Apply gradient borders to polygon features based on the field values in ArcGIS Pro

Summary

In ArcGIS Pro, gradient stroke symbols can be applied to polygon outlines to create smooth color transitions that enhance visual appeal and emphasize feature boundaries. Configuring these gradients based on field values allows each polygon to display a unique color scheme tied to its attribute data, such as administrative divisions or land use types, making it easier to visually differentiate features and convey meaningful information directly through symbology.

This article outlines the workflow for configuring gradient stroke symbols for polygon outlines, based on field values, in ArcGIS Pro.

Procedure

1. Open the ArcGIS Pro project containing the polygon feature layer.
2. Display features on the map based on the preferred field values.
   1. In the Contents pane, right-click the polygon feature layer and select Symbology.
   2. In the Symbology pane, under Primary Symbology, click Single Symbol and select Unique Values.
   3. For Field 1, select the field from the drop-down list. In this example, 'STATE_NAME' is selected.

Note:
Optionally, if a stroke symbol is not present, add a stroke symbol layer by referring to ArcGIS Pro: Add a symbol layer for instructions.

3. Configure the gradient stroke symbol for each polygon's features.
1. In the Symbology pane, on the Classes tab, for Symbol, click the preferred symbol to open the Format symbol mode.
2. In the Format Polygon Symbol pane, click the Properties tab.
3. Click the Layers tab, click Solid stroke and select Gradient stroke in the drop-down list.
4. Configure the appearance of the gradient stroke symbol. Refer to ArcGIS Pro: Gradient stroke symbol layers for instructions.

4. Click Return to primary symbology page to return to the Symbology pane and repeat Step 3 to configure the gradient stroke symbol for other features.

The image below shows the gradient stroke symbol is applied to each polygon feature based on the attribute values.