Offline maps, scenes, and data

, , and data allow users to continue being productive when network connectivity is poor or nonexistent. Users can explore maps, collect information, edit their asset data, find , and to new , all while disconnected. Once a connection is reestablished, users can update their offline map by downloading changes relevant to their offline map or by synchronizing their edits with the online . Users can also explore scenes, manage camera controllers, and find locations, all while disconnected.

This SDK supports maps that are always connected, occasionally connected, and fully disconnected.

  • Always connected: Users expect their apps to have constant access to online map and layer services. If the device loses network connectivity, the application will lose access to these services, resulting in loss of data and, perhaps, app failure.

  • Occasionally connected: Apps that are occasionally connected can download an from a when a connection is available and continue to work offline when the device is disconnected. When connectivity is restored, any changes to operational data in the offline map can be synchronized with the online services in the source web map. Occasionally connected apps can adopt the following workflows:

    • : The web map author defines the area of interest as an . The offline map area generates an with its data content, on a regular basis. Any number of mobile workers can download this offline map and take it into the field. Use this workflow if you have a large crew that need to operate with an identical offline map. This workflow is also referred to as the preplanned workflow.
    • : Each mobile worker defines the area of interest and the content to include from the web map, generates the offline map, and downloads it to their device, as required. Use this workflow if your mobile worker needs to specify the area of the web map to be taken offline.
  • Fully disconnected: A fully disconnected workflow is suitable for apps that do not require regular data updates, or for apps that will never have access to a network connection. Apps can operate in a fully disconnected environment by opening or created with ArcGIS Pro. These read-only packages can be shared within an organization or distributed by traditional means and copied onto any number of . See Take a map offline with ArcGIS Pro or Take a scene offline with ArcGIS Pro for more details.

Workflow capabilities summary

CapabilityAhead-of-time (map)On-demand (map)Mobile Map PackageMobile Scene Package
Display, interact, identify, and analyze .YesYesYesYes
Edit data in the .YesYesNoNo
Synchronize edits with the online .YesYesNoNo
Share or with other users.YesNoNoNo
Receive update packages from feature services.YesNoNoNo
.NoNoYesYes
.NoNoYesNo
Support layers.NoNoYesYes
Support online and .NoYesYesYes
Simple editing with .*YesYesNoNo
View utility network associations.*YesYesNoNo

* Taking offline requires version 10.9 or later.

Enable services for offline use

To access layer content while offline with the or workflows, you should offline-enable , , and that are referenced by layers in the . The author of the web map can do this when publishing the web map, or later using any of the service management tools. See Take web maps offline in the documentation for more information.

Feature services

You must sync-enable a if you want to be downloaded with the , any edits to be synchronized, or update packages to be received (ahead of time only). Follow the instructions here:

Vector tile services and map tile services

If you want tile service data to be downloaded with the , you must ensure that the tiled has the exportTiles capability enabled. For more information, see the ArcGIS REST API documentation for Vector tile service - Export Tiles and Map service - Export Tiles. To enable this capability, follow these instructions:

Tutorials

Create a mobile map package

Display a map from a mobile map package

Create an offline map area

Samples

Generate offline map

Edit and sync features

Generate geodatabase

Download preplanned map area

Open mobile map package

Export tiles

Open a mobile scene package

Feature layer (shapefile)

Read GeoPackage

Services

Your browser is no longer supported. Please upgrade your browser for the best experience. See our browser deprecation post for more details.

You can no longer sign into this site. Go to your ArcGIS portal or the ArcGIS Location Platform dashboard to perform management tasks.

Your ArcGIS portal

Create, manage, and access API keys and OAuth 2.0 developer credentials, hosted layers, and data services.

Your ArcGIS Location Platform dashboard

Manage billing, monitor service usage, and access additional resources.

Learn more about these changes in the What's new in Esri Developers June 2024 blog post.

Close