Frequently asked question

Why do I get a warning message about one or more layers missing spatial reference information?

Last Published: April 25, 2020

Answer

You will receive this warning message if any of the data you add to ArcMap doesn't contain coordinate system information. This message only appears once per ArcMap session, no matter how many times you subsequently add data without a defined coordinate system.

To avoid seeing this message in the future, make sure all your data contains coordinate system information. For topics about defining coordinate systems for various data types, see the ArcGIS Desktop Help Index under 'Coordinate systems.'

Article ID:000002784

Software:
  • ArcMap 9 x
  • ArcMap 8 x

Get help from ArcGIS experts

Contact technical support

Download the Esri Support App

Go to download options

Discover more on this topic