https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-questions/is-it-possible-to-create-an-inverse-mask/m-p/1143251#M51348 <P>Hello,</P><P>One method I use is to create a "doughnut" polygon such that the center of the polygon is what is to be shown and beyond is masked to the outer boundary.</P><P>Carl</P> Fri, 11 Feb 2022 19:17:43 GMT CarlMorrison 2022-02-11T19:17:43Z https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-questions/is-it-possible-to-create-an-inverse-mask/m-p/1143199#M51336 <P>I know how to create a mask where you mask out features that are INSIDE a polygon. (i.e. hide features inside a polygon) Feature Layer-&gt;Appearance-&gt;Masking&nbsp; Is there an option to do an INVERSE mask where you hide features that are OUSIDE a polygon?&nbsp; (i.e. hide features outside a polygon)</P><P>I found a way a cludgy way to kind of do what I wanted by using Select By Location,&nbsp; and deleting or filtering features that are outside of the polygon but that gets messy where features cross the polygon border and involves messing with your data.&nbsp; Seems like there must just be an "inverse mask" feature that I'm missing.&nbsp; Maybe it has a different name?&nbsp;</P> Fri, 11 Feb 2022 18:31:01 GMT https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-questions/is-it-possible-to-create-an-inverse-mask/m-p/1143199#M51336 jdruding 2022-02-11T18:31:01Z https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-questions/is-it-possible-to-create-an-inverse-mask/m-p/1143251#M51348 <P>Hello,</P><P>One method I use is to create a "doughnut" polygon such that the center of the polygon is what is to be shown and beyond is masked to the outer boundary.</P><P>Carl</P> Fri, 11 Feb 2022 19:17:43 GMT https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-questions/is-it-possible-to-create-an-inverse-mask/m-p/1143251#M51348 CarlMorrison 2022-02-11T19:17:43Z https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-questions/is-it-possible-to-create-an-inverse-mask/m-p/1143262#M51352 <P>Great idea!&nbsp; Thanks Carl, I'll give that a shot.&nbsp;&nbsp;</P> Fri, 11 Feb 2022 19:33:45 GMT https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-questions/is-it-possible-to-create-an-inverse-mask/m-p/1143262#M51352 jdruding 2022-02-11T19:33:45Z https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-questions/is-it-possible-to-create-an-inverse-mask/m-p/1143273#M51355 <P>You could use <A href="https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/mapping/properties/clip-layers-in-a-map.htm" target="_self">Clip Layers</A> (Map Properties)</P><P><span class="lia-inline-image-display-wrapper lia-image-align-inline" image-alt="JayantaPoddar_1-1644609556185.png" style="width: 400px;"><img src="https://community.esri.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/33759i09AC472C0837C0E1/image-size/medium?v=v2&amp;px=400" role="button" title="JayantaPoddar_1-1644609556185.png" alt="JayantaPoddar_1-1644609556185.png" /></span></P><P>&nbsp;</P><P><span class="lia-inline-image-display-wrapper lia-image-align-inline" image-alt="JayantaPoddar_0-1644609134178.png" style="width: 400px;"><img src="https://community.esri.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/33758i6CA4143468E129AC/image-size/medium?v=v2&amp;px=400" role="button" title="JayantaPoddar_0-1644609134178.png" alt="JayantaPoddar_0-1644609134178.png" /></span></P><P>Exclude the layers whose view you don't want to clip (including basemap).</P> Fri, 11 Feb 2022 19:59:26 GMT https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-questions/is-it-possible-to-create-an-inverse-mask/m-p/1143273#M51355 JayantaPoddar 2022-02-11T19:59:26Z https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-questions/is-it-possible-to-create-an-inverse-mask/m-p/1181028#M55944 <P>This would be amazing, except it doesn't exclude my basemaps. It still clips everything</P> Wed, 08 Jun 2022 13:30:34 GMT https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-questions/is-it-possible-to-create-an-inverse-mask/m-p/1181028#M55944 AndyDixon 2022-06-08T13:30:34Z https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-questions/is-it-possible-to-create-an-inverse-mask/m-p/1501225#M85219 <P>Thank you! This should be marked as an answer!</P> Wed, 03 Jul 2024 18:28:43 GMT https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-questions/is-it-possible-to-create-an-inverse-mask/m-p/1501225#M85219 wayfaringrob 2024-07-03T18:28:43Z https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-questions/is-it-possible-to-create-an-inverse-mask/m-p/1513085#M86259 <P>I was looking for that solution.&nbsp; Thank you for sharing.</P> Wed, 31 Jul 2024 18:11:55 GMT https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-questions/is-it-possible-to-create-an-inverse-mask/m-p/1513085#M86259 NickBosGISDivision 2024-07-31T18:11:55Z https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-questions/is-it-possible-to-create-an-inverse-mask/m-p/1558503#M90124 <P>Which is a great solution to come out with after you spent A-HUGE-AMOUNT-OF-MONEY to buy a software to be supposed to do way more complex tasks than that. ARCGIS is pointless.</P> Thu, 14 Nov 2024 08:41:24 GMT https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-questions/is-it-possible-to-create-an-inverse-mask/m-p/1558503#M90124 GiaimeTocco 2024-11-14T08:41:24Z https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-questions/is-it-possible-to-create-an-inverse-mask/m-p/1613451#M95688 <P>This is exactly what I wanted. It should be marked as an answer.</P> Fri, 09 May 2025 22:12:05 GMT https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-questions/is-it-possible-to-create-an-inverse-mask/m-p/1613451#M95688 PeterKing 2025-05-09T22:12:05Z https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-questions/is-it-possible-to-create-an-inverse-mask/m-p/1681106#M101521 <P>Where/how do you create a donut polygon?</P> Fri, 30 Jan 2026 16:18:04 GMT https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-questions/is-it-possible-to-create-an-inverse-mask/m-p/1681106#M101521 LLyons 2026-01-30T16:18:04Z https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-questions/is-it-possible-to-create-an-inverse-mask/m-p/1681111#M101523 <P>The method I use is to create a polygon, but do not click F2 or finish when first boundary is drawn, instead right click and select Finish Part or F4.&nbsp; Then create and interior or exterior polygon to the first polygon, then click Finish.&nbsp; You will have a "doughnut" which can then be used to mask another layer.</P><P><span class="lia-inline-image-display-wrapper lia-image-align-inline" image-alt="CarlMorrison_0-1769790733713.png" style="width: 400px;"><img src="https://community.esri.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/147621i73E24B053D048AC4/image-size/medium?v=v2&amp;px=400" role="button" title="CarlMorrison_0-1769790733713.png" alt="CarlMorrison_0-1769790733713.png" /></span></P><P><span class="lia-inline-image-display-wrapper lia-image-align-inline" image-alt="CarlMorrison_1-1769790768683.png" style="width: 400px;"><img src="https://community.esri.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/147622i93A955D6541176C6/image-size/medium?v=v2&amp;px=400" role="button" title="CarlMorrison_1-1769790768683.png" alt="CarlMorrison_1-1769790768683.png" /></span></P><P>&nbsp;</P><P>&nbsp;</P> Fri, 30 Jan 2026 16:33:40 GMT https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-questions/is-it-possible-to-create-an-inverse-mask/m-p/1681111#M101523 CarlMorrison 2026-01-30T16:33:40Z https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-questions/is-it-possible-to-create-an-inverse-mask/m-p/1681118#M101525 <P>Thanks!</P> Fri, 30 Jan 2026 16:57:48 GMT https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-questions/is-it-possible-to-create-an-inverse-mask/m-p/1681118#M101525 LLyons 2026-01-30T16:57:48Z https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-questions/is-it-possible-to-create-an-inverse-mask/m-p/1685980#M102017 <P>It does include basemaps, but it's automatically selected as an exclusion that needs to be unchecked.</P> Mon, 23 Feb 2026 18:31:29 GMT https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-questions/is-it-possible-to-create-an-inverse-mask/m-p/1685980#M102017 Cheyne 2026-02-23T18:31:29Z