In the Contents pane, you can right-click a polyline or polygon feature layer with feature-linked annotation and generate feature-linked annotation features for the selected features. You can choose the destination sublayer annotation class defined by the annotation feature class.
The text string is defined by the target annotation class label expression. After you generate the annotation features, you can select an annotation feature and change the text string in the Attributes pane 
on the Annotation tab.
To learn more about label expressions, see Specify text for labels.
Annotate selected features
When you generate feature-linked annotation, you can choose to create annotation features only for the selected features that are currently labeled or to generate them for the entire selection and automatically set them as Unplaced in the attributes table.
To learn more about this tool, see Annotate Selected Features.
- In the Catalog pane, drag the polyline or polygon feature class and its linked annotation feature class onto your map.
- Select the polyline or polygon features in your map for which you want to generate feature-linked annotation features using one of the following methods:
- On the Edit tab, in the Selection group, click a selection tool and select the features.
- In the Contents pane, right-click the layer, click Selection, and click Select All.
- In the Contents pane, right-click the polyline or polygon layer, click Selection, and click Annotate Selected Features.
The Annotate Selected Features tool appears in the Geoprocessing pane.
- Confirm the Input Map text box contains the active map.
- Confirm the Input Features text box contains the selected feature layer for which you want to generate feature-linked annotation features.
- Confirm the Annotation Layer field contains the correct feature-linked annotation feature layer.
- Choose the destination sublayer annotation class.
- Check or uncheck the Convert unplaced labels to unplaced annotation setting.
- Unchecked—Generates annotation features only for features that are currently labeled. This is the default.
- Checked—Generates annotation features for all selected features. Features not currently labeled are given the status Unplaced in the attribute table.
- Click Run
.