When internet or network connectivity is unavailable, unreliable, or slow, you can take the data from certain types of web layers offline to work with it. In every case, you must prepare the web layer before you take it offline. In some cases, you must also prepare the data used in the web layer before you take it offline.
The following table lists the types of web layers you can take offline and provides links to information on how to prepare each type of web layer for offline use.
| Layer type | Setting required for offline use | Additional information |
|---|---|---|
ArcGIS Server feature services | Enable sync | Before you can enable synchronization on an ArcGIS Server feature service, you must prepare the data. The type of data that you publish determines the additional sync settings you can apply to the service. Once the data is prepared for offline use, you can publish from ArcGIS AllSource with sync enabled or enable sync on the service in ArcGIS Server Manager. Tip:If the feature service contains versioned data and the feature service publisher chooses to create a replica for each downloaded map or each user, a replica version will be created. When a client synchronizes edits to the feature service, the client's edits are applied to the replica version. The edits in the replica version must be reconciled with and posted to the parent version. See Replica versions in offline workflows for more details. |
Hosted feature layers | Enable sync | Because the data is hosted in ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise, no data preparation is necessary. Use the links below for information about enabling sync:
|
Hosted raster tile layers | Allow this layer to be downloaded and used in an offline map | Use the links below for information about how to configure hosted raster tile layers for offline use:
|
Hosted vector tile layers | Allow clients to export cache tiles | Use the links below for information about how to configure hosted vector tile layers for offline use:
|
Cached map image layers | Allow clients to export cache tiles | Configure this setting when you publish the map image layer from ArcGIS AllSource. |
Cached imagery layers | Allow clients to export cache tiles | Configure this setting when you publish the cached imagery layer from ArcGIS AllSource. |
Offline data in ArcGIS AllSource
If your network connectivity is unreliable or slow, you can take web layer data offline in ArcGIS AllSource. When you do this, you work with a local copy of the data.
In ArcGIS AllSource, use the Download Map button to take web layers offline. See Take a map offline to learn more about how to configure this workflow.
When you take editable feature services or hosted feature layers offline, the edits you make are stored in a local geodatabase that contains a copy of the feature layer data. When you reconnect to the network, use the Sync button to upload the local edits to the feature service or hosted feature layer. If you no longer need to work offline, you can remove the local geodatabase by clicking the Remove button. This process points the layers' source back to the feature layer, and the map display updates to show the current data for the web feature layers.
Note:
You can use the data source tab to determine which layers are offline and which are not. Some types of layers in the web feature layer cannot be taken offline. These remain connected to the web feature layer even if a local copy of the data is downloaded for other layers. When a network connection is not available, any layers that are still connected to the web feature layer display as broken in the map. For more information, see Take feature layers offline.
Offline web maps
You can take data offline in apps such as ArcGIS Field Maps, ArcGIS Survey123, and custom apps built with ArcGIS Maps SDKs to allow mobile workers to view web layer data when they don't have access to the internet or the network. Users of these apps can also take sync-enabled feature services or hosted feature layer data offline to update data in the field. To use web layer data in this way, you must add the web layers to a web map that has been enabled for offline use.