Copy and save layers

You can make a copy of a layer in your map, configure different properties on the copied layer, and, if you have privileges to create content, save the layer as a new item in My Content. You can also save layers and their configurations to the site and reuse those layers in different maps.

Copy layer

Copy a layer in your map when you want to configure the properties of the layer in different ways. For example, a healthcare data layer aggregated by hospital service areas likely contains attributes for many types of diseases. You could create a copy of the layer and symbolize the data on the rate of depression. You could create another copy of the layer and symbolize that on the rate of Alzheimer's. If you save these layers, you could reuse them in different maps (and the data is already symbolized the way you like it). You do not need to be the owner of the layer to make a copy of it.

You can copy ArcGIS Server layers, files you imported to the map, hosted feature layers, tile layers, map notes, route layers, WFS layers, WMS layers, and WMTS layers. You cannot copy basemaps, CSV files from the web, GeoRSS, or KML. If you copy an editable feature layer, the copied layer is also editable.

1. Verify that you are signed in and have privileges to create content.

   Note:

   If you do not have privileges to create content, you can still copy layers by clicking Modify Map.

2. Open the map in Map Viewer, click Details, and click Contents.
3. Browse to the layer you want to copy, click More Options , and click Copy.

   A copy of the layer is added to the map contents. You can now configure the properties of this layer and save the layer as a new item.

   Note:

   When you copy a layer and save it as a new layer item, the copy of the layer contains a reference to the data contained in the source layer. Configurations saved to the copy of the layer do not change the source layer. If you delete the copy, the original data still exists in the source layer, but you lose your layer configurations. For ArcGIS Server layers, hosted feature layers, tile layers, route layers, and WFS, WMS, or WMTS layers, if the owner of the source layer deletes it or removes access, the data is no longer available in the source layer or in the copy that references it.

   When you copy a feature collection or map notes layer, the data in the source layer is copied as well. No reference to the source layer is maintained.

Save layer

If you have privileges to create content, you can save ArcGIS Server web services, files you imported to the map, hosted feature layers, tile layers, map notes, route layers, WFS layers, WMS layers, and WMTS layers as new items in My Content and use the layer in other maps. You cannot save basemaps, GeoRSS, KML, or CSV files from the web. When you save layers you imported from a file or save map notes, you save the actual data. When you save layers from the web, you save references to those layers and the properties you configured, not the actual data. If the data is unshared or deleted, the layer is no longer valid and will not display in your map.

For a layer you've added to the site through My Content, you can use Map Viewer to change the display properties such as change style, configure pop-ups, set visible range, set refresh interval, hide in legend, and apply filters. You can save these changes as properties of the item so the properties apply to the layer anytime it appears in a map.

Note:

You can only save item properties on layers you own and have added to the website. The configuration applies to the item in the website only and not the actual service running on your ArcGIS Server. You cannot save item properties on imported layers from files because these layers are stored in the map and not as unique items in the portal website.

To save your layer changes as properties of the service, follow the steps below.

1. Verify that you are signed in and have privileges to create content.
2. Open the map in Map Viewer, click Details, and click Contents.
3. Browse to the layer you want to save, click More Options , and click Save Layer.
4. If you are saving the layer for the first time or saving a copy of the layer, you create a new item in the site with your layer configurations:
   1. Type a title.
   2. Type tags and a summary that describe the layer.
   3. Choose a folder in My Content where you want to save the layer.
   4. Click Create Item.
The new item with your property configurations is added to My Content.