{"id":2963196,"date":"2026-05-26T06:52:53","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T13:52:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&p=2963196"},"modified":"2026-05-26T11:01:21","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T18:01:21","slug":"standardize-environments-arcgis-pro","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-pro\/analytics\/standardize-environments-arcgis-pro","title":{"rendered":"Standardize geoprocessing Environment Settings across ArcGIS Pro projects (May 2026)"},"author":314022,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":""},"categories":[23341,37101,23851],"tags":[42181,781000,33511,766092,24321],"industry":[],"product":[36561],"class_list":["post-2963196","blog","type-blog","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-analytics","category-announcements","category-data-management","tag-arcgis-pro","tag-arcgis-pro-3-7","tag-configuration","tag-environments","tag-geoprocessing","product-arcgis-pro"],"acf":{"short_description":"Standardize environment settings across all new and current projects using the Pro.SettingsConfig file for ArcGIS Pro","flexible_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Approximate Read Time:<\/strong><\/span> 6 minutes<\/p>\n

All geoprocessing tools have required and optional parameters. Parameters define the values and conditions a tool uses to run an operation.<\/p>\n

Many optional parameters are preset with commonly used default values. In ArcGIS Pro 3.3<\/strong>, we introduced parameter overrides<\/em> for geoprocessing tools. Using the Pro.settingsConfig<\/code> file, you can set parameters (and optionally lock them) with default values that match your preferences.<\/p>\n

Learn more about tool parameter overrides<\/a><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2963585,"id":2963585,"title":"Image_one_param_overrides_02","filename":"Image_one_param_overrides_02.png","filesize":95382,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Image_one_param_overrides_02.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-pro\/analytics\/standardize-environments-arcgis-pro\/image_one_param_overrides_02","alt":"Parameter override example","author":"314022","description":"","caption":"Calculate Field tool Expression Type parameter set and locked to Arcade","name":"image_one_param_overrides_02","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2963196,"date":"2026-04-22 18:24:06","modified":"2026-04-22 18:24:39","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":720,"height":555,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Image_one_param_overrides_02-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Image_one_param_overrides_02.png","medium-width":339,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Image_one_param_overrides_02.png","medium_large-width":720,"medium_large-height":555,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Image_one_param_overrides_02.png","large-width":720,"large-height":555,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Image_one_param_overrides_02.png","1536x1536-width":720,"1536x1536-height":555,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Image_one_param_overrides_02.png","2048x2048-width":720,"2048x2048-height":555,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Image_one_param_overrides_02-603x465.png","card_image-width":603,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Image_one_param_overrides_02.png","wide_image-width":720,"wide_image-height":555}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

But what if you want to standardize settings for all tools across all your projects?<\/em><\/p>\n

That\u2019s where geoprocessing environment settings<\/a> come in handy. And, new in ArcGIS Pro 3.7<\/strong>, you can use the Pro.settingsConfig<\/code> file to set consistent environment settings for all new and existing projects, ensuring all tools and models run with consistent settings.<\/p>\n

Geoprocessing Environment settings<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n

Environments are optional settings that control the environment<\/em> in which a tool processes data. They’re commonly used to set the default workspace<\/a>, processing extent<\/a>, output coordinate system<\/a>, and cell size<\/a> for raster datasets. Think of environments as global parameters<\/em> because they can be set once and used by all tools run in a project.<\/p>\n

To set environments at the project-level:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Activate the Analysis<\/strong> ribbon tab<\/li>\n
  2. Click the Environments<\/strong> button in the Geoprocessing<\/strong> group
    \nThis opens the Environments<\/strong> dialog box, where you can set environments once for all tools and ModelBuilder models.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2963201,"id":2963201,"title":"Image2_for_envi_blog","filename":"Image2_for_envi_blog.gif","filesize":493909,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image2_for_envi_blog.gif","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-pro\/analytics\/standardize-environments-arcgis-pro\/image2_for_envi_blog","alt":"Open the environments dialog box","author":"314022","description":"","caption":"Environments dialog box","name":"image2_for_envi_blog","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2963196,"date":"2026-04-20 19:45:13","modified":"2026-04-20 19:45:46","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/gif","type":"image","subtype":"gif","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":720,"height":600,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image2_for_envi_blog-213x200.gif","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image2_for_envi_blog.gif","medium-width":313,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image2_for_envi_blog.gif","medium_large-width":720,"medium_large-height":600,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image2_for_envi_blog.gif","large-width":720,"large-height":600,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image2_for_envi_blog.gif","1536x1536-width":720,"1536x1536-height":600,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image2_for_envi_blog.gif","2048x2048-width":720,"2048x2048-height":600,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image2_for_envi_blog-558x465.gif","card_image-width":558,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image2_for_envi_blog.gif","wide_image-width":720,"wide_image-height":600}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

    Or set environments for a single tool run using a tool’s Environments<\/strong> tab, which loads its defaults from the project environments.<\/p>\n

    Note:<\/strong><\/span> Not all tools honor all environments. Check the tool\u2019s reference page to see which environment settings it uses.<\/em><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2963206,"id":2963206,"title":"Image_3_environments_blog","filename":"Image_3_environments_blog.png","filesize":85494,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image_3_environments_blog.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-pro\/analytics\/standardize-environments-arcgis-pro\/image_3_environments_blog","alt":"The Environments tab on the Pairwise Dissolve tool","author":"314022","description":"","caption":"Environments tab","name":"image_3_environments_blog","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2963196,"date":"2026-04-20 20:19:15","modified":"2026-04-20 20:19:39","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":720,"height":555,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image_3_environments_blog-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image_3_environments_blog.png","medium-width":339,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image_3_environments_blog.png","medium_large-width":720,"medium_large-height":555,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image_3_environments_blog.png","large-width":720,"large-height":555,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image_3_environments_blog.png","1536x1536-width":720,"1536x1536-height":555,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image_3_environments_blog.png","2048x2048-width":720,"2048x2048-height":555,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image_3_environments_blog-603x465.png","card_image-width":603,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image_3_environments_blog.png","wide_image-width":720,"wide_image-height":555}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

    Save Environment settings<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

    Project-level environment settings are saved with your project. Whereas tool environments are logged in the geoprocessing history<\/a> after you run a tool. You can also include environments in custom project templates<\/a> for re-use. This way, you can share your preferred geoprocessing settings with others in your organization (or even outside your organization) to provide a consistent starting point for new projects.<\/p>\n

    Override Environment Settings using the Pro.settingsConfig file<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n

    In ArcGIS Pro 3.7<\/strong><\/a>, you can use the Pro.settingsConfig<\/code> file to override default environment settings for\u00a0all new and existing projects.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2963244,"id":2963244,"title":"Image_4_environments_blog","filename":"Image_4_environments_blog.png","filesize":142709,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image_4_environments_blog.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-pro\/analytics\/standardize-environments-arcgis-pro\/image_4_environments_blog","alt":"Example Output Coordinate System environment set and locked","author":"314022","description":"","caption":"EX: Output Coordinate System environment set and locked","name":"image_4_environments_blog","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2963196,"date":"2026-04-20 21:49:50","modified":"2026-04-20 21:50:39","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":720,"height":677,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image_4_environments_blog-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image_4_environments_blog.png","medium-width":278,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image_4_environments_blog.png","medium_large-width":720,"medium_large-height":677,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image_4_environments_blog.png","large-width":720,"large-height":677,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image_4_environments_blog.png","1536x1536-width":720,"1536x1536-height":677,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image_4_environments_blog.png","2048x2048-width":720,"2048x2048-height":677,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image_4_environments_blog-495x465.png","card_image-width":495,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Image_4_environments_blog.png","wide_image-width":720,"wide_image-height":677}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

    The Pro.settingsConfig file<\/a> overrides environments at the project-level, and passes these settings to all tools and models that honor the environment. It replaces any environment settings previously saved in the project with those specified in the Pro.settingsConfig<\/code> file.\u00a0As a result, you will see the same environment set and (optionally) locked in the Environments<\/strong> dialog box, a tool\u2019s Environments<\/strong> tab, and in ModelBuilder.<\/p>\n

    Note:<\/span><\/strong> Environment overrides do not apply to tools run using Python commands<\/a> in ArcGIS Notebooks, the Python window, or outside of ArcGIS Pro. These tools get their environments from the arcpy.env<\/code> class.<\/em><\/p>\n

    Steps: Set environments in the Pro.settingsConfig file<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

    For example, create and edit the Pro.settingsConfig<\/code> file to set and lock the Output Coordinate System<\/strong> environment to NAD 1983 (2011) UTM zone 17N<\/code>, which has the WKID 6346<\/code>.<\/p>\n

    To create the Pro.settingsConfig<\/code> file, close ArcGIS Pro and follow the instructions below:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Open Windows Notepad<\/strong> or the text file editor of your choice.<\/li>\n
    2. Save the file with the name and extension Pro.settingsConfig<\/code>.
      \nNote:<\/span><\/strong> If you want all projects used by all members of your organization to use the same environment settings, save the file in a location accessible to all.<\/em><\/li>\n
    3. Configure ArcGIS Pro to use the file by modifying the settings in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE<\/code> registry in the Windows Registry Editor<\/strong> or during a silent installation of ArcGIS Pro.<\/li>\n
    4. Edit the Pro.settingsConfig<\/code> file using the XML<\/code> script below.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"sidebar","content":"
      <?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?>\r\n<ArcGISProSettings xmlns=\"http:\/\/schemas.esri.com\/ProSettings\">\r\n<Geoprocessing>\r\n<Environments>\r\n<Environment name=\"outputCoordinateSystem\" isLocked=\"true\">6346<\/Environment>\r\n<\/Environments>\r\n<\/Geoprocessing>\r\n<\/ArcGISProSettings><\/pre>\n","image_reference":false,"layout":"standard","image_reference_figure":"","snippet":"","spotlight_name":"","section_title":"","position":"Center","spotlight_image":false},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"
      To configure environment settings<\/a> in the Pro.settingsConfig<\/code> file, specify the Geoprocessing<\/code> and Environments<\/code> elements. The Environments<\/code> element may contain one or multiple Environment<\/code> elements, which must contain the following:<\/p>\n