Label selected features in ArcGIS Pro

Summary

In ArcGIS Pro, labels are used to describe features on the maps. The map below displays cities in Texas labeled with their city names.

Sometimes it is necessary to highlight only the important or relevant cities in the area. This article describes how to label and display only selected features on the map.

Procedure

You can label selected features in ArcGIS Pro by either:

• Using a SQL Query to limit which labels are displayed.
• Converting them to feature linked annotations.

Use a SQL Query:

1. In the Label Class group of the Labeling Pane, select SQL Query.
2. In the newly opened Label Class Pane, click + New Expression to create a new SQL query.
   1. You can construct a query interactively or use the SQL Editor to write it manually.
   2. If you are unsure of the query needed to isolate your selected features, use the Generate Definition Query From Selection tool to create a SQL query you can copy.

Note:
The Generate Definition Query From Selection tool creates a definition query. If you want to display all features but only show labels for some, copy the text of the newly generated query from:
Feature Class > Properties > Definition Query > Edit > SQL Editor
before removing the generated query entirely. You can then paste the copied query into the SQL Editor of your Label Class Pane.

3. Once the query is complete, click Apply.
   

Use Feature Linked Annotations

1. In the Contents pane, right-click the desired feature layer and select Label.

2. Create a feature linked annotation feature class for the feature layer. Refer to ArcGIS Pro: Create a new feature-linked annotation feature class for steps to complete this.
   • As in step 12a, check the Link the annotation to the following feature class check box, and click the drop-down menu to select the feature class to link to the annotation, as shown in the image below:

3. On the Map tab, click Select to select the desired features. Refer to ArcGIS Pro: Select features for more information.

The image below shows the selected features to be displayed on the map.

4. Create annotations for the selected features.
   1. In the Contents pane, right-click the desired layer again, and click Selection > Annotate Selected Features.

2. In the Annotate Selected Features geoprocessing dialog box, for Input Map, select Map.
3. For Input Features, browse to the desired feature layer.
4. For Annotation Layers, select the feature-linked annotation feature layer created in Step 2.
5. Click Run to execute the tool.

The image below shows labels for only selected features displayed on the map.