Merge features into one feature

In the Modify Features pane, click Merge to combine two or more features on the same layer that share coincident vertices into one feature. You can replace the existing feature, or keep it and create a new feature.

Segment intersections are split and merged. Features that don't share a vertex, are merged as multipart features. For example, merging intersecting street centerlines or the individual Hawaiian Islands creates multipart features.

You can choose which feature attributes you want to preserve. Attributes constrained by attribute domains are not affected by the domain merge policy defined by the source geodatabase.

To learn more about merge policies in a geodatabase, see Introduction to attribute domains.

Merge existing features

Merging existing features replaces the selected features with the merged feature.

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

   The Modify Features pane appears.

2. Expand Construct and click Merge .

   The tool opens in the pane.

3. Click the Existing Feature tab.
4. Click Select and select the features on the same layer you want to merge.

   The selected features appear in the pane showing the value from the layer display field. If the field is null, the FID field value is shown.

   Tip:

   To change the display field, view the selection in the Attributes pane. Right-click the feature, click Layer Properties, and click Display.

5. In the pane, add or remove features from the selection.
   • To narrow the selection to features on the same layer, click the Layer arrow and choose the layer.
   • To remove a feature from the selection, click the Delete button in the Features to Merge section.
6. Configure the attributes fields and field values for the merged feature.
   1. In the Features to Merge section, click the feature containing the attributes you want to preserve.
   2. In the Merged Feature Attributes table, edit the attribute values.
7. Click Merge.

Create a new feature

Merging a new feature preserves the existing features and their attributes.

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

   The Modify Features pane appears.

2. Expand Construct and click Merge .

   The tool opens in the pane.

3. Click the New Feature tab.
4. Click Select and select the features on the same layer you want to merge.

   The selected features appear in the pane showing the value from the layer display field. If the field is null, the FID field value is shown.

   Tip:

   To change the display field, view the selection in the Attributes pane. Right-click the feature, click Layer Properties, and click Display.

5. In the pane, add or remove features from the selection.
   • To narrow the selection to features on the same layer, click the Layer arrow and choose the layer.
   • To remove a feature from the selection, click the Delete button in the Features to Merge section.
6. To preserve the selected features, check Keep original features.
7. To create the feature on a layer that is different from the selected feature layer, do the following:
   1. Check Use Template.
   2. Click the drop-down arrow and choose a feature template.
8. In the Merged Feature Attributes table, edit the attribute values.
9. Click Merge.