Georeferencing tools—ArcGIS Pro

The Georeference tab contains all the tools you need to georeference your raster datasets. You can access the Georeference tab from the Imagery tab as follows:

In the Contents pane, select the layer you want to georeference.
On the Imagery tab, click Georeference
to open the Georeference tab.

To access the georeferencing options, click the Imagery tab. In the Alignment group, click Georeference Options Launcher . A new window appears in which you can set default options for all your georeferencing sessions.

The Georeference modal tab has the following five groups:

Prepare
Adjust
Review
Save
Close

Prepare

The Prepare group has tools to help you set up your source raster and your target datasets.


Button	Tool	Description
	Search	Finds locations when you type an address, a place-name, or coordinate values.
	Set Spatial Reference System	Allows you to set the coordinate system of the map.
	Fit To Display	Places the raster you are georeferencing into the current display of the map extent.
	Move	Shifts the raster you are georeferencing. You can manually shift the raster, or you can press the A key to specify the x- and y-shift in the text boxes.
	Scale	Resizes the raster you are georeferencing. You can manually choose the anchor location for scaling. On the map, at the center of the raster, hover over the anchor and press the Ctrl key. When the vertex pointer appears, drag the anchor to the desired location. You can manually scale the raster, or you can press the A key to specify the scale factor in the text boxes.
	Rotate	Rotates the raster you are georeferencing. You can manually choose the anchor location for the rotation. On the map, at the center of the raster, hover over the anchor and press the Ctrl key. When the vertex pointer appears, drag the anchor to the desired location. You can manually rotate the raster, or you can press the A key to specify the degrees in the text box.
	Flip	Flips the raster horizontally or vertically.
	Fixed Rotate	Turns the raster 90 degrees left or 90 degrees right.

Adjust

The Adjust group has tools for importing or creating control points. It also allows you to choose the transformation or reset the source raster to the default location.


Button	Tool	Description
	Auto Georeference	Automatically create control points for the source raster against a target raster. The source raster and target raster must be relatively close in terms of geographic location, spectral resolution, and spatial resolution for the autoregistration to work.
	Import Control Points	Import the control points into the georeferencing session. If control points already exist in the control point table, you can choose to replace your existing control points as follows: Yes—Delete the existing control points and import the control points from the file. No—Do not delete the existing control points. Append the imported control points to the existing ones. Cancel—Do not import any control points.
	Add Control Points	Add control point pairs to georeference your raster. First, click the location of the raster you want to georeference. Then, choose the corresponding location on the target.
	Transformation	Set the transformation to use. The various transformations require a minimum number of control points before you can set the transformation. Zero Order Polynomial— A zero-order polynomial will be used to shift the data. This is commonly used when the data is georeferenced, but a small shift will better line it up. Only one link is required to perform a zero-order polynomial shift. Similarity Polynomial— A first order transformation will be used that attempts to preserve the shape of the original raster. The RMS error tends to be higher than other polynomial transformations because the preservation of shape is more important than the best fit. 1st Order Polynomial—A first-order polynomial (affine) will be used to fit a flat plane to the input points. 2nd Order Polynomial—A second-order polynomial will be used to fit a somewhat more complicated surface to the input points. 3rd Order Polynomial—A third-order polynomial will be used to fit a more complicated surface to the input points. Adjust— A polynomial transformation is combined with a triangulated irregular network (TIN) interpolation technique that will optimize both global and local accuracy. Projective— The source control points will be transformed precisely to the target control points. In the output, the control points will be accurate, but the raster pixels between the control points will not. Spline— Lines will be warped so that they remain straight. Lines that were once parallel may no longer remain parallel. The projective transformation is especially useful for oblique imagery, scanned maps, and for some imagery products.
	Auto Apply	Update the display with each control point pair that is created. You can switch this option off if you do not want the display to update after each control point you create.
	Apply	Update the display with the current control points and transformation. This is useful when Auto Apply is switched off.
	Reset	Reset the raster to its original location.

Keyboard shortcuts

While you are georeferencing, there are several keyboard shortcuts that can help you perform your task quickly.

Keyboard shortcuts for georeferencing
Keyboard shortcut	Action	Comment
C	Override the active tool with the Explore tool.
Q	Roam.	Move the pointer in the direction you want.
X and drag	Zoom out .
Z and drag	Zoom the view in or out .
L	Switch the visibility of the georeferencing layer on and off.
H	Switch the visibility of the control point ScreenTip on and off.
A	Specify the value for Move, Scale, or Rotate.
Esc	Cancel a control point while creating a control point pair.
Spacebar	Temporarily disable vector snapping (if snapping has been turned on).
F5	Refresh the control point table.

Review

The Review group has tools for quality control of your georeferencing results. You can use the Control Point Table to see the residuals of each control point. You can also select, zoom to, and delete control points.


Button	Tool	Description
	Open Control Point Table	Show a table that contains control points and residuals. The Control Point Table opens based on the Tables setting of the User Interface options.
	Select Control Point	Select and highlight a control point pair in the map display.
	Zoom To Selected Control Point	Center and zoom in to a selected control point. To zoom in closer, click this tool multiple times.
	Delete Selected Control Point	Delete the selected control point.
	Delete All	Delete all the control points. When you choose to delete all control points, you are prompted to confirm that choice as follows: Yes—Delete all the control points. No—Do not delete the control points. Cancel—Do not delete any control points.

Control Point Table

The Control Point Table and the Review group are used to check the quality of the control points. The Control Point Table provides information regarding the control point pairs that have been created. Each row represents a control point pair and lists the starting coordinates, adjusted coordinates, and residual error. The sum of the errors is presented in the root mean square (RMS) error. The Control Point Table opens based on the Tables setting of the User Interface options.


Button	Tool	Description
	Import Control Points	Import the control points into the georeferencing session. If control points already exist in the control point table, you can choose to replace your existing control points as follows: Yes—Delete the existing control points and import the control points from the file. No—Do not delete the existing control points. Append the imported control points to the existing ones. Cancel—Do not import any control points.
	Export Control Points	Save the control points to a georeferencing text file.
	Generate Report	Export transformation details and control points to an HTML report.
	Add Control Points	Add an empty row to the table. This is useful when you want to manually type the control point coordinates. By default, this control point is unavailable. Check the Use Control Point box to activate the control point.
	Zoom To Selected	Center and zoom in to a selected control point. To zoom in closer, click this tool multiple times.
	Delete Selected	Delete the selected control point.
	Delete All	Delete all the control points. When you choose to delete all control points, you are prompted to confirm that choice as follows: Yes—Delete all the control points. No—Do not delete the control points. Cancel—Do not delete any control points.
	Degrees, Minutes, Seconds	Switch the coordinates between decimal degrees and degrees, minutes, and seconds. This option is only available when the coordinate system of the map supports degrees, minutes, and seconds.
	Show Residuals in Meters	Switch the residuals from degrees to meters. This option is only available when your residuals are shown in degrees.
	Make Selected Visible	Make the control point, which is selected in the map, visible within your control point table. When you have many control points, it is sometimes difficult to find the row in the control point table that corresponds to the control point selected in the map. When you use this tool, it will display the proper highlighted row within the control point table view.
	Transformation	Set the transformation to use. The various transformations require a minimum number of control points before you can set the transformation.
	Use Control Point	Switch the control point on and off in the georeferencing calculation and adjustment. Control point rows that are checked off will not be used in the adjustment of the raster and will not have the values affect the RMS error.

Save

The Save group has tools to persist the results of the transformation. You can save to the current raster, save to a new raster dataset, or save the control points as a text file.


Button	Tool	Description
	Save	Update the current raster with the control points and transformation you specified.
	Save As New	Create a raster dataset with the control points and transformation you specified.
	Export Control Points	Save the control points to a georeferencing text file. Note: Saving the ArcGIS Pro project does not save the current state of a georeferencing session. Export your control points before you close the project.
	Generate Report	Export transformation details and control points to an HTML report.

Close

Since this is a modal tab, the georeferencing session remains open and has the same raster layer as the target, even when you switch tabs or the contextual layer in the Contents pane. The Close group includes the Close Georeference button , which closes the modal tab when you are finished georeferencing the current raster layer.