ArcGIS Desktop: Error 999999 using the Extract by Mask tool

Error Message

When using the Extract by Mask tool in ArcGIS Pro or ArcMap, a general error 9999999 is returned, but the issue is not specified.

Cause

There are several possible causes for this error. The solution below provides some troubleshooting suggestions.

Solution or Workaround

The following items are some best practices when working with the tool. These may not resolve the issue, but can eliminate some causes.

• Keep the output raster path as default.
• Save the output raster to a file geodatabase and not a normal folder.
• Ensure the entire output path is free of spaces.
• Add the file extension, for example: extractraster.tif
• Ensure that the coordinate systems match.
• The Clip (Data Management) tool also works. This clips to the geometry of the shapefile and/or feature class the same as Extract by Mask.