Add a topographic north arrow—ArcGIS Pro

Available with Defense Mapping license.

Topographic north arrow elements are declination diagrams that represent three ways of defining north:

Grid north (GN)—The north established using the vertical grid lines on the map. Grid north is automatically calculated based on the center point of the chosen map frame.
Magnetic north (MN)—The direction to the north magnetic pole, as indicated by the north-seeking needle of a magnetic instrument. It is symbolized by a line ending with half of an arrowhead. Magnetic north is automatically calculated based on the center point of the chosen map frame and the chosen date.
True north—A line from any point on the earth's surface to the north pole. All lines of longitude are true north lines. It is represented by a star at the end of a line.

A topographic north arrow displaying Grid north, Magnetic north, and True north

Insert a topographic north arrow

A topographic north arrow can be inserted on any map layout.

Ensure that a layout with a map frame is open and is the active view in your project.
Learn more about layouts
Click the Insert tab.
Click the North Arrow drop-down arrow and choose a north arrow from the Topographic group.
Click the layout where you want to insert the topographic north arrow.
The topographic north arrow is added to the layout and remains active.
Note:
The text font defaults to NGA Topo. If you do not have the NGA Topo font installed, the text defaults to Arial.

Modify a topographic north arrow

You can modify the properties and appearance of a north arrow using the options on the North Arrow contextual tab.

Ensure that the layout that contains the topographic north arrow that you want to modify is open and is the active view in your project.
Click the topographic north arrow in the Contents pane.
The North Arrow contextual tab appears.
Double-click the element in the Contents pane to open the Element pane and update more element properties as necessary.
Tip:
You can also right-click the element on the layout or in the Contents pane and click Properties to open the Elements pane.
In the Element pane, click the Options tab to set the element's configuration options.
1. Provide a name for the element in the Name text box.
  This name appears in the Contents pane and must be unique.
2. Specify whether the element is visible by checking or unchecking the Visible check box.
  The default is visible.
3. Specify whether the element is locked so that changes cannot be made by checking or unchecking the Locked check box.
  The default is unlocked.
4. Click the Map frame drop-down arrow to change the map frame associated with the element.
5. Specify whether the element appears at a fixed height and width according to the specifications of the map product that the layout is for by checking or unchecking the Draw to specification check box.
  If the Draw to specification check box is checked, the element cannot be resized.
6. Specify whether the Declination, Magnetic North, and Grid North properties are automatically calculated based on the current extent of the map frame by checking or unchecking the Update Dynamically check box.
  This is checked by default.
7. Specify whether the north arrow element is associated with the primary coordinate system within the current extent by checking or unchecking the Primary Coordinate System check box.
  If the extent spans two coordinate systems, a second topographic north arrow can be inserted with this property unchecked.
8. Specify whether capitalized west or east text is added in the element for both G-M angle and Grid Convergence by checking or unchecking the Directional Notes check box.
  If checked, the following is an example: 1½° (30 MILS) WEST.
9. Specify whether the minutes for Grid Convergence display leading zeros by checking or unchecking the Leading Zeros check box.
10. Specify whether to display the G-M angle values to the nearest half-degree and mils to the nearest ten by checking or unchecking the Round G-M Angle check box.
  For example, if checked, 13 degrees and 31 minutes would display as 13 ½°, and instead of the corresponding 231.1 mils value, 230 displays as follows: 13 ½° (230 MILS) EAST
  If the Round G-M Angle check box is not checked, the G-M angle is displayed as degrees and minutes. For example, 13°41’; mils are displayed to the nearest 1 mil, or 243, and leading zeros are not displayed for G-M minutes.
11. Specify whether to display the G-M Angle and Grid Convergence mils values as whole numbers by checking or unchecking the Round Mils check box.
  This option is unavailable when the Round G-M Angle check box is checked.
12. Optionally, uncheck the Update Dynamically check box and click the Declination Date drop-down arrow to manually specify a date to use to calculate the declination of Magnetic north.
  This property is ignored when the Update Dynamically check box is checked.
13. Optionally, uncheck the Update Dynamically check box, click the Date Interval drop-down arrow, choose a date interval, and click the Update Dynamically check box again for the date interval you specified to take effect.
  The declination date is determined by the Date Interval value, specified as follows:
  - Daily—The declination date updates to the current date.
  - Monthly—The declination date updates to the first day of the current month.
  - Yearly—The declination date updates to the first day of the current year.
  - 5 - year—The declination date updates to the first day of the first year in the current five-year interval. This is based on the World Magnetic Model, which is released in five-year epochs.
14. Optionally, uncheck the Update Dynamically check box and click the Coordinate System drop-down arrow or Select Coordinate System button to specify the coordinate system that is used to calculate the declination of Grid north.
  When the map on the map frame uses a projected coordinate system, the element automatically calculates the Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) zone for the map. If the map covers two UTM zones, use the Primary Coordinate System check box to switch between the two zones.
15. Optionally, uncheck the Update Dynamically check box and manually adjust the angle between Magnetic north and Grid north under G-M Angle.
  - Direction—Choose whether Magnetic north is to the West or East of the Grid north.
  - Degrees—Specify how many degrees Magnetic north is from Grid north. The Mils value is automatically updated with the corresponding value in mils.
  - Minutes—Specify minutes.
  - Mils—Specify the how many mils Magnetic north is from Grid north. The values for Degrees and Minutes are automatically updated with the corresponding values.
16. Optionally, uncheck the Update Dynamically check box and manually adjust the angle between Grid north and True north under Grid Convergence.
  - Direction—Choose whether True north is to the West or East of the Grid north.
  - Degrees—Specify how many degrees True north is from Grid north. The Mils value is automatically updated with the corresponding value in mils.
  - Minutes—Specify minutes.
  - Mils—Specify the how many mils True north is from Grid north. The values for Degrees and Minutes are automatically updated with the corresponding values.
In the Element pane, click the Display tab to configure the element's display settings.
1. Configure the element's border in the Border section.
2. Configure the element's background in the Background section.
3. Configure the element's shadow in the Shadow section.
In the Element pane, click the Placement tab to configure the element's placement options.
1. Specify the element's size.
  Resizing is unavailable if the Draw to specification check box on the Options tab is checked.
2. Specify the element's size and position.
These settings can also be set from the element's contextual tab in the Size & Position group.

The element is configured, and modifications can continue to be made.

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Insert a topographic north arrow

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Modify a topographic north arrow

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