Find answers to common questions about ArcMap.
- What is the difference between ArcGIS Desktop, ArcMap, and ArcGIS Pro?
- Can I run ArcGIS Desktop applications and ArcGIS Pro on the same computer?
- Does ArcMap use the same licenses as ArcGIS Pro?
- Can I use my ArcGIS Desktop extensions in ArcGIS Pro?
- How do I start an edit session in ArcGIS Pro?
- Will Python scripts and tools written for ArcMap work in ArcGIS Pro?
- Are the geoprocessing tools in ArcMap available in ArcGIS Pro?
- Do geoprocessing models built in ArcMap work in ArcGIS Pro?
- Can I use maps authored in ArcMap in ArcGIS Pro?
- I imported a map document with multiple data frames. Why do I see only one map in ArcGIS Pro?
- I imported a map document (.mxd) and some of the layers in the ArcGIS Pro map are not selectable. Why not?
- Can I use personal geodatabases (.mdb) as data sources for ArcGIS Pro?
- Can I use ArcMap styles in ArcGIS Pro?
- Can I import an animation created in ArcMap into ArcGIS Pro?
- Can I create or use geometric networks in ArcGIS Pro?
- Will an ArcObjects application built for ArcMap work in ArcGIS Pro?
- Can I open an ArcGIS Pro project in ArcMap?
- Can I run tools and models built in ArcGIS Pro in ArcMap?
- Can I use maps authored in ArcGIS Pro in ArcMap?
- How much longer will ArcMap be supported?
- Are there resources to help me migrate from ArcMap to ArcGIS Pro?
ArcGIS Desktop is a suite of four applications: ArcMap, ArcCatalog, ArcScene, and ArcGlobe. ArcGIS Desktop applications are designed to work together. ArcGIS Desktop also includes a subscription to ArcGIS Online. Throughout the documentation, the names ArcGIS Desktop and ArcMap are often used interchangeably to refer to ArcMap, ArcCatalog, ArcScene, and ArcGlobe.
ArcGIS Pro is designed to work independently and is approximately equivalent in functionality to the four ArcGIS Desktop applications combined, and includes extensive new functionality. ArcGIS Pro can be purchased separately from ArcGIS Desktop.
No. ArcMap and ArcGIS Pro licenses are authorized separately. If you use Concurrent Use licensing for ArcMap and ArcGIS Pro, you can manage both sets of licenses with the same License Manager.
If you have an ArcGIS Desktop license for an extension product, you also have a license for the same extension in ArcGIS Pro if it is available. See ArcGIS Pro extensions for a list of available extensions. Extension licenses in ArcGIS Pro are managed with the same license type, such as Named User, as your ArcGIS Pro license.
By default, data is always editable in ArcGIS Pro. Optionally, you can configure the application to enable and disable editing explicitly, as in ArcMap.
Yes, in most cases. ArcGIS Pro uses Python 3; other ArcGIS Desktop and ArcGIS Server applications use Python 2.x. In spite of differences between these two Python versions, many geoprocessing scripts can be used without modification in either ArcMap or ArcGIS Pro. In some cases, it is necessary to migrate Python scripts to ArcGIS Pro. Use the Analyze Tools For Pro geoprocessing tool to analyze a script or toolbox for necessary changes.
Yes, most of the geoprocessing tools in ArcMap are available in ArcGIS Pro. Some tools that are not available may be available in a future release. Tools that work with data formats that are not supported in ArcGIS Pro, such as coverages, will not be available in the future. Each release of ArcGIS Pro includes new geoprocessing tools that are not available in ArcMap.
Yes, in most cases. However, if a model uses a tool that is not available in ArcGIS Pro, the model will not work. You may be able to remove the tool and use an alternate workflow. A model built in ArcMap may include a tool that has slightly different functionality in ArcGIS Pro. Refer to a tool's help topic to determine what changes may be required for the tool to run successfully in an ArcGIS Pro model.
Tip:
Before saving a model that was built in ArcMap in ArcGIS Pro, make a backup copy of the toolbox that contains the ArcMap model. Once a model is saved in ArcGIS Pro, it can't be used in other ArcGIS Desktop applications. Learn about migrating ModelBuilder workflows to ArcGIS Pro.
Yes. You can import map documents (.mxd) and map packages (.mpk) into ArcGIS Pro. You can also import scene (.sxd) and globe (.3dd) documents. The same file geodatabase and shapefile datasets can be used by both applications. However, if a dataset is modified with functionality unique to ArcGIS Pro, it can no longer be used in ArcMap.
When you import a map document (.mxd), each data frame becomes a separate map in your ArcGIS Pro project; however, only one of the maps opens. You can open the other maps from the Catalog pane. The map document layout is also imported. If the map document was saved in Layout View in ArcMap, ArcGIS Pro opens the layout instead of a map.
I imported a map document (.mxd) and some of the layers in the ArcGIS Pro map are not selectable. Why not?
If any layers in the map document were set not to allow selection, those settings are preserved when the map is imported. In the Contents pane of the ArcGIS Pro map, click the List By Selection tab 
and click check boxes as needed to make items selectable.
Personal geodatabases are not supported in ArcGIS Pro. However, in ArcMap you can run a geoprocessing tool to convert personal geodatabases to file geodatabases. Alternatively, in ArcGIS Pro you can make an OLE DB connection to a personal geodatabase. This gives you a read-only view of the data and allows you to import the data into a supported geodatabase.
Many ArcMap styles have been retired and are not included as system styles in ArcGIS Pro. However, you can import ArcGIS Desktop styles into ArcGIS Pro. A number of styles have been converted to the ArcGIS Pro *.stylx format and can be downloaded from ArcGIS Online at ArcGIS Pro Styles. Many new creative styles are also available.
No, animations created in ArcMap cannot be imported into ArcGIS Pro. When you import a map (.mxd), globe (.3dd), or scene (.sxd) document into ArcGIS Pro, the animation is not included. This is because animations in ArcGIS Pro use unified keyframe properties rather than the multiple tracks methodology used in ArcMap.
Geometric networks are a read-only dataset in ArcGIS Pro. In ArcGIS Pro, trace networks are used to manage, model, and analyze simple networks such as hydrology networks. Utility networks are used for complex networks such as water, gas, electric, telecom, sewer, and stormwater networks.
No. ArcGIS Pro has a new .NET API with functionality and workflows that are different from ArcMap. The new API was built using ArcObjects; however, ArcObjects is not exposed directly.
Models that are built, or opened and saved, in ArcGIS Pro cannot be used directly in ArcMap. However, you can save a toolbox from ArcGIS Pro to a 10.x version of ArcMap. A model stored in that toolbox can then be run in ArcMap.
Note:
If the model includes tools or data types that are not available in ArcMap, the model will not run, even if the toolbox is saved to an ArcMap-compatible version. Use the Analyze Toolbox For Version tool to identify compatibility issues.
Yes. You cannot export a map from ArcGIS Pro as a map document (.mxd). However, after you share an ArcGIS Pro map as a web map, you can open it in ArcMap.
Alternatively, you can sign in to ArcGIS Online through a web browser, search for a web map, and open its item page. On the item page, click Open in ArcGIS Desktop > Open in ArcMap. Double-click the downloaded item.pkinfo file.
The ArcMap Continued Support web page has information on the ArcMap life cycle as well as which products are affected.
Yes. There are help topics, tutorials, and a migration guide to help you get started.