Troubleshooting “Error: The layer, [layername], cannot be added to the map” in ArcGIS Online

JuliaGuard · ‎01-07-2014

In the ArcGIS Online Map Viewer, this error is used to inform the user that the type of content requested is unable to be added to the map. This error can occur due to a variety of factors. In essence, it means that the layer is not compatible with the environment. The following guide provides some basic troubleshooting steps to resolve the issue or to help narrow down the source of the problem.1. Browser Testing

Test by adding the layer in a different web browser. ArcGIS Online is supported in several browsers; there can be local differences between browsers settings, the company network, and the way each browser interprets information.

Make sure that your web browsers are updated to the latest version. You can download and install new releases for Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft (Internet Explorer), etc. to take advantage of any new improvements. Additionally, you may need to review any custom browser add-ins that could potentially block certain types of content. You can also test by clearing the web browser cache to verify that the data is not being caught in the cache.2. SSL

Verify that the data you are attempting to view is accessible via the same protocol.

If you have SSL enabled on your organization, you will only be able to consume services that are also accessible over HTTPS. If you do not have SSL enabled on your organization, make sure the services that you are attempting to view are not encrypted. If you notice a discrepancy between your organizational settings and the web traffic URL, try adding service into the map viewer from the Add Data > Data from Web button. In the prompt screen, change the service URL to match your organizational settings to see if you can work around the error.

If this does not resolve the issue, you can also try toggling your organizational settings for SSL on and off. To do this, sign into ArcGIS Online as an administrator, navigate to Edit Settings > Security, and either enable or disable the check box for SSL.

3. The size of your content

Does the layer contain a large amount of data? If so, it may be that the data is trying to render but does not have a sufficient internet or server connection. With very large services, it is recommended to establish visibility ranges for the data in order to help with rendering speed and usability of the service. You can set up visibility ranges before publishing your service in ArcMap or in the map viewer in ArcGIS Online.

4. The type of your content

The ArcGIS Online map viewer only supports certain formats of data. Please see the help documentation for a detailed listed of compatible formats.5. The availability of your content

If the issue is feature or map service specific, test to make sure you can see the service in REST. To do this, copy the Service URL into a new browser tab. You can test to see if you can query the service. If you see an invalid error or a blank webpage, it could be that the service is corrupt, the user does not have permission to use the resource, or it is no longer available (has been deleted). At this point, you should contact the owner of the service or, if you are the owner of the service, test overwriting the content or publishing the service again.

If the issue is tile service specific, make sure to check the cache first to verify the service was created successfully. To do this, navigate to the item details page for your tiled service. Under the Properties section, check to see the percentage of tiles that are available. If you see less than 100%, you can select the “Manage Tiles” link to finish publishing your service.

6. Downloading and running Fiddler to capture web traffic

Fiddler is a free web debugging proxy which logs all HTTP(s) traffic between your computer and the internet. Fiddler can help you determine if the issue is specific to your organization's network configuration. If you are consistently receiving 400 to 500 errors or more, the problem could be with a proxy server, firewall or anti-virus software that is causing compatibility issues inside your network. You will need to consult with your manager or IT staff member to determine further troubleshooting options.Julia G. - Desktop Support Analyst

DellaRobertson · ‎04-12-2018

Thank you, Julia.

Chris_Anderson · ‎04-18-2018

Okay, I have one for you. I am running into a problem where I linked to a map service from another organization, and the service has since been deleted. In my Web map, there isn't a listing for the service, so I cannot delete it there. In ArcGIS Online, the map details list the service as a layer, but there isn't a location there for me to edit the "master map" and edit the layer list manually.

Any help you can provide to solve this is greatly appreciated.

Chris Anderson

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

RachelS · ‎09-18-2020

I've tried all of the above, get the message in different browsers.

My users have to reload the page 2/3 times for the layers to load.

I have SSL enabled. The layers only contain about 100 features.

At a loss how to fix it!

GerryJames · ‎11-25-2020

I am also getting this message, only with Hosted Feature Layers it appears. I have tried everything in this post along with a number of others but no luck fixing it. Has anyone had any luck with fixing this issue?

ArcGIS 10.8.1

lzk222 · ‎08-09-2022

You can also try clearing the cache on your browser. This fixed it for me.

RandyMcGregor3 · ‎09-16-2022

I am getting this with hosted feature layers when I overwrite them. They won't load into the map they are in (but are visible as layers in the details page and open up perfectly fine when selected independently)

The map is connected to a dashboard that has a LOT of finnicky connections and reloading these layers into the map breaks all of them. The dashboard needs to almost be rebuilt from scratch and it's very time-consuming.

DaveThompsonUK · ‎03-16-2023

I was getting the error with hosted feature layers when I was overwriting them as well @RandyMcGregor3 - the issue seemed to be related to the sub layer ID in Pro not matching the sub layer ID in my Portal. When I amended the ID in Pro to match that in Portal and used the 'overwrite web layer' tool the error vanished.

RandyMcGregor3 · ‎03-16-2023

This is a vexing problem that just requires keeping track of the layer id of your layer in ArcPro AND the layer id of the associated map service. Layer id's can change OR you may use a different feature class (if you are creating new feature classes regularly from csv files as I do) each time, which could have different layer ids from the one in the service - Overwrite that service, the service now has a new layer id and things break...

This post explains it.

https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-online-questions/map-rejects-hosted-feature-layer-after-overwri...

I had a layer that was at the top of the TOC and had a layer id of 0. I was frequently creating new feature classes, then changing the layer source to the most current feature class and republishing. This was fine because this does not change your layer id.

I changed my workflow to remove a step and started republishing directly from the new feature classes I was creating, and that is when the pain started. The layer would become unresponsive in maps, had to be reloaded and dashboards associated with that map reconfigured. Ugh.

Now, when overwriting a layer (republishing) I always double-check and make sure the layer id in the layer is the same as the layer id in the service. I think that will prevent this particular problem from resurfacing.