"}],"short_description":"ArcGIS StoryMaps introduces templates, collection cover map, images as base layers, and closed captioning for videos.","flexible_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"- \n
- Templates<\/a><\/li>\n
- Collection cover map<\/a><\/li>\n
- Express map image base layer<\/a><\/li>\n
- Closed captions for video<\/a><\/li>\n
- Browse gallery images in expanded view<\/a><\/li>\n
- Map tour tooltips<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"
Templates<\/h2>\n
ArcGIS StoryMaps has proven its efficacy as a communication tool for a broad range of industries, to the degree that a template capability has been a recurring request from our storytelling community \u2014 and our team couldn\u2019t have agreed more. So, we are thrilled to introduce <\/span>templates<\/span><\/b> in ArcGIS StoryMaps!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
Whether you want to provide instructions for your students to complete an assignment or save time scaling your organizational story production with consistent messaging and branding, templates are a way to create a story structure that others can follow and recreate easily.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
Creating a template<\/h3>\n
Your <\/span>Stories <\/span><\/b>page now includes a <\/span>Create template<\/span><\/b> button that sits next to the tried-and-true <\/span>Create story<\/span><\/b> button. After selecting the template option, you will be brought to a builder almost identical to that for stories, though there are two key differences in the <\/span>template builder<\/span><\/b>:\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
- \n
- To make it clear that you are working on a template, a teal banner runs along the top of the page with an alert that <\/span>You are working on a template<\/span><\/b>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
- In the block palette, you will now find a basic block for <\/span>Instructions<\/span><\/b>. This instructions block lets you add text contained in a teal box and separate from your story text (including text in sidecar immersive blocks).\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Viewing a template<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
After you\u2019ve created your template and clicked <\/span>Publish<\/span><\/b>, you will notice three things:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
- \n
- The teal banner now states that <\/span>You are viewing a template.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
- The instruction blocks remain visible.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
- A button to <\/span>Create story from template<\/span><\/b> appears at the top right.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
You can share your templates just like you would a story \u2014 grab the URL from the address bar or use the Share<\/span><\/b> menu at the top right of the page if your template is published at the <\/span>Public<\/span><\/b> level.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
Creating a story from a template<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
When you choose to create a story from a template, the template will then open in the standard story builder. Here, the instruction blocks remain visible so that the author can use them as guidance for creating their own version of the story based on the template structure. From here:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
- \n
- Clicking <\/span>Publish<\/span><\/b> will result in a story, not a template.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
- After publishing, the instruction blocks will be hidden, and only the intended story is visible.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"kaltura","video_id":"1_ueg0520w","time":false,"start":0,"stop":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"
Accessing your templates<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
So, what does this look like on your <\/span>Stories<\/span><\/b> page? Your original template will appear as a story card with a teal banner running along the top that indicates its template status. The story you created from the template will appear as a standard story card. Want to view either just your stories or templates? You can drop down the <\/span>Content<\/span><\/b> menu located at the top left of your stories to filter between stories and templates. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"kaltura","video_id":"1_3q5fac5t","time":false,"start":0,"stop":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"
Templates are in beta.<\/span><\/span><\/strong> S<\/span>everal<\/span> updates are planned <\/span>over<\/span> the next few months for this new feature<\/span>. In the <\/span>meantime,<\/span> p<\/span>lease<\/span> let us know on the <\/span><\/span>Esri Community<\/span><\/span><\/a> if you find any issues or have feedback, and check out our blog on Getting started with templates in ArcGIS StoryMaps<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n
- After publishing, the instruction blocks will be hidden, and only the intended story is visible.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"kaltura","video_id":"1_ueg0520w","time":false,"start":0,"stop":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"
- The instruction blocks remain visible.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
- In the block palette, you will now find a basic block for <\/span>Instructions<\/span><\/b>. This instructions block lets you add text contained in a teal box and separate from your story text (including text in sidecar immersive blocks).\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
- Collection cover map<\/a><\/li>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Quick-links-button-9.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"