Add layers to maps (Map Viewer)

Layers are the contents of a map. They include a wide range of information about people, the earth, life, and so on, and are composed of imagery, tiles, features, and more. To add layers to a map, sign in to your organization and open Map Viewer. You can search for layers in your content or organization, or public layers in ArcGIS Online. You can also add layers from a URL.

When you save a map, the layers you added are saved with it, and the map appears on the My Content tab of the Content page.

Tip:

You can use keyboard shortcuts to quickly complete common workflows in Map Viewer. To view the full list of keyboard shortcuts in Map Viewer, press Alt+? on Microsoft Windows or Option+? on Mac.

Note:

The portal must have a hosting server to add a zipped shapefile, CSV file, or text file to Map Viewer. Additionally, the portal must be configured with a locator service to add a CSV or text file containing addresses.

Browse layers

By default, layers are searched from My Content, but you can also search for layers from the following:

• My Favorites—Layers you've marked as favorites.
• My Groups—Layers from groups to which you belong.
• My Organization—Layers from your organization.

• Living Atlas—Selected layers from ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World, including traffic, demographics, and land-cover layers. This option is only available if ArcGIS Enterprise is configured to use ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World content.

• ArcGIS Online—Public content from ArcGIS Online.

Supported layers

You can search for and add the following layers to a map in Map Viewer:

• Layers you own or that have been shared with you
• Layers from ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World
• Public layers on ArcGIS Online
• Table layers
• Sketch layers

You can also add some types of layers using a URL.

Find and add layers

To find and add layers in Map Viewer, complete the following steps:

1. On the Contents (dark) toolbar, do one of the following:
   • Click Add and click Browse layers to search for spatial layers.
   • Click Tables and click Add table to search for table layers.

     The Add table pane is prefiltered to show only table layers.

2. Choose where you want to search for layers: My Content, My Favorites, My Groups, My Organization, Living Atlas, or ArcGIS Online.

   If you are not signed in, only public layers from the portal and public ArcGIS Online layers are available.

3. Optionally, do any of the following to help you find layers:
   • Type search terms in the search box. You can also use advanced search to help narrow the search results.
   • Display layer results in different ways using the view buttons (Table and List ).
   • Click Sort to sort the layer results and change the sort direction.
   • Click Filter to narrow the search results. For example, if you are searching for layers in an organization and content categories have been set up, you can use the Categories filter to narrow the results. Use the Status filter to only return layers that have been marked as authoritative. The filter options available depend on where you are searching for layers, and whether and how you are signed in.

     Note:

     To limit search results based on the current map extent, turn on the Only show content within map area toggle button. For example, if the map is zoomed to Nevada, USA, the search results are ordered and based on the map extent. Changing the map extent to Pennsylvania typically returns different results (depending on your keywords). All layers that overlap the current map extent (and match your keywords) are returned.

   • Click the title of a layer to see its details. In the layer details pane, click View full item details to open the item page to see more information about the layer.
4. Click Add on the layer result to add the layer to the map.
5. Repeat the previous step for each layer you want to add.

   Tip:

   To add any of the layer results to your favorites, click Add to Favorites under the layer thumbnail in the layer details pane. To view your complete list of favorites, choose My Favorites when searching for layers in Map Viewer or on the My Favorites tab on the Content page.

   Once you add layers to Map Viewer, you can configure each layer. For example, you can change the style, create labels, and configure pop-ups on each layer you added to the map.

6. Click Remove on the layer in the search result list to remove the layer from the map.
7. Click Back to close the search pane.

Add layers from a URL

You can add the following types of layers using a URL:

• CSV
• KML
• ArcGIS Server web service
• GeoRSS
• GeoJSON
• Tile layer
• OGC web services: OGC API - Features, OGC WFS web service, OGC WMS web service, and OGC WMTS web service

CSV

A comma-separated value file (CSV) is a web-based text file that typically includes location information.

Do the following to add a CSV layer:

1. On the Contents (dark) toolbar, click Add .
2. Click CSV .
3. Copy the layer's URL into the URL text box.
4. Click Add to map.

   The data is added to the map and now appears in the Layers pane .

KML

KML is an XML-based file format used to represent geographic features.

Do the following to add a KML layer:

1. On the Contents (dark) toolbar, click Add .
2. Click KML .
3. Copy the layer's URL into the URL text box.
4. Click Add to map.

   The data is added to the map and now appears in the Layers pane .

ArcGIS Server web service

An ArcGIS Server web service is a map, image, or feature resource that is located on an ArcGIS Server site.

Do the following to add an ArcGIS Server web service:

1. On the Contents (dark) toolbar, click Add .
2. Click Web service .
3. Copy the layer's URL into the URL text box.

   Use the following URL format if you have ArcGIS Web Adaptor configured: https://webadaptorhost.domain.com/webadaptorname/rest/services/folder/service/servicetype. If the service is in the root folder, you do not need to include the folder name in the URL. The URL format in that case is https://webadaptorhost.domain.com/webadaptorname/rest/services/service/servicetype.

   For example, to connect to an ArcGIS Server map service, provide a URL similar to the following: https://webadaptorhost/webadaptorname/rest/services/service/MapServer. For more information and examples, see Components of ArcGIS URLs.

4. Optionally, do the following to append custom parameters to requests made to the service:
   1. Under Custom parameters, click Add parameter.
   2. Type the name of the parameter you want to append in the Parameter text box.
   3. Type the parameter value in the Value text box.
   4. Click Add.

   The specified custom parameters are automatically applied to all requests made to the service.

5. Do one of the following:
   • Click Add to map to add the data as an operational layer.
   • Click Use as basemap to use the data as a basemap layer.

   The data is added to the map and now appears in the Layers pane or the Basemap pane .

GeoRSS

GeoRSS is a live web feed that includes geographic features and locations.

Do the following to add a GeoRSS layer:

1. On the Contents (dark) toolbar, click Add .
2. Click GeoRSS .
3. Copy the layer's URL into the URL text box.
4. Click Add to map.

   The data is added to the map and now appears in the Layers pane .

GeoJSON

GeoJSON is an open standard geospatial data interchange format that represents simple geographic features and their nonspatial attributes.

Do the following to add a GeoJSON layer:

1. On the Contents (dark) toolbar, click Add .
2. Click GeoJSON .
3. Copy the layer's URL into the URL text box.
4. Optionally, append custom parameters to requests made to the service, as follows:
   1. Click Custom parameters and click Add parameter.
   2. Type the name of the parameter you want to append in the Parameter text box.
   3. Type the parameter value in the Value text box.
   4. Optionally, check the Append only to requests that draw or query layers check box.

      If you leave the check box unchecked, the parameter is appended to all requests made to the service.

   5. Click Add.
   6. Repeat these steps for each parameter you want to append.

      If you specified custom parameters, they are applied to all the layers you chose. To append different custom parameters to specific layers only, you must add those layers separately.

5. Click Add to map.

   The data is added to the map and now appears in the Layers pane .

Tile layer

A tile layer is a set of web-accessible tiles that reside on a server.

Do the following to add a tile layer:

1. On the Contents (dark) toolbar, click Add .
2. Click Tile layer .
3. Copy the layer's URL into the URL text box.

   Provide a URL that contains the level, column, and row placeholders in the following format: https:// ... /{level}/{col}/{row}.png or https:// ... / {z}/{x}/{y}.png. The URL can also contain a placeholder for the subdomains where the map tiles are stored. You can get this URL from the data provider.

   For example, the URL for the OpenCycleMap tile layer contains parameterized values in braces {}: https://www.opencyclemap.org/:https://{subdomain}.tile.opencyclemap.org/cycle/{level}/{col}/{row}.png.

   Note:

   Tile layers added from the web must use the Web Mercator (Auxiliary Sphere) coordinate system to ensure proper display in Map Viewer.

4. In the Title text box, type a title for the layer.

   The specified title will be displayed in the Layers pane (or the Basemap pane if you add it as a basemap).

5. In the Attribution text box, type any copyright information or required attribution information for the tile layer provider.

   The attribution information will be displayed at the bottom of the map.

6. If the tile layer contains one or more subdomains, use a comma-separated list to specify the tile layer's subdomain labels in the Subdomains text box.

   Subdomains are used by the tile layer provider to distribute tile requests across multiple servers. Not all tile layers have subdomains. If the tile layer does not have subdomains, the Add tile layer window does not display the subdomain field. If you are unsure of the subdomain labels, contact the tile layer provider.

   If the tiles are distributed across multiple servers, you must provide subdomain information.

7. Optionally, check the Set tile extent to the current extent of the map check box.

   When you check this option, Map Viewer sets the tile extent to include only those tiles visible in the map at the time that you enable the option. Map Viewer will only display tiles in that extent. However, because the tiles are not clipped to fit the extent, tiles may extend beyond the extent.

8. Do one of the following:
   • Click Add to map to add the data as an operational layer.
   • Click Use as basemap to use the data as a basemap layer.

   The data is added to the map and now appears in the Layers pane or the Basemap pane .

OGC API - Features

OGC API - Features is a feature service that follows the OGC API - Features specification.

Do the following to add an OGC API - Features layer:

1. On the Contents (dark) toolbar, click Add .
2. Click OGC API - Features .

   Note:

   The layer must contain a spatial field.

3. Copy the layer's URL into the URL text box.
4. Click the Layers drop-down arrow and choose a layer to add.

   You can only select one layer.

5. Optionally, append custom parameters to requests made to the service, as follows:
   1. Click Custom parameters and click Add parameter.
   2. Type the name of the parameter you want to append in the Parameter text box.
   3. Type the parameter value in the Value text box.
   4. Click Add.
   5. Repeat these steps for each parameter you want to append.

   The specified custom parameters will be automatically applied to all requests made to the service.

6. Click Add to map.

   The data is added to the map and now appears in the Layers pane .

OGC WFS web service

OGC WFS is a feature service that follows the OGC Web Feature Service specification.

Do the following to add an OGC WFS web service layer:

Note:

You can only add WFS 2.0 layers that support GeoJSON output.

1. On the Contents (dark) toolbar, click Add .
2. Click OGC WFS web service .
3. Copy the layer's URL into the URL text box.
4. Click the Layers drop-down arrow and choose a layer to add.

   You can only select one layer.

5. Optionally, append custom parameters to requests made to the service, as follows:
   1. Click Custom parameters and click Add parameter.
   2. Type the name of the parameter you want to append in the Parameter text box.
   3. Type the parameter value in the Value text box.
   4. Click Add.
   5. Repeat these steps for each parameter you want to append.

   The specified custom parameters will be automatically applied to all requests made to the service.

6. Click Add to map.

   The data is added to the map and now appears in the Layers pane .

OGC WMS web service

OGC WMS is a map that follows the OGC Web Map Service specification.

Do the following to add an OGC WMS web service layer:

1. On the Contents (dark) toolbar, click Add .
2. Click OGC WMS web service .
3. Copy the layer's URL into the URL text box.
4. Optionally, choose specific layers in the OGC WMS service to add to the map.

   Skip this step if you want to add the entire service.

5. Optionally, append custom parameters to requests made to the service, as follows:
   1. Click Custom parameters and click Add parameter.
   2. Type the name of the parameter you want to append in the Parameter text box.
   3. Type the parameter value in the Value text box.
   4. Optionally, check the Append only to requests that draw or query layers check box.

      If you leave the check box unchecked, the parameter is appended to all requests made to the service.

   5. Click Add.
   6. Repeat these steps for each parameter you want to append.

      If you specified custom parameters, they are applied to all the layers you chose. To append different custom parameters to specific layers only, you must add those layers separately.

6. Do one of the following:
   • Click Add to map to add the data as an operational layer.
   • Click Use as basemap to use the data as a basemap layer.

   The data is added to the map and now appears in the Layers pane or the Basemap pane .

OGC WMTS web service

OGC WMTS is a set of cached image tiles that follows the OGC Web Map Tile Service specification.

Do the following to add an OGC WMTS web service layer:

1. On the Contents (dark) toolbar, click Add .
2. Click OGC WMTS web service .
3. Copy the layer's URL into the URL text box.
4. Optionally, append custom parameters to requests made to the service, as follows:
   1. Click Custom parameters and click Add parameter.
   2. Type the name of the parameter you want to append in the Parameter text box.
   3. Type the parameter value in the Value text box.
   4. Optionally, check the Append only to requests that draw or query layers check box.

      If you leave the check box unchecked, the parameter is appended to all requests made to the service.

   5. Click Add.
   6. Repeat these steps for each parameter you want to append.
5. Do one of the following:
   • Click Add to map to add the data as an operational layer.
   • Click Use as basemap to use the data as a basemap layer.

   The data is added to the map and now appears in the Layers pane or the Basemap pane .

6. Repeat these steps if you want to add more layers in your WMTS.