Georeferencing tools

The Georeference tab contains all the tools you need to georeference your raster datasets. The Georeference tab can be accessed from the Imagery tab as follows:

  1. In the Contents pane, select the layer you want to georeference.
  2. On the Imagery tab, click Georeference
    Georeference tab on the Imagery tab
    to open the Georeference tab.

To access the georeferencing options, click the Imagery tab. In the Alignment group, click Georeference Options Launcher. A new window appears in which you can set default options for all your georeferencing sessions.

The Georeference modal tab has the following five groups:

  • Prepare
  • Adjust
  • Review
  • Save
  • Close

Prepare

The Prepare group has tools to help you set up your source raster and your target datasets.

ButtonToolDescription

Locate

Search

Finds locations when you type an address, a place-name, or coordinate values.

Set Coordinate System

Set Spatial Reference System

Allows you to set the coordinate system of the map.

Fit to Display

Fit To Display

Places the raster you are georeferencing into the current display of the map extent.

Move

Move

Shifts the raster you are georeferencing.

You can manually shift the raster, or you can press the A key to specify the x and y shift in the text boxes.

Scale

Scale

Resizes the raster you are georeferencing.

You can manually choose the anchor location for scaling. On the map, at the center of the raster, hover over the anchor and press the Ctrl key. When the vertex pointer appears, drag the anchor to the desired location.

You can manually scale the raster, or you can press the A key to specify the scale factor in the text boxes.

Rotate

Rotate

Rotates the raster you are georeferencing.

You can manually choose the anchor location for the rotation. On the map, at the center of the raster, hover over the anchor and press the Ctrl key. When the vertex pointer appears, drag the anchor to the desired location.

You can manually rotate the raster, or you can press the A key to specify the degrees in the text box.

Flip Horizontal

Flip Vertical

Flip

Flips the raster horizontally or vertically.

Rotate Left

Rotate Right

Fixed Rotate

Turns the raster 90 degrees left or 90 degrees right.

Adjust

The Adjust group has tools for importing or creating control points. It also allows you to choose the transformation or reset the source raster to the default location.

ButtonToolDescription

Auto Georeference

Auto Georeference

Automatically creates control points for the source raster against a target raster. The source raster and target raster must be relatively close in terms of geographic location, spectral resolution, and spatial resolution for the autoregistration to work.

Import Control Points

Import Control Points

Import the control points into the georeferencing session.

If control points already exist in the control point table, you can choose to replace your existing control points as follows:

  • Yes—Delete the existing control points and import the control points from the file.
  • No—Do not delete the existing control points. Append the imported control points to the existing ones.
  • Cancel—Do not import any control points.

Add Control Points

Add Control Points

Adds control point pairs to georeference your raster. First, click the location of the raster you want to georeference. Then, choose the corresponding location on the target.

Transformation

Transformation

Set the transformation to use. The various transformations require a minimum number of control points before you can set the transformation.

Auto Apply

Auto Apply

Updates the display with each control point pair that is created. You can switch this option off if you do not want the display to update after each control point you create.

Apply

Apply

Updates the display with the current control points and transformation. This is useful when Auto Apply is switched off.

Reset

Reset

Resets the raster to its original location.

Keyboard shortcuts

While you are georeferencing, there are several keyboard shortcuts that can help you perform your task quickly.

Keyboard shortcutAction

C

Override the active tool with the Explore tool.

Q

Roam.

X

Zoom out incrementally.

Z

Zoom continuously.

L

Switch the visibility of the georeferencing layer on and off.

H

Switch the visibility of the control point ScreenTip on and off.

A

Specify the value for Move, Scale, or Rotate.

Esc

Cancel a control point (while creating a control point pair).

Spacebar

Temporarily disable vector snapping (if snapping has been turned on).

F5

Refresh the control point table.

Keyboard shortcuts for georeferencing

Review

The Review group has tools for quality control of your georeferencing results. You can use the Control Point Table to see the residuals of each control point. You can also select, zoom to, and delete control points.

ButtonToolDescription

Open Control Point Table

Open Control Point Table

Shows a table that contains control points and residuals.

Select Control Point

Select Control Point

Select and highlight a control point pair in the map display.

Zoom To Selected Control Point

Zoom To Selected Control Point

Center and zoom in to a selected control point. To zoom in closer, click this tool multiple times.

Delete Selected Control Point

Delete Selected Control Point

Delete the selected control point.

Delete All

Delete All

Delete all the control points.

When you choose to delete all control points, you are prompted to confirm that choice as follows:

  • Yes—Delete all the control points.
  • No—Do not delete the control points.
  • Cancel—Do not delete any control points.

Control Point Table

The Control Point Table and the Review group are used to check the quality of the control points. The Control Point Table provides information regarding the control point pairs that have been created. Each row represents a control point pair and lists the starting coordinates, adjusted coordinates, and residual error. The sum of the errors is presented in the root mean square (RMS) error.

ButtonToolDescription

Import Control Points

Import Control Points

Import the control points into the georeferencing session.

If control points already exist in the control point table, you can choose to replace your existing control points as follows:

  • Yes—Delete the existing control points and import the control points from the file.
  • No—Do not delete the existing control points. Append the imported control points to the existing ones.
  • Cancel—Do not import any control points.

Export Control Points

Export Control Points

Savs the control points to a georeferencing text file.

Add Control Points

Add Control Points

Adds an empty row to the table. This is useful when you want to manually type the control point coordinates.

By default, this control point is unavailable. Check the Use Control Point box to activate the control point.

Zoom To Selected Control Point

Zoom To Selected

Center and zoom in to a selected control point. To zoom in closer, click this tool multiple times.

Delete Selected Control Point

Delete Selected

Delete the selected control point.

Delete All

Delete All

Delete all the control points.

When you choose to delete all control points, you are prompted to confirm that choice as follows:

  • Yes—Delete all the control points.
  • No—Do not delete the control points.
  • Cancel—Do not delete any control points.

Degrees Minutes Seconds

Degrees, Minutes, Seconds

Switches the coordinates between decimal degrees and degrees, minutes, and seconds.

This option is only available when the coordinate system of the map supports degrees, minutes, and seconds.

Show Residuals in Meters

Show Residuals in Meters

Switches the residuals from degrees to meters.

This option is only available when your residuals are shown in degrees.

Make Selected Visible

Make Selected Visible

Makes the control point, which is selected in the map, visible within your control point table.

When you have many control points, it is sometimes difficult to find the row in the control point table that corresponds to the control point selected in the map. When you use this tool, it will display the proper highlighted row within the control point table view.

Transformation

Transformation

Set the transformation to use. The various transformations require a minimum number of control points before you can set the transformation.

Use Control Point

Use Control Point

Switches the control point on and off in the georeferencing calculation and adjustment. Control point rows that are checked off will not be used in the adjustment of the raster and will not have the values affect the RMS error.

Save

The Save group has tools to persist the results of the transformation. You can save to the current raster, save to a new raster dataset, or save the control points as a text file.

ButtonToolDescription

Save

Save

Updates the current raster with the control points and transformation you specified.

Save As New

Save As New

Creates a raster dataset with the control points and transformation you specified.

Export Control Points

Export Control Points

Savs the control points to a georeferencing text file.

Note:
Saving the ArcGIS Pro project does not save the current state of a georeferencing session. Export your control points before you close the project.

Close

Since this is a modal tab, the georeferencing session remains open and has the same raster layer as the target, even when you switch tabs or the contextual layer in the Contents pane. The Close group includes the Close Georeference button Close Georeference, which closes the modal tab when you are finished georeferencing the current raster layer.

Related topics