An introduction to ArcGIS Online

ArcGIS Online is a cloud-based mapping and analysis solution. Use it to make maps, to analyze data, and to share and collaborate. Get access to workflow-specific apps, maps and data from around the globe, and tools for being mobile in the field. Your data and maps are stored in a secure and private infrastructure and can be configured to meet your mapping and IT requirements.

What you can do with ArcGIS Online

Work with smart, data-driven styles to explore and visualize 2D and 3D data. Share your maps with anyone, anywhere or keep them private. Work collaboratively with your colleagues to build maps, scenes, apps, and notebooks. Access intuitive analysis tools that help you better understand your data. All this and more is possible with ArcGIS Online.

For more information and a list of resources to help organization members and administrators start using ArcGIS Online, see Get started with ArcGIS Online.

Create maps, scenes, apps, and notebooks

ArcGIS Online includes everything you need to create web maps, create 3D web scenes, create web apps, and create notebooks. Through Map Viewer, Map Viewer Classic, and 3D Scene Viewer, you can access a gallery of basemaps and smart styles for exploring and visualizing your data. You also have access to templates and widgets for creating web apps that you can publish to ArcGIS Online. Additionally, using ArcGIS Notebooks, you can access Python resources to perform analysis, automate workflows, and visualize data.

Share and collaborate

You can share content with others inside and outside your organization. You can set up groups that are private and by invitation only, or public groups that are open to everyone. You can also set up collaborations with other organizations to share and work with each other's content. Other ways to share maps and other content include embedding them in web pages, on blogs, in web apps, and through social media. Use focused apps to collaborate with colleagues in the field, office, or community.

Explore and analyze data

ArcGIS Online includes interactive maps and 3D scenes that allow your entire organization to explore, understand, and measure your geographic data. Access ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World, a dynamic collection of maps, scenes, data layers, imagery, analytics, and apps from the ArcGIS community. Use the analysis tools included in Map Viewer to reveal new patterns, find suitable locations, enrich your data, find out what's nearby, and summarize your data. You can also leverage ArcGIS API for Python using ArcGIS Notebooks to run data science scripts to get insight into your data.

Manage data

Add, manage, and share your own data. You can publish your data as web layers on ArcGIS Online. This frees up your internal resources, since these web layers are hosted in Esri’s cloud and scale dynamically as demand increases or decreases. You can add your layers to maps and allow others to use them as well. You can publish your data directly from ArcGIS Pro or ArcGIS Online and share the data with others.

Be mobile in the field

ArcGIS Online supports field activities. Take advantage of the built-in tools and apps to collect data, navigate, coordinate, and monitor projects. Create map areas for taking maps offline. Set up synchronization so offline editors can get the latest updates to the map. Access your organization from ArcGIS Companion, a mobile app that allows you to explore content, view groups, and more on the go.

Configure the site

With ArcGIS Online, the administrator sets up and configures the site to meet your organization's requirements. There are tools and settings for managing people, monitoring activities, maintaining security controls, and specifying the terms of use for your data.

Expand your work

Expand your work with a full range of ArcGIS products.

ArcGIS Pro works seamlessly with ArcGIS Online to create, visualize, and share 2D and 3D data, perform analysis, and more. ArcGIS Enterprise provides a complete GIS that runs behind your firewall, in your infrastructure, on-premises, and in your private cloud. Share content across ArcGIS through collaboration.

Visit ArcGIS Marketplace to discover apps and data by Esri partners and distributors. Developers can also access ArcGIS Web APIs, ArcGIS Maps SDKs, and other tools on Esri Developer to build custom apps.

Access ArcGIS Online

You can access ArcGIS Online through web browsers and mobile devices. You can also access it directly through other components of ArcGIS, including ArcGIS apps.

Sign in with your ArcGIS account to see a customized view of ArcGIS Online. You can see the users who are part of your subscription and configure content and security settings for your organization.

If an organization has enabled anonymous access to its site, you can access any resources it has shared with the general public without signing in. For example, it may have embedded a group of maps and apps authored in ArcGIS Online into its own website and shared those resources with the general public.

A public account is another way to access ArcGIS Online. These accounts are not associated with an organization and offer a limited set of functionality. A public account has limitations, but allows you to create, store, and manage maps, apps, and data and share them with others. You also get access to content shared by Esri and GIS users around the world. Get started by creating a public account. Open a web browser to www.arcgis.com, sign in with your account credentials, and start using ArcGIS Online. Public accounts are for noncommercial use only.