file is uploaded over HTTPS and processed on our servers. Guest uploads are stream-only — the working files are deleted as soon as your download finishes. Free accounts keep results for 7 days; Pro and Team keep saved models until you delete them. Files are never shared with third parties or used to train AI.

Is Upgrade IFC free?

Yes. Upgrade IFC is free to use — guests get 3 runs a day with 25 MB uploads, and a free account raises that to 10 runs a day with 100 MB uploads. No trial clock, no watermarks.