Change current settings for a project

ArcGIS Pro has many configurable project and application options. In the Current Settings, you can change the home folder, default geodatabase, and default toolbox for an open project.

Project name and location

When a project is created on a local or network computer, a project file is created with the file extension .aprx appended to the project name. Once a project has been created, it can't be moved or renamed in ArcGIS Pro. However, you can save a copy of an existing project file to a new location with a new name.

The name of an open project and the path to its location are displayed on the Current Settings tab of the Options dialog box. They can be viewed but not edited. The project's name also appears in the application window above the ribbon.

Caution:

Using file system commands to move, rename, or copy projects is not supported and risks corrupting the project.

Home folder

Every project has a home folder. By default, this is the folder in which the project file (.aprx) is stored, and in which the project's default geodatabase and toolbox are created. The home folder is also the default storage location for many items that you create in an ArcGIS Pro session, such as database and server connection files, analysis results, map and layer files, and other exported files. A project always includes a folder connection to its home folder , which appears under the Folders container in the Catalog pane.

Once a project has been created, you can designate a different folder to be the home folder, provided that you have write access to it. For example, if a project is stored on a network computer, you may want the home folder to be on your local computer instead. (Changing the home folder means that the new home folder doesn't contain the project file.) The folder designated as the home folder cannot be removed from the project.

Default geodatabase

Every project has a default geodatabase. Most spatial datasets and stand-alone tables created by geoprocessing tools are stored in this location. When a layer template or another schema-only layer package is added to a map, the new geodatabase items that store data associated with the layer are also created in the default geodatabase.

By default, when you create a project, a file geodatabase is created in the home folder. This geodatabase has the same name as the project file and is designated the default geodatabase. A project always includes a connection to the default geodatabase , which appears under the Databases container in the Catalog pane.

Once a project has been created, you can designate a different geodatabase to be the default, provided that you have write access to it. The geodatabase designated as the default geodatabase cannot be removed from the project.

To designate a single geodatabase to be the default for all new projects, change the Geodatabase setting under Create projects in the general options for the application.

The default geodatabase can be a file geodatabase (.gdb), mobile geodatabase (.geodatabase), or enterprise geodatabase (.egdb). Other database types are not supported as default geodatabases.

Default toolbox

Every project has a default toolbox. New ModelBuilder models are stored in this location.

By default, when you create a project, a toolbox is created in the home folder. This toolbox has the same name as the project file and is designated the default toolbox. A project always includes a connection to the default toolbox , which appears under the Toolboxes container in the Catalog pane.

Once a project has been created, you can designate a different toolbox to be the default, provided that you have write access to it. Any type of toolbox that ArcGIS Pro can access can be used as the default. The toolbox designated as the default toolbox cannot be removed from the project.

To designate a single toolbox to be the default for all new projects, change the Toolbox setting under Create projects in the general options for the application.

The default toolbox can be a toolbox (.atbx), Python toolbox (.pyt), or legacy toolbox (.tbx). A toolbox stored in a geodatabase cannot be the default toolbox.

Change current settings

You can change the home folder, default geodatabase, or default toolbox for an open project on the Options dialog box. You can also view the project name and location.

Alternatively, you can change the home folder, default geodatabase, and default toolbox on the ribbon when a catalog view is active, or in the Catalog pane.

Change settings on the Options dialog box

Follow the steps below to change the current project settings on the Options dialog box. If the item you want to designate as the default doesn't yet exist, first create a folder, create a geodatabase, or create a toolbox. In this workflow, you can designate an item as the default whether or not it has been added to the project.

1. Open the project whose settings you want to change.
2. On the ribbon, click the Project tab to access the ArcGIS Pro settings.
3. In the list of side tabs, click Options.

   The Options dialog box appears.

4. In the Options dialog box, under Project, click Current Settings and change settings as desired:
   • To change the home folder, under Home folder, type the path to an existing folder where you have sufficient storage space to support the project. Alternatively, click Browse and browse to the folder.
   • To change the default geodatabase, under Default geodatabase, type the path to an existing geodatabase. Alternatively, click Browse and browse to the geodatabase.
   • To change the default toolbox, under Default toolbox, type the path to an existing toolbox. Alternatively, click Browse and browse to the toolbox.
5. Click OK.
6. On the Settings page, click the Back button to return to your project.

   The new settings take effect immediately. Connections to the previous home folder, default geodatabase, and default toolbox remain in the project. You can remove these connections if you no longer need them.

Change settings in a catalog view

Follow the steps below to change a project's home folder, default geodatabase, or default toolbox from the ribbon. In this workflow, you must first connect to a folder, add a geodatabase, or add a toolbox to the project before you can make it the default.

1. Open the project whose settings you want to change.
2. On the ribbon, click the View tab. In the Windows group, click Catalog View .

   A catalog view opens and is the active view.

3. In the Contents pane, browse to the item that you want to make the default:
   • To change the home folder, browse to the Folders container and click a folder connection to select it.
   • To change the default geodatabase, browse to the Databases container and click a geodatabase to select it.
   • To change the default toolbox, browse to the Toolboxes container and click a toolbox to select it.
4. On the ribbon, click the Manage tab. In the Project group, click Make Default .

   Tip:

   You can also change the default item in the Catalog pane. Browse to the folder connection, geodatabase, or toolbox under its appropriate container. Right-click the item and click Make Default .