Can't set the default basemap for an organization.

[JonathanBailey]

I am an administrator of an ArcGIS Online organization. I'm attempting to configure the Map for the organization. On the Map tab in the Organization settings, the Basemap Gallery dropdown list contains only "Esri Default", and the Default Basemap dropdown list also contains only "Esri Default". Am I missing something in order to be able to set the Default Basemap for the organization?

[Anonymous User · Accepted solution]

Are you adding any custom basemaps? Do you want to continue using the default basemaps group but have the ability to choose the default basemap displayed?

Try this:

1. Create an empty group

2. Go to edit organization settings > map tab

3. Set the Basemap gallery to your group you just created

4. Check the box for "Share the Esri default basemaps to this group when you click Save."

5. Click save...this will take you back to the My Organization page

6. Go to edit organization settings > map tab

7. Now the drop down for default basemap should have a list of options

- Katie

[JonathanBailey]

Thank you, Katie.

A couple of notes on this:

1. You need to ensure that the group is shared with the organization.
2. I had to repeat steps 4 and 5 a couple of times, but eventually the default Esri basemaps showed up in the Default Basemap dropdown list.

Thanks,

Jon.

[TimOrmsby]

Jonathan Bailey‌ Thanks for asking this question. I had the same problem and didn't know what to do. I also got it to work following Katie's instructions but this workflow seems unintuitive. 

When you edit the Map settings, the text for Default Basemap says, "Set the group in the Basemap Gallery above and choose the map to open." That strongly implies that when you make a choice in the Basemap Gallery, you will see a corresponding set of maps to choose from in the Default Basemaps. However, if your choice in the Basemap Gallery is Esri Default (which it probably is for most people), that's not what happens. At the very least, this text should be edited to make clear that you need to create an empty group and then point to documentation with Katie's steps.

I also had to repeat steps 4 and 5. The maps didn't show up the first time. They showed up the second time.

[DakotaCasserly2]

Thank you to you all for sharing your thoughts here and directions.

It would be helpful to add that you are adding (sharing) web maps to the empty group, I was confused and first added the tile layers.

http://doc.arcgis.com/en/arcgis-online/administer/configure-map.htm the Basemap Gallery text could use the steps that Katie mentioned.

[NorthSouthGIS]

I added a custom basemap and it loads successfully on the map that I saved it in. I then added it as a the default basemap in the organization settings, but when I open a new blank map in the map viewer the basemap does not load and is grayed out. In the console, I can see a spatial reference error. Thoughts?

My projection:

System Type	Name	WKID	Area of Use	Min Lat	Min Long	Max Lat	Max Long
Projected Coordinate System	NAD_1983_CSRS_New_Brunswick_Stereographic	2953	Canada - New Brunswick	44.560	-69.050	48.070	-63.700