Edit annotation baselines

In the Modify Features pane, Vertices Edit Vertices can edit the nonvisible baseline that shapes a straight or a curved annotation feature. You can add, delete, or move vertices, and change a baseline to a straight line, a circular arc, or a Bézier curve.

This workflow can be useful when you need to perform detailed edits to change the shape of an annotation feature. The steps are the same as editing a polyline feature.

For example, you can edit the baseline of an annotation feature and shape it to follow the contour of a river or a mountain range.

Note:

You can only edit annotation features that are created or upgraded in ArcGIS Pro.

To learn more, see Upgrade dataset.

Edit vertices

When you hover over a vertex and the pointer changes to the vertex pointer, you can drag a vertex, right-click and use the context menu, and use the tools on the vertices toolbar to edit baseline vertices.

  1. On the Edit tab, in the Features group, click Modify.

    The Modify Features pane appears.

  2. Expand Reshape and click Vertices Edit Vertices.

    The tool opens in the pane.

  3. In the pane, click the Features tab if Map Topology Map Topology is enabled.

    Feature editing mode is enabled.

  4. Click Active Select Active Select, and select the annotation feature you want to edit.

    The baseline geometry highlights on the map as a dashed line with vertex handles. Bézier curves also display a control handle for each curve.

    Straight-line annotation

    The vertices toolbar appears at the bottom of the map.

    vertices toolbar
  5. If you select more than one feature, click an item in the tree view to flash it on the map, right-click the feature you want to edit, and click Only Select This Unselect on the context menu.
  6. On the Edit tab, in the Snapping group, enable your snapping preferences.
    • Press and hold the Spacebar to temporarily turn off snapping.
  7. Hover over a vertex until the pointer changes to the vertex pointer.
  8. To move a vertex, drag it or right-click and use the context menu.
  9. To move a Bézier curve control handle, drag it.
    • To drag a control handle overlapping a vertex, press and hold the Ctrl key.
  10. To delete a vertex, right-click the vertex and click Delete Vertex Delete, or click Delete Vertex Delete Vertex on the vertices toolbar and click the vertex.
  11. To finish the feature, click Finish Finish on the vertices toolbar, or press the F2 key.

Edit or change segments

When you hover over a segment and the pointer changes to the segment pointer, you can drag a segment, right-click and use the context menu, and use the tools on the vertices toolbar to edit or change segments.

  1. On the Edit tab, in the Features group, click Modify.

    The Modify Features pane appears.

  2. Expand Reshape and click Vertices Edit Vertices.

    The tool opens in the pane.

  3. In the pane, click the Features tab if Map Topology Map Topology is enabled.

    Feature editing mode is enabled.

  4. Click Active Select Active Select, and select the annotation feature you want to edit.

    The baseline geometry highlights on the map as a dashed line with vertex handles. Bézier curves also display a control handle for each curve.

    Bézier curve annotation

    The vertices toolbar appears at the bottom of the map.

    vertices toolbar
  5. If you select more than one feature, click an item in the list to flash it on the map, right-click the feature you want to edit, and click Only Select This Unselect on the context menu.
  6. On the Edit tab, in the Snapping group, enable your snapping preferences.
    • Press and hold the Spacebar to temporarily turn off snapping.
  7. Hover over a segment until the pointer changes to the segment pointer.
  8. To move a segment, drag it.
  9. To add a vertex to a segment, right-click the segment and click Add Vertex Add, or click Add Vertex Add Vertex on the vertices toolbar and click the segment.
  10. To change the geometry of a segment, right-click the segment, click Change Segment, and choose one of the following:
    • To Line—Changes an arc or a Bézier curve to a line segment
    • To Circular Arc—Changes a line segment or Bézier curve to an arc
    • To Bezier Curve—Changes a line segment or an arc to a Bézier curve
  11. To finish the feature, click Finish Finish on the vertices toolbar, or press the F2 key.