Learn the Basics of ArcGIS Online

Learn the basics of ArcGIS Online (AGOL), Esri’s cloud platform for working with GIS data in a web browser! In this workshop, you will learn how to:

  • Navigate through the AGOL interface
  • Find spatial data in AGOL and through external sources
  • Make a web map and change how data looks
  • Create your own data
  • Analyze spatial data
  • Share your work

This tutorial is current as of Spring 2025. AGOL is constantly updated, so you may find that your version of AGOL looks a bit different!

Watch the workshops

If video tutorials are more up your alley, check out our video tutorial series on ArcGIS Online, made by Deni Ranguelova, the UMass Amherst Library GIS TA in 2023-24. Note that these tutorials do not follow the exact same workflow as in this tutorial!

Workshop 1: The Basics – Reviews how to sign in, navigate through the site, launch a web map and view content, and access StoryMaps and Survey123.

Workshop 2: Making a Map with Hosted Data – Shows how to create a map, add data from ArcGIS Online, and style it to create a unique map that you can share or export.

Workshop 3: Working with Your Own Spatial Data – Demos how to import data into ArcGIS Online, including latitude/longitude coordinates stored in a CSV, shapefiles, and rasters.

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