topic Re: copy symbology to WebMap layer? in ArcGIS Enterprise Questions

copy symbology to WebMap layer?

davedoesgis — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 23:53:18 GMT

SHORT VERSION: How do I copy the symbology from one webmap layer to another?

USE CASE: I'm creating a webmap on my ArcGIS Enterprise Portal. I add a feature layer that is owned by another user, so it comes in with the default symbology. It takes a bunch of clicking to set up the symbology on the layer. I want to use the layer in 4 webmaps, so now I have to repeat this 3 more times. I'd love to just copy the new layer (or just its symbology settings) and paste into the other webmaps.

ASSETS AND LIABILITIES:

This is on an Enterprise Portal, not ArcGIS Online. I won't have the AGOL Assistant available for this. (Or is that installed with Portal???)
I don't have administrator access on my portal. I've seen posts on creating symbol sets for your org, but I think I'd have to be an admin.
I don't own the feature layer, so I cannot update its default symbology. This is dynamic data, so I can't just create my own copy to work with.
I have ArcGIS Pro and can connect to my portal, in case that helps.
I can publish a sample/test feature layer with symbology defined the way I want it. The goal is not to re-create the data set, but I mention this in case the default symbology in a feature layer is more useful than a webmap layer's symbology.
Python solutions are ok, but I'd prefer a no-code solution if possible. (I can code, but not many of my coworkers do.)

BONUS POINTS: Also copy label settings, transparency, blending, scale thresholds, popup settings, filters, and any other relevant layer settings.

Re: copy symbology to WebMap layer?

Eugene_Adkins — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 00:20:24 GMT

One of the cheapest ways to “cheat code” around the limitations you’ve given is save a map that only contains your targeted layer with its symbology the way you need it. Once you have this setup you can just “save as a new” map and start building from there.

This obviously doesn’t solve the problem of using a preexisting map with the desired layer symbology but if you’re starting a map from scratch it’ll keep you from having to recreate the symbology every time.

Re: copy symbology to WebMap layer?

gis_KIWI4 — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 00:44:19 GMT

@davedoesgis - Would the special paste properties in ArcGIS Pro help in this case?
In the below example I can copy a layer from a symbolized map and paste the properties to a non-symbolized layer in another map.

Re: copy symbology to WebMap layer?

RanaDas — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 06:08:59 GMT

Hi @davedoesgis.,

One possible way is to add both existing and new webmap in ArcGIS Pro an then your Apply Symbology from Layer tool to make the changes.

You can refer this link for more details: Apply Symbology From Layer (Data Management)—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation

Regards,

Rana

Re: copy symbology to WebMap layer?

davedoesgis — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 18:58:19 GMT

Indeed, that's a good hack to replicate a few layers into a new webmap. As you pointed out, it doesn't help with my use case in which I have an existing webmap with a ton of layers.

Re: copy symbology to WebMap layer?

davedoesgis — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 20:28:46 GMT

Excellent, this does what I need. As I mentioned up top, I'd be inclined to use Python, but this will work well for my coworkers in Pro.

Note that the share option to save the map from Pro back to portal is inexplicably not in the context menu, like the share options for everything else in Pro. You can find them by activating the webmap map view and going to the Share ribbon. Once you're there, you wouldn't be insane for thinking it would be in the Share As group, but you'd be wrong... Go to the Manage group and select Save Web Map.

Thanks to a great article from tribalgis.com for explaining this.

The Save Web Map interface looks a lot like the other sharing interfaces. Note that I got a bunch of warnings in the analyze messages about things that were incompatible with Pro. This is odd, because the map came straight from Pro and I just changed one symbol in my test. The warnings were mostly about attachment sort order in the popup, so this is pretty down in the weeds, but might be important someday.

Re: copy symbology to WebMap layer?

RhettZufelt — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 17:14:51 GMT

Not an answer, but letting you know that AGO assistant is available in portal. It is just a webpage that will let you log into Portal (at least up to 10.9.1, suspect it works with newer versions).