Install, and configure the ArcGIS Pro Offline Help System

Summary

When ArcGIS Pro is used in a disconnected or internet-restricted environment and the offline help system has not been installed, pressing F1 or clicking the Help button opens the compact help system. Compact help is a minimal help system that is bundled with ArcGIS Pro by default. It contains only a small number of topics, primarily related to installation and licensing, and does not provide the full reference documentation.

There are three help systems available in ArcGIS Pro:

• Online help - The default help system. Opens in a web browser and requires an active internet connection. This reflects the most current documentation.
• Offline help - A locally installed help system that does not require internet access. It is functionally equivalent to the online help and must be downloaded from My Esri and installed separately. It is typically updated at each major and minor release of ArcGIS Pro.
• Compact help - A minimal fallback help system included with ArcGIS Pro. It opens automatically when neither online nor offline help is available. It is not a substitute for the full documentation.

Procedure

Follow the steps below to download, install, and configure the offline help system for ArcGIS Pro.

Download the Offline Help Setup File from My Esri

1. Go to my.esri.com and sign in with your Esri account.
2. Click the My Organizations tab, and click the Downloads tab.
3. In the list of available products, locate ArcGIS Pro and confirm the version matches your installed version.
4. Click View Downloads.
5. In the list of product components, locate ArcGIS Pro Offline Help and click Download.

Note: 
Download permissions in My Esri are typically restricted to software administrators. If you do not see the download option, contact your ArcGIS organization administrator. 

Install the Offline Help System

1. Browse to the location where the offline help setup file was downloaded.
2. Double-click the executable (.exe) file to start the installation.
3. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation.

Note:
ArcGIS Pro must be installed before the offline help system is installed. If you are upgrading ArcGIS Pro, it is recommended to reinstall the offline help system after the upgrade to ensure the help content matches the installed version.

Set Offline Help as the Default Help Source in ArcGIS Pro

After installation, ArcGIS Pro must be configured to use the offline help system instead of the online or compact help.

1. Open ArcGIS Pro.
2. On the start page, click Settings. If a project is already open, click the Project tab on the ribbon instead.
3. In the settings list on the left, click Options.
4. On the Options dialog box, under Application, click General.
5. Expand the Help source section.
6. Select Offline help from your computer (requires local help installation).
7. Click OK.

Note:
If the offline help system is not installed, the offline help option appears grayed out and cannot be selected.

Verify the Configuration

1. From an open project, press F1 or click the View Help button in the upper-right corner of the application window.
2. The ArcGIS Pro Help viewer should open as a separate window — this confirms the offline help system is active.
3. If a browser tab opens instead, the online help is still set as the default. Repeat the previous section to set the drfault help source.
4. If a minimal page opens with only a few topics, the compact help is loading — this means the offline help is either not installed or the default configuration was not saved. Verify the installation completed successfully and repeat the steps to set the default help system above.

Additional Notes

• The offline help system is language-specific. To use help in a language other than English, download and install the corresponding localized offline help file from My Esri.
• Links within the offline help that point to external resources (such as ArcGIS Online documentation or web pages) still require an internet connection to open.
• To switch back to online help at any time, re-set the default help system and select Online help from the Internet.