Use Paste Special with the clipboard

The Paste Special command pastes the contents of the clipboard to a specified target layer or table and includes methods for transferring attribute values. This command is available on the ribbon Edit tab, in the Clipboard group, and on the context menu if the clipboard contains features.

When you paste features, consider the following:

• You can paste the source attribute values on the clipboard, values defined by an editing template, or target layer geodatabase default values, or you can transfer attributes with field mapping.
• 2D line features can be pasted to line, multipatch, or polygon feature layers.
• In 3D scenes, 2D line features can be pasted to multipatch or 3D object feature layers. Multipatch features can be pasted to 3D object feature layers.

Note:

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 copy and paste features or table records to a specified target layer or table, complete the following steps:

1. Click the map to ensure it is current.

   The current map tab appears dark blue.

2. Click the ribbon Edit tab.
3. In the Selection group, click the Select tool , and select the features to be copied.

   To select records in a table, click the row header (the small gray square containing the row number) in the table adjacent to the record you want to select. To select consecutive records, click and drag. To learn more about selecting records in a table, see Select records in a table interactively.

   The Copy and Cut commands appear enabled.

4. In the Clipboard group, click Copy or press Ctrl+C.

   Alternatively, right-click the map and click the command on the context menu.

   Note:

   To copy the selected features or table records to the clipboard and delete them from the map or table in one step, click Cut or press Ctrl+X instead.

   The selected features or table records are copied to the clipboard.

5. In the Clipboard group, click Paste Special or press Ctrl+Alt+V.

   Alternatively, right-click the map and click the command on the context menu.

   The Paste Special dialog box appears.

6. If the clipboard contains a mix of feature types or records from a table, choose the type you are pasting in the Paste section.

   

7. Click the Template or Layer tab.

   The selected tab determines how source attribute values on the clipboard are pasted and the available optional methods for transferring attributes.

   Template	Choose an editing template to specify a target layer. You can paste source attribute values on the clipboard or defined by the specified template, or you can transfer attributes with field mapping.
   Layer	Specify a target layer. You can paste source attribute values on the clipboard or target layer geodatabase default values.

8. Click the drop-down arrow and choose an editing template or a layer.
9. Check or uncheck the Keep source attribute values check box.

   Checked	The currently selected tab uses the following methods: Template tab—Field mapping settings are used to transfer attribute values. If the source and target layers don't match, the source attributes on the clipboard are pasted. For steps to set the target and source layer fields, see Configure field mapping. Layer tab—Source attributes on the clipboard are pasted.
   Unchecked	The currently selected tab uses the following methods: Template tab—Attribute values defined by the selected editing template are pasted. Layer tab—Geodatabase default values defined by the specified target layer are pasted.

   Note:

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

10. Click OK to paste the features to the map or records into the table.

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

11. To move pasted 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.

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