topic Re: Enable editing in Map Viewer suddenly no longer enabled for a layer and now does not stay enabled in ArcGIS Online Questions

Enable editing in Map Viewer suddenly no longer enabled for a layer and now does not stay enabled

JFujikawa — Sun, 26 Dec 2021 02:25:59 GMT

I have a web map that I created in Map Viewer this year that our field crew has been using for data collection. This past week when I opened Field Maps to show a new field crew member how we collect data, the Add Item button was no longer showing. I eventually I logged into ArcGIS Online and opened the web map in Map Viewer (not classic). I went to one of the previously editable layers, selected Show Properties and Enable Editing was off. What would make it toggle off in the web map by itself? I toggled on Enable Editing (it did turn on and I could even edit a point), saved the web map, closed it to looked at another layer in my table of contents. I went back to view the web map in Map Viewer and Enable Editing was toggled off. The setting is enabled as long as I am viewing the web map, but if I leave the web map Enable Edits doesn't stay enabled for the layer. I made a new web map and a new hosted feature layer with the same results. In Field Maps it says the map is editable and not read-only, but no Add Item button.

Re: Enable editing in Map Viewer suddenly no longer enabled for a layer and now does not stay enabled

ABishop — Mon, 27 Dec 2021 18:19:39 GMT

When you published the service, did you host it from your own internal server or ArcGIS Online? Also, did you make sure it was a feature service with edit capability at the time of publishing?

Re: Enable editing in Map Viewer suddenly no longer enabled for a layer and now does not stay enabled

JFujikawa — Mon, 27 Dec 2021 18:37:50 GMT

Hi Amanda,

Thanks for replying. I published from Pro and it is hosted on ArcGIS Online. I might have enabled editing after, however, it has been working fine and we've used it daily for the past 6 months being able to edit.

Re: Enable editing in Map Viewer suddenly no longer enabled for a layer and now does not stay enabled

ABishop — Mon, 27 Dec 2021 18:45:21 GMT

Try republishing as a feature service with enabled editing capability. Also, I would add it to a new web map and web application to make sure its not corrupted.

Re: Enable editing in Map Viewer suddenly no longer enabled for a layer and now does not stay enabled

JFujikawa — Mon, 27 Dec 2021 19:12:47 GMT

I did try republishing yesterday and I tried again just now from Pro to ArcGIS Online. Shared a web layer. Checked on enable editing, enable sync. Published to ArcGIS Online. In ArcGIS Online the hosted feature layer settings show that edits and sync are enabled. When I open the hosted feature layer in Map Viewer, the layer properties has Enable Editing toggled off. I can toggle Enable Editing on and add a point in ArcGIS Online from the web map, but if I save the web map, close, then open, Enable Editing is toggled off. Any insights?

Re: Enable editing in Map Viewer suddenly no longer enabled for a layer and now does not stay enabled

ABishop — Mon, 27 Dec 2021 19:21:07 GMT

I am not sure where you are enabling editing at... in a web map? Usually it is done inside a web app with the edit widget. Can you provide screen shots?

Re: Enable editing in Map Viewer suddenly no longer enabled for a layer and now does not stay enabled

JFujikawa — Mon, 27 Dec 2021 19:40:25 GMT

My initial issue was that the Add Item button in the Field Maps app wasn't showing any longer. Then I went to look at the underlying web map and found this issue. I attached the hosted feature layer shot of editing enabled and in the web map where enable editing does not remain enabled.

agol enable editing does not stay enabled.jpg

hosted feature layer editing enabled.jpg

Re: Enable editing in Map Viewer suddenly no longer enabled for a layer and now does not stay enabled

ABishop — Mon, 27 Dec 2021 19:53:09 GMT

Sounds like a bug in ArcGIS Online. I would call ESRI support or search for a known bug here: https://support.esri.com/en/Search-Results#search?q=arcgis%20online%20web%20map&content-type=Bugs

Re: Enable editing in Map Viewer suddenly no longer enabled for a layer and now does not stay enabled

JFujikawa — Mon, 27 Dec 2021 20:55:28 GMT

Thanks, I'll check. Thank you for taking the time to reply.

Re: Enable editing in Map Viewer suddenly no longer enabled for a layer and now does not stay enabled

SWilander — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 18:46:49 GMT

Could you clarify this please. "Enabling Editing" is setting done on the feature service (FS) and in that feature service's 'Settings" -itself all alone, in your content -Not in a Web App. This defines the ability to edit on the FS layer . The Editing Widget on the other hand -in a Web App is for Users to actually perform the Edits (on the FS with its enabled editing setting). Thanks

Re: Enable editing in Map Viewer suddenly no longer enabled for a layer and now does not stay enabled

JFujikawa — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 19:12:40 GMT

Thanks for inquiring.

Feature Service /Hosted Feature Layer- editing enabled (yes, enabled that's fine)
Web app (in this case Field Maps) - editing widget (Add item) was not visible
Web map in Map Viewer (new, not classic) in ArcGIS Online- for each layer added you can view properties and a toggle button to Enable Edits for the layer in the web map. This was toggled to Enable Edits, but the issue was that it doesn't stay toggled to Enable Edits.

Thinking through the process with ABishop's replies led me to realize that this might be an issue with the permissions in our somewhat recently renewed site license. I checked with our site administrator at the end of the day yesterday. My account has been updated to the proper role and all is well.

Re: Enable editing in Map Viewer suddenly no longer enabled for a layer and now does not stay enabled

skunkpup — Tue, 27 Sep 2022 04:12:10 GMT

@ABishop wrote:
Sounds like a bug in ArcGIS Online. I would call ESRI support or search for a known bug here: https://support.esri.com/en/Search-Results#search?q=arcgis%20online%20web%20map&content-type=Bugs five nights at freddy's

It's so helpful. Thanks

Re: Enable editing in Map Viewer suddenly no longer enabled for a layer and now does not stay enabled

AFackler_NAPSG — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 20:04:54 GMT

Hello All,

I am currently having issues with this same problem and can guarantee it's not permissions issues because the account I am using is an admin in my org, I own the layer, and I own the webmap. The layer is verified to have editing turned on at the layer level as well. I turn on editing for some of the layers in the web map and hit save, then refresh and the switch is turned off again. Anyone know if this is some sort of bug or if there is a work around?

Re: Enable editing in Map Viewer suddenly no longer enabled for a layer and now does not stay enabled

Tiff — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 17:49:00 GMT

Hopefully bumping this post up because I'm experiencing the same thing. This was flagged by our staff, I'm also an admin and we have all tried to toggle this button on, save the map, but it defaults to editing off.

Have you found a fix for this @AFackler_NAPSG?

Re: Enable editing in Map Viewer suddenly no longer enabled for a layer and now does not stay enabled

AFackler_NAPSG — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 19:47:05 GMT

@Tiff Yes, I found out it was an issue with the service. Somehow, a notebook we have that edits the JSON of the master layer was modifying the Layer Overrides and this was causing us to be unable to make any new editable views but did not seem to affect any existing views.

To check it, you can go into the REST service of your new view layer, open any layer, click view JSON, and scroll to the bottom until you find "capabilities". If all editing is turned on and you don't see ""Create,Update,Delete", then the layer is being affected.

To work around it, I followed these steps:

By making sure LayerOverridesEnabled is turned off on the master service, we are able to render the sublayers with full editing capabilities. It is also documented here:
Update Definition:
https://developers.arcgis.com/rest/services-reference/online/update-definition-feature-service/#:~:text=%7D-,Example%20six%3A%20Update%20layerOverridesEnabled,-In%208.4%20feature

Here is the exact workflow we did for reference:
Went to the REST endpoint for a service we used for testing.
Select "Admin" in the top ribbon
Select Update Definition from "Supported Operations"
Remove all JSON from the dialogue box
Replace with this code

 {
"LayerOverridesEnabled": false
}

I've done this a few times and have not had any issues with it breaking the layer, but I suggest testing before you do it on production just in case. Hope it works for you!

Re: Enable editing in Map Viewer suddenly no longer enabled for a layer and now does not stay enabled

Tiff — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 13:49:18 GMT

Thanks for this! So I looked at another layer of mine and it had the "LayerOverridesEnabled": true setting, so I was a little nervous to change it to false.

I found another workaround that seemed to fix the issue: after toggling on "Enable editing", saving the configuration back to the layer did it!