Can ECW files be directly added to ArcGIS Online?

Answer

No, it is not possible to add Enhanced Compression Wavelet (ECW) files to ArcGIS Online. This is a known limitation, as the ECW libraries cannot be served as an image service, map service, or used to generate a tile cache in ArcGIS Server without a specific license from Hexagon. However, the ECW file can be converted to other supported formats in ArcGIS Pro using the Copy Raster tool and published to ArcGIS Online.

1. Create a project in ArcGIS Pro.
2. Add the ECW file from the Add Data dialog box to the map. Refer to ArcGIS Pro: Browse to data to add to a map or scene for instructions.
3. Convert the ECW raster layer to other supported formats using the Copy Raster tool.
1. On the Analysis tab, in the Geoprocessing group, click Tools.
2. In the Geoprocessing pane, search for and click Copy Raster (Data Management Tools).
3. In the Copy Raster pane, for Input Raster, select the ECW raster layer from the drop-down list.
4. For Output Raster Dataset, specify a name and location for the output raster layer.
5. For Format, specify the preferred output raster format from the drop-down list. Refer to ArcGIS Pro: Parameters for more information.
6. Click Run.
4. Remove the ECW raster layer from the Contents pane.
5. Publish the output raster layer created in Step 3 as a hosted tile layer to ArcGIS Online. Refer to ArcGIS Pro: Share a web tile layer using the default configuration for instructions.