Copying and Pasting Features Between Feature Classes in ArcGIS Pro

This is a handy little trick to copy features from one feature class to another. It's useful if it's just a couple of features and you don't want to go through the hassle of merging feature classes and creating new ones. Quite simply - use CTRL + ALT + V. But watch the vid if you're not sure what I mean! :) I also cover off in this video how you can add unlisted items into your feature class symbology.

[@shanewhite7883]

Thank you! I'm still an ArcGIS Pro newbie, but an old-timer with ArcMap. This is perfect.

[@TBR_LLC]

I'll second that.

[@coolclimber02]

Still the most helpful shortcut video out here! I consult this regularly whenever I can't recall how to do it! Thank you!

[@DrKJoyce]

haha me too! So silly that it's such a simple thing and it's so un-obvious!! And it's so finicky to get it just right too

[@bobsage]

me too!

[@nerdsofthecorn1216]

Life saver. I was having a heck of a time at work trying to wrap my head around this. This helped me put so much. Thank you!

[@Breznak]

Thank you! I was stuck at this for days, I didn't know how to ask google for help, but then I came across your video and there it is...ctrl+alt+v

[@DriesVersch]

This series of tutorial videos is so wonderfully well made to get to know the program. Thank you!

[@dougturk7925]

Great video Karen - I never would have figured this out on my own - thank you!

[@GeoNadir]

IKR! Why is it so hard to do something that should be so easy?

[@v-creations24]

You’re the best thing that happened to my life. ❤❤❤

[@calt9777]

Wow I didn't think a 1/2 min tutorial would take 5 min. You should start writing a food blog.

[@MW-uc4mh]

I consistently have a hard time making the "paste special" icon appear... even after following the same steps. In my case I'm copying many features between feature classes... its finicky but I just can't figure out what the principles are. Jeremy's suggestion works a partly, but it seems to also matter which "copy" you use. The one next to the paste button, doesn't seem to activate it, the copy button on the attributes table doesn't seem to activate it, but if I right click on one of my selected features (having clicked the select button after already selecting everything) and then choose the copy that comes up from THAT menu, the "paste special" box is suddenly available. Also, using Ctrl C and Ctrl Alt V, doesn't seem to work for me either.

[@DrKJoyce]

I know, it's ridiculous isn't it! And no, CtrlC doesn't work for me either. So frustrating for what should be such a simple thing!

[@GISChops]

I posted a couple of videos that show you the workaround when the Paste Special button isn't showing up. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nXLPn6ird7CFmLs and kzbin.info/www/bejne/inuxZWaorLJrebc the second video shows how to use the hidden field mapping tool to get attributes to come across when field names and field types don't match.

[@PeterShieldsukcatstripey]

Nice to hear an Aussie accent!

[@guus6541]

Thanks for this amazing life hack!

[@base.and.basics6006]

Hello Ms. Joyce, I ask myself if its also possible to copy attribuites from one table to another. Because when I copy my stuff it just copys ObjectID, Shape, Shape_Length and Shape_Area. Do you have a Idea? Thanks by the way for your tutorials. It really helped me to understand all this stuff.

[@joserafaelfarfanfernandez899]

Thank you, so helpful. :)

[@amylr3683]

What if the fields are different? Thanks

[@JeremyZimmerman]

Thank you, I spent an hour trying to copy/paste and the paste special wasnt showing at all and the keyboard shortcut wouldn't work either. Clicking SELECT first, even though I already had 66 items selected, just nuts.

[@GISChops]

It's probably because your select tool activated a map view. A map view has to be active for Paste Special to become available. Here's my spin on the process - kzbin.info/www/bejne/nXLPn6ird7CFmLs and also kzbin.info/www/bejne/inuxZWaorLJrebc

[@JeremyZimmerman]

@@GISChops nicely done video, thanks.

[@VistaTigerEye]

Thank you! super helpful

[@TheMonkeyClumsy]

Hi Karen Joyce, may I ask if you know how to include lines to the road polygon. I don't have the license to use the "Polygon to Centerline". Hope you could give me any advice. thanks :)

[@c0rm4c]

amazing:) thank you!

[@thomasrquintero]

Any way to do this in Model Builder?

[@gatoaster29]

CTRL + ALT + V

[@johnkasunka4698]

Thank you

[@hstrgrl]

Any suggestions for if it doesn't give you the option to paste?

[@DrKJoyce]

This has to be one of the most finniky operations I have ever done to be honest! Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, you just have to keep trying. Make sure that you do it in the exact same order that I do it in the video

[@coconut89oo]

Try clicking on the map view tab and that should allow you to paste

[@GISChops]

There is a trick that I outline in this video - kzbin.info/www/bejne/nXLPn6ird7CFmLs and this video goes into how to make the attributes make the trip - kzbin.info/www/bejne/inuxZWaorLJrebc

[@Sad9g]

@@GISChops repeated this action many times but don't succeed

[@PostNetLobo]

It would help out a lot more if we could see your mouse

[@DrKJoyce]

I know, sorry! It's so annoying that the software I was using at the time for screen capture doesn't offer that! I have since changed :)

[@mstfaal2005]

hi can i copy from rows to rows from another shapefile

[@DrKJoyce]

Yes, that's exactly what this video shows

[@krishan.pareek]

Hey, Can I copy attributes from one file to another file?

[@DrKJoyce]

yes, that's what this video is about

[@krishan.pareek]

@@DrKJoyce Karen I am asking about, copy feature as well as attributes to completely new file that doesn't have any relation with the file we are working on.

[@GISChops]

@@krishan.pareek I posted a couple of videos that go into detail of how to get attributes to make the trip when copying and pasting from one file/layer to another. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nXLPn6ird7CFmLs and kzbin.info/www/bejne/inuxZWaorLJrebc