Adding layers from files

You can add features to your map by importing data you have stored in a delimited text file (.csv or .txt), GPS Exchange Format (.gpx) file, or shapefile (compressed into a .zip). A layer from a file is stored in the map.

Tip:

If your CSV file or shapefile contains a large amount of data, or you want to create a layer that you can reuse in multiple web maps, you can publish a hosted feature service instead of adding the file to the map. For more information, see Hosted feature services.

To add layer from a file, follow the steps below.

Steps:

1. Open the map viewer, for example, by clicking the Map button.
2. Click the Add button.
3. Choose Add Layer from File.
4. Locate the file on your computer.
5. Click Import Layer field.
6. If you add a delimited text file (.csv or .txt) with location information, choose to have the ArcGIS.com map viewer locate features using latitude-longitude or address information. For more information, see About CSV, TXT, and GPX files.
   1. To change the country that the map viewer uses to geocode your addresses, select a different country from the Country drop-down list. If your file contains addresses from multiple countries or from a country not in the list, select World.
   2. Review the location fields and click a cell to change which location field or fields are used.
7. If you add a shapefile, choose to generalize the features for web display or keep original features. For more information, see About shapefiles.
8. If you encounter issues with adding your file to the web map, be sure your portal administrator configured the portal with a hosting server. If you still encounter issues with adding or viewing your file in the web map, see Troubleshooting.

Dragging and dropping a file

In addition to importing your .csv, .txt. or .gpx file through the map viewer Add button, you can drag it from your computer and drop it onto your map. The map viewer will handle the file as if you had used the Add button. Dragging and dropping .txt, .csv, and .gpx is supported on Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox browsers; it is not supported on Internet Explorer and Apple Safari.

You cannot drag a shapefile from your computer and drop it onto your map; you must use the map viewer Add button.