{"id":2983989,"date":"2026-10-13T21:35:48","date_gmt":"2026-10-14T04:35:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&p=2983989"},"modified":"2026-10-13T21:40:32","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T04:40:32","slug":"customizing-basemaps-components","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-online\/mapping\/customizing-basemaps-components","title":{"rendered":"Customizing basemaps using component layers"},"author":7641,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":""},"categories":[22941],"tags":[],"industry":[],"product":[36571,36581,36551],"class_list":["post-2983989","blog","type-blog","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mapping","product-arcgis-enterprise","product-arcgis-living-atlas","product-arcgis-online"],"acf":{"related_articles":"","authors":[{"ID":7641,"user_firstname":"Bernie","user_lastname":"Szukalski","nickname":"Bern Szukalski","user_nicename":"bszukalski","display_name":"Bern Szukalski","user_email":"bszukalski@esri.com","user_url":"","user_registered":"2018-03-26 17:55:14","user_description":"Bern Szukalski is a corporate technology evangelist, customer advocate, and solution engineer at Esri, where he has spent over 40 years on innovative projects and pioneering product development. He is currently focused on ways to broaden access to geographic information and helping users succeed with ArcGIS. \r\n\r\nOn a good day he's making a map; on a great day, he's on one. Email bszukalski@esri.com or connect on LinkedIn (https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/bernszukalski\/).","user_avatar":""}],"short_description":"You can easily customize Living Atlas basemaps via their component layers and using effects and blending. Read on to learn how.","flexible_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Basemaps are the foundation for every map that you author. They are the geographic canvas upon which you paint your operational layers to create effective maps and apps that inform and inspire. A good basemap provides geographic context that complements, rather than competes with, your data<\/strong>. The ideal basemap harmonizes with your information and provide a backdrop that highlights and clarifies your map’s core meaning.<\/p>\n

ArcGIS Living Atlas provides a default collection of basemaps for your organization, but you can also configure a custom basemap gallery featuring your own basemaps.You can customize a basemap for a single use, or can add them to your organization\u2019s shared gallery, making them accessible across all applications.<\/p>\n

When crafting custom basemaps using components, you can use transparency, visbility, blending, effects, and other layer configuration options. However, not all of these are techniques are seamlessly supported across the platform. For example, layer effects such as bloom, drop shadow, and blur do not have a direct corollary in ArcGIS Pro, so those effects will be dropped to display the default when accessed in ArcGIS Pro.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Basemap components<\/h2>\n

Basemaps are composed of one or more component layers. Typically, when there is more than one component layer, they are organized into reference layers and base layers, but not always. These layers of information can include backgrounds, boundaries, physical features, terrain, and more. Reference layers alway draw on top of your operational layers, base layers are always underneath.<\/p>\n

To view a basemap’s component layers in Map Viewer, choose Basemap<\/strong> from the Contents (dark) toolbar, select a basemap from the basemap pane, then click Current basemap<\/strong> at the top.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2984291,"id":2984291,"title":"bcl-1","filename":"bcl-1.png","filesize":13635,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-1.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-online\/mapping\/customizing-basemaps-components\/bcl-1","alt":"Open current basemap","author":"7641","description":"","caption":"","name":"bcl-1","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2983989,"date":"2026-10-06 21:12:53","modified":"2026-10-06 21:13:08","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":524,"height":295,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-1-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-1.png","medium-width":464,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-1.png","medium_large-width":524,"medium_large-height":295,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-1.png","large-width":524,"large-height":295,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-1.png","1536x1536-width":524,"1536x1536-height":295,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-1.png","2048x2048-width":524,"2048x2048-height":295,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-1.png","card_image-width":524,"card_image-height":295,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-1.png","wide_image-width":524,"wide_image-height":295}},"image_position":"left-center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

The next pane displays the component layers used in the basemap. In the case of the Human Geography basemap<\/a>, there are two Reference<\/strong> layers (always drawn atop operational layers) and one Base<\/strong> layer (always under operational layers).<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2984299,"id":2984299,"title":"bcl-2","filename":"bcl-2.png","filesize":13924,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-2.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-online\/mapping\/customizing-basemaps-components\/bcl-2","alt":"Bsemap component layers","author":"7641","description":"","caption":"","name":"bcl-2","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2983989,"date":"2026-10-06 21:25:52","modified":"2026-10-06 21:26:01","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":525,"height":607,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-2-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-2.png","medium-width":226,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-2.png","medium_large-width":525,"medium_large-height":607,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-2.png","large-width":525,"large-height":607,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-2.png","1536x1536-width":525,"1536x1536-height":607,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-2.png","2048x2048-width":525,"2048x2048-height":607,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-2-402x465.png","card_image-width":402,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-2.png","wide_image-width":525,"wide_image-height":607}},"image_position":"left-center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

The Topographic basemap<\/a>, which is the default for organizations, has no reference layers, only base layers.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2984325,"id":2984325,"title":"bcl-3","filename":"bcl-3.png","filesize":13073,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-3.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-online\/mapping\/customizing-basemaps-components\/bcl-3","alt":"Topographic basemap components","author":"7641","description":"","caption":"","name":"bcl-3","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2983989,"date":"2026-10-06 22:02:41","modified":"2026-10-06 22:03:05","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":525,"height":596,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-3-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-3.png","medium-width":230,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-3.png","medium_large-width":525,"medium_large-height":596,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-3.png","large-width":525,"large-height":596,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-3.png","1536x1536-width":525,"1536x1536-height":596,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-3.png","2048x2048-width":525,"2048x2048-height":596,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-3-410x465.png","card_image-width":410,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-3.png","wide_image-width":525,"wide_image-height":596}},"image_position":"left-center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

When choosing a basemap, a consideration is that different basemaps may be better suited for your operational layers. For example, because the Topographic basemap only has a single base layer, polygons added to that basemap will obscure labels. The Human Geography basemap has labels on a separate reference layer; they will always draw atop operational layers.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2984672,"id":2984672,"title":"bcl-5","filename":"bcl-5.png","filesize":110957,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-5.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-online\/mapping\/customizing-basemaps-components\/bcl-5","alt":"Basemap labels","author":"7641","description":"","caption":"California geology viewed with Topographic basemap (left) and Human Geography basemap (right). Click to view larger image.","name":"bcl-5","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2983989,"date":"2026-10-11 19:48:06","modified":"2026-10-11 19:53:05","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":1194,"height":402,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-5-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-5.png","medium-width":464,"medium-height":156,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-5.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":259,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-5.png","large-width":1194,"large-height":402,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-5.png","1536x1536-width":1194,"1536x1536-height":402,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-5.png","2048x2048-width":1194,"2048x2048-height":402,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-5-826x278.png","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":278,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-5.png","wide_image-width":1194,"wide_image-height":402}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-5.png"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

The Imagery Transition Basemap<\/a> has one reference layer and three base layers.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2984675,"id":2984675,"title":"bcl-4","filename":"bcl-4.png","filesize":15787,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-4.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-online\/mapping\/customizing-basemaps-components\/bcl-4","alt":"Imagery Transition basemap","author":"7641","description":"","caption":"","name":"bcl-4","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2983989,"date":"2026-10-11 20:09:50","modified":"2026-10-11 20:10:23","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":556,"height":693,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-4-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-4.png","medium-width":209,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-4.png","medium_large-width":556,"medium_large-height":693,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-4.png","large-width":556,"large-height":693,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-4.png","1536x1536-width":556,"1536x1536-height":693,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-4.png","2048x2048-width":556,"2048x2048-height":693,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-4-373x465.png","card_image-width":373,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bcl-4.png","wide_image-width":556,"wide_image-height":693}},"image_position":"left-center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Select a base layer and view the layer properties on the Settings (light) toolbar; World Hillshade<\/strong> uses Multiply blending, Imagery Transition: Base<\/strong> has been customized using the Vector Tile Style Editor (VTSE) to enable a smooth transition to imagery, and World Imagery<\/strong> uses visibility scale ranges. For more information about how this basemap was constructed, see Imagery Fade-in<\/a> (Blog).<\/p>\n

Each component can contain many levels of information displayed using symbols, styles, and scales that can be edited and separated using VTSE. For example, you can separate the Topographic basemap into label reference layer and base layer components, or can modify colors and fonts. To learn more about using VTSE to modify basemaps and their components, see the following:<\/p>\n