Export to PNG

PNG is a versatile raster format that can be displayed in web browsers and inserted into other documents. It supports high-bit-depth color and uses a lossless compression. For maps, PNG is often the best raster format, since the lossless compression keeps text and line work legible by preventing the compression artifacts that can occur in JPEG format. PNG files can also define a transparent color; part of the image can be displayed as transparent in a web browser, allowing backgrounds, images, or colors to show through. PNGs can be generated with an accompanying world file for use as georeferenced raster data.

To export a .png file, ensure that a map or layout view is active. On the Share tab, click Export Map Export Map or Export Layout Export Layout, depending on the active view, to open the Export pane. Change the File Type parameter to PNG. Set a name and location for the file, as well as any other properties, and click Export.

Note:

Certain options are only available when exporting a map or layout. When exporting a map, you can set the size of the map export. When exporting a layout, you can clip to graphics extent.

The following properties are available when exporting to a .png file:

PropertyDescription

Show selection symbology

Show selected features in the map or map frame as selected in the output file. Unchecking this option does not affect selection within the view, only in the output file.

Transparent background

Export a layout with a transparent page instead of a white page.

Transparent backgrounds are only supported when Color depth is set to 32-bit with Alpha.

This option is not available for maps, but transparency on a map is honored on export.

DPI

The resolution of the export file in dots per inch (dpi). DPI is only available when exporting a layout. When exporting a map, the dpi is calculated automatically. For map exports, increase the Width and Height values to add more pixels and get a higher-resolution output.

Write world file

In the same location as the exported map, generate a separate world file that contains georeference information. This allows the exported image to be used as raster data in ArcGIS AllSource or other GIS applications.

When exporting a layout, set Map frame to the 2D map frame you want the world file georeferenced information to be based on.

This option is not available in 3D views.

Color depth

The number of bits to describe color in a pixel. Choose from the following:

  • 1-bit Monochrome Threshold— 2 possible colors, black and white. The areas which are white and black are determined by the Threshold value
  • 8-bit Grayscale—256 shades of gray. All colors are converted to grayscale.
  • 24-bit True Color—16,777,216 possible colors. This option is good for maximum color fidelity.
  • 32-bit with Alpha—16,777,216 possible colors and an alpha (transparency) channel of 255 values. This option is useful for maps or layouts with transparency.