Paste features from the clipboard to a different layer

The Paste Special command pastes the features in the clipboard to a specified layer or to a layer referenced by an editing template. This command is available on the ribbon Edit tab, in the Clipboard group, when the clipboard contains features.

When you paste features to a different layer, consider the following:

• Features can be pasted with attribute values from the clipboard, copied from a source layer to a target layer using the current field map settings, target geodatabase default values, or values stored with an editing template.
• Polygon features can be pasted to line, multipatch, or polygon features. In 3D scenes, 2D polygon features can be pasted to multipatch or 3D object feature layers and multipatch features can be pasted to 3D object feature layers.
• If you exit ArcGIS Pro with a large amount of information on the clipboard, you are asked whether you want to save the information to be able to paste it later.

To paste features from the clipboard to a different layer, complete the following steps:

1. Click the map to ensure it is current.

   The current map tab appears dark blue.

2. On the ribbon, click the Edit tab.
3. In the Selection group, click the Select tool , and select the features to be copied.
4. In the Clipboard group, click one of the following commands:

   Copy	Copy the selected features to the clipboard and keep the source features in the map.
   Cut	Copy the selected features to the clipboard and delete the source features from the map.

   The features and their attribute values are copied to the clipboard.

5. Click the Paste Special command .

   The Paste Special dialog box appears.

6. If the clipboard contains a mix of line and polygon features, choose the geometry types to paste.

   This setting also determines the templates and layers that appear on the Template and Layer tabs.

   

7. Click the Template or Layer tab.

   Template	Paste to a layer defined by an editing template.
   Layer	Paste directly to a layer.

8. Check or uncheck the Keep source attribute values check box.

   Checked

   Keep the source attribute values based on the active tab. Template tab—Paste the attribute values from the source layer to the target layer using the current field mapping settings. If the target and source layer aren't defined in the field mapping settings, paste the attributes from the clipboard. For steps to set the target and source layer fields, see Configure field mapping. Layer tab—Paste the attribute values from the clipboard.

   Unchecked

   Overwrite the source attribute values based on the active tab. Template tab—Paste the attribute values stored with the specified feature template. Layer tab—Paste the geodatabase default values defined for the specified layer.

   Note:

   This setting is disabled for annotation features in this release of ArcGIS Pro.

9. Click OK to paste the features to the map.

   The pasted features are drawn coincident with the source features from which they were copied and are the currently selected features.

10. To move the features, click the Move tool in the Modify Features pane.

    

    Note:

    By default, the Move tool automatically runs after pasting features. For steps to turn this optional setting on or off, see Run the Move tool after pasting features.

11. Click Finish or press the F2 key to finish the edit.