ArcGIS StoryMaps is the professional tool for harnessing the power of maps to communicate your work using geospatial storytelling. The easy-to-use builder enables you to combine maps, 3D scenes, embedded content, multimedia, and more to create an interactive narrative that can inspire interest — and action — from your readers.
Each month, our team uses community feedback to help inform new capabilities that can enhance your storytelling adventures. Check out what’s new this month!
Quick links
- Document to story conversion
- Enhanced alternative text capability
- Expanded data visualization
- Flexible panel sizes in frames
- Maps in collections
- Organization settings updates
- Create from ArcGIS content page updates
- And more…
Document to story conversion
Inspired by the many organizations seeking to transform their reports — from annual summaries to impact narratives — into geospatial stories from a PDF or DOCX, we’re excited to introduce the ability to convert a document into a story.
To start, click + Create from the StoryMaps content page, then select Import Document. After the conversion process, your document content will appear in the builder, with its basic structure — such as headings, paragraphs, lists, and images — carried over into your story.
While this feature can streamline the document-to-story workflow by reducing the need to manually transfer content, it’s important to note that you will likely need to refine the resulting draft to align with geospatial storytelling best practices, such as thoughtfully integrating maps, media, and narrative for a cohesive reader experience.
Learn how pacing, structure, and intentional design choices create harmonious reading experiences in the March 2026 | Finding your rhythm issue of StoryScape℠.
Enhanced alternative text capability
In July 2025, we introduced four capabilities to the ArcGIS StoryMaps assistant to act as collaborators in your geospatial storytelling — and we’ve continued to enhance these assistants over the past year.
This month, we’re enhancing the capability to suggest alternative text to support web maps and scenes, apps, and embeds. Previously, alternative text for these items had to be written manually; now, the assistant can generate suggestions based on available information.
For web maps, scenes, and apps, the assistant currently generates suggestions based on the item details and metadata. For embeds, suggestions are based on the page metadata.
As a general best practice, providing complete item details helps others find, understand, and use your ArcGIS content. Consider this expanded feature as a helpful reminder to keep those details up to date.
To use the capability, click Options, then select Suggest until the alternative text meets your needs. You can also refine the generated text manually as needed.
Learn more about the Foundations of accessible storytelling with maps in our tutorial series.
Expanded data visualization
When intentionally integrated into a geospatial narrative, data visualization can enhance the clarity and impact of your story — while also creating moments of pause and reflection for your readers among longer sections of text. To this point, we’re happy to add new options for visualizing your information.
Area chart
Useful for highlighting change over time while adding depth and emphasis to your data, Area chart is now available from the Chart block.
Pictograph
Effective for making data more tangible through recognizable visual symbols, Pictograph is now available from the Infographic block.
Check out our blog on Using charts, infographics, and tables effectively in ArcGIS StoryMaps.
Flexible panel sizes in frames
Balance text and visuals. Improve readability on mobile devices. Create more intentional layouts. Frames — a new format for mobile-first, short-form storytelling in ArcGIS StoryMaps — now features flexible panel sizes, giving you more control over how your content is presented.
In the frame builder, Change panel size by clicking and dragging the divider between panels.
Frames recently came out of beta, and we would love to hear what you think — share your feedback at ArcGIS StoryMaps Frames Feedback.
Maps in collections
Collections in ArcGIS StoryMaps provide a flexible way to organize and share groups of related content — from a series of stories or themed resources to a portfolio of your work. And as geospatial storytellers, it’s only natural that we have web maps, scenes, and express maps to share. Now, you can add these item types directly to your collections.
In the collection builder, click Add to collection, then select Map to choose items from your ArcGIS content, your organization or public content, or ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World content. You can also select Create express map to build one directly within the collection.
Start your first ArcGIS StoryMaps collection with this blog sharing best practices and inspiration for curating a navigable ecosystem of content.
Organization settings updates
Content page
In response to specific community feedback, organization administrators can now toggle Manage content through ArcGIS StoryMaps on or off.
When enabled in Organization settings, users have access to the StoryMaps content page, where they can create ArcGIS StoryMaps content and take advantage of features available in that experience, such as the item checker.
When disabled, users are directed solely to their ArcGIS content page — an experience our community has indicated may better support casual or new users. With this setting, the user profile menu will adjust accordingly (and include the item checker).
URL parameter
When an organization has multiple accounts, it’s not always clear which account a particular ArcGIS StoryMaps item belongs to. Now, in Organization settings, administrators can toggle Facilitate organization sign-in on or off.
When enabled, this setting adds a URL parameter to non-public items that redirects readers to your organization’s sign-in page. This setting is especially useful if your organization uses SAML logins or if you work with people who have multiple ArcGIS accounts.
Find more information on organization settings in ArcGIS StoryMaps Documentation.
Create from ArcGIS content page updates
Previously, when you created ArcGIS StoryMaps content from the ArcGIS content page, you were taken directly into the story builder — bypassing other content types such as collections, briefings, frames, templates, and themes.
Now, when you click Create App, then StoryMaps, you can Choose a starting point from all StoryMaps content types and be directed to the appropriate builder.
Curious about the different ArcGIS StoryMaps content types? Explore how the geospatial storytelling community is using them in the ArcGIS StoryMaps Gallery.
And more…
- Over 100 new icons have been added to the icon catalog for applicable features.
- A docked toolbar now appears when editing text that provides options for formatting the text at the block level, including the ability to Delete paragraphs of text in one click. (The floating text toolbar that can be used to modify specific passages of text still appears when you have a chunk of text selected.)
- The Esri UC26 theme has been added to Featured themes; the Presentation and Airport featured themes now have slide backgrounds when used in a briefing.
- Build a story with us. Register for 2026 ArcGIS StoryMaps Live, a chat series that walks through practical techniques for crafting geospatial stories that resonate.
- How are you bold in the pursuit of better? Learn more about the 2026 ArcGIS StoryMaps Competition opening on September 8, 2026.
Thank you to Ashley Du and Will Hackney for their contributions to this post.
All Adobe Stock images are © 2026 Adobe Stock. All rights reserved.
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