Using MapMaker with a free ArcGIS public account

[TomBaker]

What is an ArcGIS Public account?

An ArcGIS public account is a free account that is available for individuals to create and share content with limits on usage. This free, limited-functionality account gives you permanent access to create and share basic maps. It's intended for personal, non-commercial use.

Using a public account, you can:

• Create, store, and manage maps, scenes, layers, apps, and other geospatial content.
• Share content with others.
• Access content shared by Esri and GIS users around the world.

Since MapMaker is an ArcGIS Online app, you can use your ArcGIS Public account to save and share maps.

What’s the catch?

ArcGIS Online public accounts can only be created by adults!  So, public accounts are great for teachers wanting to make and share maps with students.

Example scenario

Ms. Johnson, a second grade teacher goes to MapMaker and opens a map she likes.  She moves the map and zooms in to her community and turns off one layer she doesn’t feel her students need. Ms. Johnson presses the Save button and selects “Save a Map” – which prompts her to login.  Using her public account, she then saves a map file to her ArcGIS Online Public account and sets the sharing to “Everyone”.  She is then able to copy and paste her map’s URL into her school’s LMS where the students can interact with the new map.

How to set up an ArcGIS public account

1. Use a service like Google, Apple, or Facebook to create your ArcGIS Public account.  Your name and email address are provided by the selected service.  Pro: This method is fast to create – and fast to login later!  Con: You may want to use a different email address with ArcGIS Online than the one provided by the third-party. See a demonstration video. 
2. Create a new, standard public ArcGIS Online account.  Pro: You control all submitted information for the profile. Con: It’s a little slower to set-up. Save you username and password to your browser to speed up subsequent logins. 

Use your new public account with MapMaker

1. Head over to MapMaker, here.
2. Press the “Save” button. Click “Sign in”. Click the “Sign in” button. (This should pop open a new browser window.)
3. Once signed in, the Save panel will show your profile (see below).
4. You are now ready to save maps or open your saved maps.