Community

Include ArcGIS Desktop 10.x styles with ArcGIS Pro

6329
13
12-30-2020 07:59 AM
Status: Open
Labels (1)
Labels
Matt_Trebesch
by
Occasional Contributor

We all know that if we want to use ArcGIS Desktop 10.x styles with ArcGIS Pro, we must import them into our Pro project as an imported style.  

Pro also has a limited number of native styles in contrast to what Desktop has available.

It's one more step for map creation in ArcGIS Pro, when you want to use a symbology from a style that was available in ArcMap (ArcGIS Desktop 10.x) 

Many users, such as myself, rely on those Desktop styles to author maps and it's perplexing why so many styles were made available in one platform, but not another.

Further, if the effort is to win the hearts and minds of seasoned Desktop users to convert to Pro, it would seem logical to make sure the styles and symbologies that are available in ArcMap are natively accessible in ArcGIS Pro. 

One day, we won't need  to install ArcGIS Desktop because Pro has all the functionality we need, hopefully?  Migrating the existing styles from ArcGIS Desktop to ArcGIS Pro would help that transition!

 

Tags (3)
13 Comments
AlfredBaldenweck
by MVP Frequent Contributor
‎12-28-2022 08:15 AM

Is there any update on this? 

RichardDaniels
by MVP Regular Contributor
‎01-31-2023 04:07 PM

Many of the older styles were designed for plotters and printers, as such they are not web friendly and should not be used in maps intended for the Web. That is one reason many of the older styles and symbols are not included (by default) with ArcGIS Pro. 

ShannonGonzales
by Esri Contributor
‎02-23-2026 11:36 AM

There are currently a few options for accessing ArcMap equivilency styles in ArcGIS Pro. 

First, some of the ArcMap styles exist in ArcGIS Pro within our system styles. To access these styles, follow the following steps:

  1. Right-click on the 'styles' folder  on your catalog pane
  2. Select 'add-->add system style' 
     

    Add System StyleAdd System Style

  3. This opens a dialog window where you can select from the list of available styles installed with ArcGIS Pro:  System Styles WindowSystem Styles Window

Another way to find additional styles, including many ArcMap equivilent styles, is through our online ArcGIS Pro styles gallery: https://esri-styles.maps.arcgis.com/ 

Scroll down until you see the 'industry styles' section and then click on the 'view gallery' button. Once this opens, you can search for styles or navigate through the filters for categories to find styles you may need:

Industry Styles GalleryIndustry Styles Gallery

Finally, as was shown in an earlier post from Kory, you can import style files from ArcMap into ArcGIS Pro. 

  1. Right-click on the 'styles' folder  on your catalog pane
  2. Select 'Import-->Import'                                                    Import styleImport style
  3. Navigate to your saved .style file and then select 'ok'. 
  4. The style is now available for use in ArcGIS Pro

I hope this information was helpful!

Please let us know if you have any additional questions. Thanks!