Use the offline help system with a keyboard

The offline help system opens in a desktop application called the ArcGIS Pro Help viewer. This application is keyboard accessible. The main areas of the ArcGIS Pro Help viewer are numbered in the image below.

ArcGIS Pro Help viewer components

Component	Description
	Tabs are used to show help topics, bookmarks, notes, and search results.
	The table of contents is available on the Documentation tab.
	Topics are displayed next to the table of contents on the Documentation tab.

Open the offline help system

The offline help system must be downloaded, installed, and set as your preferred help system in the ArcGIS Pro application options. Learn more about downloading the offline help system and setting the help source.

1. Start ArcGIS Pro.
2. Press F1.

   The ArcGIS Pro Help viewer opens in a separate window from the ArcGIS Pro application. By default, the cursor is placed in the search box in the upper right corner of the application.

Browse topics

1. On the Documentation tab, with the cursor in the search box, press the Tab key as needed to move into the table of contents.

   Note:

   Pressing Tab two times moves the cursor into the table of contents if there is no search history. Pressing Tab three times moves the cursor into the table of contents if there is a search history.

2. Use the arrow keys to browse the table of contents.

   The Right Arrow key expands sections. The Left Arrow key collapses an expanded section or moves to the previous section heading.

   When a topic is selected in the table of contents, it displays in the main viewer window.

3. Press Tab three times to move the cursor into the topic.
4. Use the Up Arrow and Down Arrow keys to scroll through the topic.
5. Press Tab to select the first link in the topic. Press Tab again to select the next link.

Search the help

When you open the ArcGIS Pro Help viewer, the Documentation tab is active and the cursor is in the search box.

1. Type a keyword or keywords in the search box and press Enter.

   The Search Results tab is selected and displays a list of relevant topics.

   

2. Press Tab three times to select the first search result. Press Tab or Down Arrow to select the next topic in the list. Press Enter to display the selected topic on the Documentation tab.
3. To return to the Search Results tab, press Alt+4.

   The search term is selected in the search box.

   Caution:

   Don't press Alt+F4, which closes the help system.

4. To delete the search term, press Tab to select the Delete button in the search box. Press Enter.

View recent searches

On the Search Results tab, or the Documentation tab, you can view recent searches and return to the results.

1. With the cursor in the search box, press Tab twice to select the search box drop-down arrow .
2. Press Enter to see a drop-down list of recent searches. Use the arrow keys to move among recent search terms. Press Enter to display the search results for a selected term.

   

3. To return to the Documentation tab at the top of the viewer, press Alt+1.

Navigate the help viewer

Use the keyboard shortcuts in the following table to navigate the help viewer and to execute commands.

Keyboard shortcut	Description
Tab	Move to the next element in a series, including viewer controls and help topic links.
Shift+Tab	Move to the previous element in a series, including viewer controls and help topic links.
Ctrl+Tab	Move to the next element in a series, excluding help topic links.
Shift+Ctrl+Tab	Move to the previous element in a series, excluding help topic links.
Alt+Left Arrow	Go back one topic in a series of previously viewed topics.
Alt+Right Arrow	Go forward one topic in a series of previously viewed topics.
Alt+1	Go to the Documentation tab.
Alt+2	Go to the Bookmarks tab.
Alt+3	Go to the Notes tab.
Alt+4	Go to the Search Results tab.
Alt+5	Go to the Search box.
Right Arrow and Left Arrow	Move between the Documentation, Bookmarks, Notes, and Search Results tabs. Expand or collapse sections when navigating the table of contents.
Ctrl+B	Bookmark the topic selected in the table of contents.
Ctrl+N	Add a note to the topic selected in the table of contents.
Ctrl+Plus Sign	Scale topic/Zoom in. The cursor must be in a topic.
Ctrl+Minus Sign	Scale topic/Zoom out. The cursor must be in a topic.
Ctrl+P	Print the topic selected in the table of contents.

Print a topic

Individual topics can be printed from the Documentation tab.

1. Search for a topic or browse to a topic in the table of contents.
2. Press Tab three times to move the cursor into the topic.
3. Press Ctrl+P to open the Print dialog box.
4. If necessary, on the General tab of the Print dialog box, use the Up Arrow and Down Arrow keys to select a printer.
5. Press Tab as needed to move to other print settings.
6. When the Print button is selected, press Enter to send the topic to the printer.

   Tip:

   Alternatively, on the Documentation tab, press Ctrl+Tab until Print is selected. Press Enter to open the Print dialog box.

Use bookmarks

Use bookmarks to return quickly to topics of interest.

Add a bookmark

1. From any location in the viewer, press Ctrl+B to bookmark the topic that is currently displayed on the Documentation tab.

   The bookmark is added to the Bookmarks tab.

   Tip:

   Alternatively, on the Documentation tab, press Ctrl+Tab until Add bookmark is selected. Press Enter to bookmark the topic that is currently displayed.

Use a bookmark

1. From any location in the viewer, press Alt+2 to select the Bookmarks tab and display your bookmarks.

   

2. Press Tab until the first bookmark in the list is selected.
3. Use the Up Arrow and Down Arrow keys to move between bookmarks.
4. Press Enter to open the topic for the selected bookmark.

   Tip:

   Pressing Tab on a selected bookmark selects Navigate for the bookmark. Pressing Enter on the Navigate button also opens the topic.

Delete a bookmark

1. From any location in the viewer, press Alt+2 to select the Bookmarks tab and display your bookmarks.
2. Press Tab until the first bookmark in the list is selected.
3. Use the Down Arrow key to select the bookmark you want to delete.
4. Press Tab two times to select Delete .
5. Press Enter.

   A Delete bookmark prompt appears.

6. Press the Left Arrow key to select the Yes button. Press Enter to delete the bookmark.

   Note:

   On the Documentation tab, when a bookmarked topic is displayed, Add bookmark on the viewer changes to Delete Bookmark . You can press Enter on this button to delete the bookmark.

Use notes

Use notes to supplement a topic with your own comments or additional information.

Add a note

1. On the Documentation tab, press Ctrl+N to open a text box under the topic that is currently displayed.

   Tip:

   Alternatively, press Ctrl+Tab until Add Note is selected and then press Enter.

2. Press Ctrl+Tab until the cursor is in the Notes text box.
3. Type the text you want in the note.
4. When you're finished, press Tab three times to move to Hide Note . Press Enter to hide the note and add it to the Notes tab.

   Note:

   Alternatively, when you finish typing the note, press Esc to add the note.

View a note

1. On the Documentation tab, press Alt+3 to select the Notes tab.

   

   Caution:

   The cursor should not be inside a help topic when you access the Notes tab. Press Ctrl+Tab before you press Alt+3.

2. Press Tab until the first note in the list is selected.
3. Use the Up Arrow and Down Arrow keys to move between notes.
4. Press Enter on a selected note to display the topic and open its note.

   Tip:

   Pressing Tab twice on a selected note selects Navigate . Pressing Enter on the Navigate button also displays the topic and opens its note.

Edit a note

1. On the Documentation tab, press Alt+3 to select the Notes tab.
2. Press Tab as needed and use the Up Arrow and Down Arrow keys to select the note you want to edit.
3. On a selected note, press Tab once to move the cursor to the note text.
4. Use your keyboard to edit the text.

   Tip:

   You can also edit the text of an open note on the Documentation tab. As needed, press Ctrl+Tab to select Show note . Press Enter to view the note. Press Ctrl+Tab until the note text is selected and can be edited.

Delete a note

1. On the Documentation tab, press Alt+3 to select the Notes tab.
2. Press Tab as needed and use the Up Arrow and Down Arrow keys to select the note you want to delete.
3. Press Tab three times to select Delete on the note.
4. Press Enter.

   A Delete note prompt appears.

5. Press the Left Arrow key to select the Yes button. Press Enter to delete the note.

   Note:

   You can also delete a note from the Documentation tab. When a topic with a note is displayed, Add note on the viewer changes to Delete note . Press Enter when this button is selected to open the Delete note prompt. Press the Left Arrow key to select the Yes button. Press Enter to delete the note.

Show link paths

The path of any link in a help topic can be displayed and copied. This capability is useful when you have restricted Internet access and need to view linked web pages later.

1. On the Documentation tab, press Ctrl+Tab until Show link path is selected. Press Enter.

   A text box displays at the bottom of the viewer.

2. Press Tab as needed to move the cursor into the help topic and select the first link.

   The link path displays in the text box. It may be a path to a help file on your computer or a web page URL.

3. Press Tab to select the next link in the topic.

   The text box updates with the path of the selected link.

4. To copy the link path to the system clipboard, press Ctrl+Tab to select the path in the text box. Press Ctrl+C to copy the link.

   Note:

   When the link path text box is displayed, Show link path changes to Hide link path . Press Enter when this button is selected to stop showing link paths.