topic ArcGIS Pro freezes when using keyboard shortcuts in ArcGIS Pro Questions

ArcGIS Pro freezes when using keyboard shortcuts

SK2438 — Sat, 11 May 2024 18:52:01 GMT

Every time I try to copy and paste an object in a layout the app freezes. If I wait long enough (about 20-30 secs) it will eventually copy the object and I can continue working. I am not copying large, complex objects. These are small and simple objects like generic text, callouts, etc. Seems like a bug in the software. I am using ver. 3.2.2.

Re: ArcGIS Pro freezes when using keyboard shortcuts

RobertBorchert — Mon, 13 May 2024 17:57:31 GMT

most likely a hardware issue. And if it is it can be compounded by having a number of other applications running at the same time.

Re: ArcGIS Pro freezes when using keyboard shortcuts

ZacharyUhlmann1 — Thu, 15 May 2025 17:48:06 GMT

v 3.? (...waiting to unfreeze so I can double check) 3.3.4

Not a "hardware thing" (all due respect Robert). Started happening after upgrading from 3.0.2.

It's not necessarily a keyboard shortcut thing either. I tried manually copying (right click --> copy), and same freezing behavior. This is occurring specifically copying and pasting elements in a Pro layout. I bet it's other scenarios too, but I immediately found this post after a month of this behavior and Googling "Keyboard shortcuts ArcGIS pro freeze".

It's a bug and it's debilitating to recreate element settings instead of just copy/pasting. For instance fonts, spacing, whatever.

Any solutions?

Zach

Re: ArcGIS Pro freezes when using keyboard shortcuts

MattDurbin — Wed, 28 May 2025 20:24:05 GMT

I have the same issue, Zachary. Every once in a while, copy/paste takes no time at all, but usually it takes ~30 seconds before the program responds. Only in layout view, though. When working on the map, there's no delay.

Re: ArcGIS Pro freezes when using keyboard shortcuts

MitchellDrennan — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 21:03:45 GMT

Same issue here.

Re: ArcGIS Pro freezes when using keyboard shortcuts

SierraGIS — Sat, 12 Jul 2025 19:14:57 GMT

This happens to me exactly. Sometimes I can restart the program and it will bring it back to normal for a short while, but eventually comes back. Insanely annoying and slows down workflows drastically.

Re: ArcGIS Pro freezes when using keyboard shortcuts

KalinSeaton — Sat, 12 Jul 2025 19:25:54 GMT

Yep, same here. Any time I use copy anywhere in the layout, map or a table it hangs for several seconds. A lot of times the data copied is very small (copying a graphic label or the text in a table cell). Once it starts to happen, it affects the use of copy everywhere from copy-pasting a layer to copy-pasting a point in a feature class to copy-pasting a graphic.Seems to be worse with complex projects.

Re: ArcGIS Pro freezes when using keyboard shortcuts

FHIUser — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 16:48:32 GMT

Same issue here when copy and pasting layouts, maps, and especially when copying coordinates. I can usually copy coordinates once, but upon trying again the program will hang for 10 seconds, and never paste the results. Incredibly frustrating.

Re: ArcGIS Pro freezes when using keyboard shortcuts

LA_RPD — Thu, 31 Jul 2025 17:46:48 GMT

I see I'm not the only one with this issue. v3.5.2 still having this issue mainly in layout but also have ~30-60 sec wait time when trying to copy/edit features and polygons.

Re: ArcGIS Pro freezes when using keyboard shortcuts

dribrats — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 20:56:51 GMT

Experiencing this same issue, but it's not only the keyboard shortcut copy that causes the hang up. Right clicking on a layer in the Contents window and selecting "Copy" will also cause the freeze. A layer object shouldn't be so complex that multi-core, discrete GPU'd, workstation with 64GB of ram can't hand copying it to the system clipboard. Would LOVE to see these little hiccups ironed out, as they do add up over an entire day's worth of work.

Re: ArcGIS Pro freezes when using keyboard shortcuts

MikeBosko — Sun, 05 Oct 2025 00:28:48 GMT

Same issue, still.... not always, but when it starts....

Re: ArcGIS Pro freezes when using keyboard shortcuts

michelle-maps — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 01:31:41 GMT

I have the same issue. Using v3.5.2. It freezes when using the copy keyboard shortcut or when right-clicking and copying a layer view the pop-up menu.

Re: ArcGIS Pro freezes when using keyboard shortcuts

SarahEason1 — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 15:28:02 GMT

Not just layouts; layers, attribute table values, records in attribute table, fields from fields view. Not just control C but also right click, copy (although so happy Pro added this since it didn't used to) AND from clipboard on the ribbon. Looking forward to this fix for ArcGIS Slo 🙂

Re: ArcGIS Pro freezes when using keyboard shortcuts

AdamRehn — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 16:56:13 GMT

I have the same issue - ArcGIS Pro 3.5.0

Re: ArcGIS Pro freezes when using keyboard shortcuts

JPrescott — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 00:28:17 GMT

I have been experiencing the same issue, in Win11 Pro 3.6.2 (newly upgraded). As soon as I ctrl-C and ctrl-V to copy paste a feature, the feature does copy, but the UI loses critical functionality. I can no longer pan the map with the mouse (although I can still zoom with wheel), I can't perform any action in the map that involves click-and-drag, such as move a feature or rotate a feature. And when I exit the application later, a brief message appears saying "copying feature" just before the application closes.