As BIM managers and standards administrators, many teams have moved to the Autodesk Content Catalog (formerly UNIFI) to centralize office libraries. One issue keeps coming up in production environments: Approve, Decline, or Delete buttons are grayed out in the Request Center, even when the user has full admin rights.
If you’re seeing this behavior, this guide breaks down what’s actually causing it, how to diagnose it quickly, and how to fix it without waiting for Autodesk support.
Symptoms You’re Likely Seeing
Before jumping into fixes, confirm you’re dealing with this specific issue:
- Approve / Decline / Delete buttons are disabled (grayed out)
- You are assigned as Admin or Library Admin
- Other users may or may not be able to approve content
- The issue may:
- Work in Incognito / Private mode
- Work on another machine
- Work in web but not in Revit, or the opposite
If this matches your case, you’re almost certainly dealing with a session, permission scope, or environment issue, not a simple missing role.
The Core Problem: The Local Cache Trap
The most common root cause is not permissions. It’s a browser or add-in cache conflict.
The Content Catalog web interface and Revit extension store session tokens and permission data locally. When Autodesk updates the backend or when permissions change, those tokens can become out of sync.
Result:
- The system misreads your permissions
- The UI disables approval actions
- You appear as admin, but cannot act
This is why the issue often disappears in Incognito mode.
All Known Causes (Real-World Cases)
In production, the issue is rarely single-cause. These are the actual causes observed in the field:
- Corrupted browser cache or stale session tokens (most common)
- Outdated Content Catalog extension
- Incorrect role assignment at the Library level (not just Hub level)
- User is Admin in one Library but not in the target Library
- Wrong data region (.com vs .eu)
- Multiple Autodesk sessions active
- Browser-specific issues (Chrome vs Edge)
- Temporary Autodesk backend inconsistencies
- Revit add-in version mismatch with cloud services
- Unsupported or partially supported Revit version
Critical Permission Detail: Library-Level Admin
This is where many admins lose time.
Being:
- ACC Project Admin
- or Account Admin
is not enough.
The Content Catalog works with Library-specific permissions:
- If content is submitted to Library A
- And you are only Admin of Library B
→ Buttons will be grayed out
You must be:
- Admin of the exact Library where the content resides
Always verify the Library context before troubleshooting anything else.
Platform Context (Avoid Confusion)
The Content Catalog is tied to:
- Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) / Autodesk Docs
User and permission management happens through:
- Autodesk Account portal
- or ACC Admin settings
It does not rely on Autodesk Forma permissions. Mixing those systems leads to checking the wrong configuration entirely.
Quick Diagnosis Checklist
Use this before going deeper:
- Works in Incognito mode → cache issue
- Works for another admin → Library permission issue
- Works on another PC → local environment issue
- Works in web but not in Revit → extension issue
- Works on .eu but not .com → region mismatch
- Cannot approve only in one Library → Library Admin issue
This isolates the cause fast.
Fixes That Actually Work
1. Hard Browser Reset (Most Effective)
Standard refresh is not enough.
Steps:
- Open Developer Tools Ctrl+Shift+I (Chrome or Edge)
- Go to Application tab → Storage
- Clear Site Data Check including third-party cookies → click Clear site data
- Hard reload Right-click refresh → Empty Cache and Hard Reload
This forces a clean session and resolves most cases.
2. Update the Content Catalog Extension
Autodesk has fixed multiple UI issues in recent versions.
Steps:
- Close Revit
- Open Autodesk Access or Autodesk Account
- Update the Content Catalog Extension
- Ensure you’re on the latest available build
Mismatch between add-in and backend frequently causes UI lock issues.
3. Verify Library Admin Rights (Not Just Global Roles)
Check:
- You are assigned as Admin in the correct Library
- Not just at project or hub level
This is the most common non-cache cause of the issue.
4. Check Data Region
If your hub is hosted in Europe:
- Use: contentcatalog.autodesk.eu
If you use:
- contentcatalog.autodesk.com
You may:
- See content
- But be unable to act on it
This creates permission ghosting.
5. Eliminate Multi-Session Conflicts
If multiple Autodesk accounts are active:
- Log out from all sessions
- Close all browser instances
- Log back in with a single account
Session conflicts often corrupt permission tokens.
6. Test Another Browser
Observed behavior:
- Works in Edge but not Chrome
- Or the reverse
This confirms a local browser issue.
7. Validate Revit Version Compatibility
At the time of writing, the Content Catalog reliably supports:
- Revit 2021 to 2024
Compatibility with newer versions (e.g. 2025) depends on Autodesk updates and may not be fully stable.
If:
- Version mapping fails
- Or unsupported versions are used
Approval actions may become unresponsive.
Workflow Permissions Nuance (Upload vs Approval)
Permission behavior is slightly more nuanced than it looks.
- Users with Edit or Admin rights can bypass approval depending on how content is added
- Using standard Upload may still trigger the Request Center workflow
- To bypass approval entirely, admins typically:
- Use Import
- Or add content directly through administrative interfaces
If you want strict control:
- Assign users Upload-only permissions
FAQ
Why is the approve button disabled in Revit Content Catalog?
In most cases, it’s a cache or session issue, not a real permission problem. Start with a hard cache reset, then verify Library-level permissions.
Why do I have to clear my cache repeatedly?
The platform is still evolving. Backend updates can invalidate local session data. Until session handling stabilizes, cache clearing remains a standard fix.
I am an admin but still cannot approve content. Why?
Check:
- You are Admin of the correct Library
- Not just global admin
Library scope is critical.
Can users bypass the approval process?
Yes, depending on permissions and method used:
- Edit/Admin rights + Import workflows → bypass approval
- Upload-only → goes through Request Center
Does the Content Catalog support all Revit versions?
No. It supports Revit 2021 to 2024 reliably. Newer versions depend on Autodesk rollout status.
I cleared cache and still cannot approve. What next?
Check in this order:
- Library Admin rights
- Data region (.com vs .eu)
- Extension version
- Test another browser or machine
Why does it work in Incognito mode?
Incognito ignores cached data. If it works there, your issue is local cache or session corruption.
Field Notes
This issue has been observed across multiple enterprise BIM environments, especially since the transition from UNIFI to the current Content Catalog ecosystem.
The pattern is consistent:
- UI locked
- Permissions appear correct
- Root cause is often session desynchronization or Library scope mismatch
Start with cache reset. Then validate Library permissions. Avoid assuming a platform bug until environment factors are ruled out.
This is not a rare edge case. Treat it as part of your standard troubleshooting workflow.