topic Re: Stop adding new items to legend by default Pro 3.1 in ArcGIS Pro Questions

Stop adding new items to legend by default Pro 3.1

KeithAddison1 — Wed, 16 Aug 2023 13:31:22 GMT

How do I turn off the default behavior of automatically adding new items to an existing legend? The option was right there in the properties in ArcMap, but now it seems to be better hidden (assuming it exists).

Re: Stop adding new items to legend by default Pro 3.1

DanHopkins — Wed, 16 Aug 2023 14:39:39 GMT

Hi Keith,

If you launch the Properties of the Legend and expand 'Synchronize with map' you will see that New layer is enabled (i.e. checked on). A new item is added to the legend when a new layer is added to the map. This is on by default. If you disable (i.e. check off) New layer, new items added to the map will not be added to the Legend.

Interactions between the legend and the map are talked about in the following web-help topic link below:

https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/layouts/work-with-a-legend.htm#

I hope the above helps.

Regards,

Dan

Re: Stop adding new items to legend by default Pro 3.1

Ramon_de_Leon — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 19:34:55 GMT

@DanHopkins I have all the "Synchronize with map" options unchecked on a Legend element.

The Legend element of my layout on my APRX is empty and so is the Map Frame, because my purpose is to make templates (.pagx).

I am having issue now that after I created a .pagx file from my layout and imported that template on an

APRX, it still automatically add all the layers on my Legend element once I set the map on the "Map Frame" properties.

Any suggested workaround for this?