The world around us has always been three-dimensional, yet for centuries, we’ve struggled to capture it in two. Maps, models, and drawings—each tried to describe landscapes from above or from afar, but none could truly replicate the intricate contours of the Earth. That changed with LiDAR. LiDAR—short for Light Detection and Ranging—uses millions of laser pulses to capture the shape of the world with astonishing accuracy. Each pulse bounces off surfaces—trees, buildings, roads, or mountains—and returns to a sensor, building a dense web of points known as a point cloud. These points, each representing an exact location in three-dimensional space, can then be processed into a digital terrain model so detailed that even individual branches or rocks can be detected.
The Power of 3D Mapping and Web Visualization
Maps are no longer just tools for navigation—they’re platforms for understanding and storytelling. A 3D map provides context, emotion, and depth that traditional 2D representations simply can’t match. Whether you’re modeling urban growth, simulating environmental change, or visualizing infrastructure, a 3D scene allows viewers to experience data as if they were standing inside it.
ArcGIS Pro enables you to construct these experiences with precision and realism. You can build detailed terrain models, import buildings, add vegetation, and even simulate shadows or lighting at different times of day. But when these maps stay on your computer, their potential impact remains limited. That’s where ArcGIS Online comes in. Publishing your 3D scene to the web makes it accessible to anyone with a browser—no specialized software required. This allows for collaboration, public engagement, and storytelling on a whole new level. A city planner can share zoning concepts with stakeholders, a conservationist can showcase habitat restoration efforts, or a geologist can present terrain models interactively to students and colleagues. Publishing your 3D map online transforms your data from a private workspace into a living, interactive experience.
Preparing Your 3D Scene in ArcGIS Pro
Before publishing, it’s essential to prepare your 3D scene carefully. Think of ArcGIS Pro as your studio—where you build, polish, and stage every detail before it goes live.Start by opening your 3D scene in ArcGIS Pro. Make sure your data layers are properly symbolized, organized, and georeferenced. If your project includes elevation data, verify that it’s correctly set up as a surface or integrated mesh so that terrain and structures appear realistic.
You can enhance your scene using high-quality textures, 3D symbology, and lighting. Adjust vertical exaggeration to emphasize elevation features, or fine-tune the base map to complement your layers. Consider whether you want to display daylight, twilight, or nighttime effects—these small artistic choices can greatly influence how users perceive your map online. Performance optimization is another critical step. Web scenes run on browsers, so large or overly complex datasets can slow them down. Simplify your geometry where possible, reduce unnecessary attributes, and ensure textures are optimized. Once your scene looks polished and performs well in ArcGIS Pro, it’s ready for publishing. This preparation ensures that what you see on your desktop is exactly what viewers will experience online.
Sharing Your Scene Layer to ArcGIS Online
Publishing a 3D scene from ArcGIS Pro to ArcGIS Online is easier than most people think—it’s essentially a streamlined export process with a few important options to consider. First, sign in to your ArcGIS Online account directly within ArcGIS Pro. You’ll need an active Esri account to publish content to the web. Then, in your scene view, identify which layers you want to include—such as buildings, trees, terrain, or points of interest.
When you’re ready, go to the “Share” tab and choose the option to publish a “Web Scene” or a “Web Layer.” A web scene is the complete 3D environment, while a web layer is an individual dataset that can be combined with others later. For most users, publishing a web scene is the simplest way to share an entire 3D experience. During the publishing process, ArcGIS Pro will automatically analyze your scene and suggest optimizations if needed. You’ll have the option to choose your hosting environment (ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise), set privacy levels (public, organizational, or private), and provide metadata like the title, description, and tags.
Once you click “Publish,” your data begins uploading and processing in Esri’s cloud. Depending on the size of your scene, this may take several minutes. When the process is complete, you’ll receive a link to your hosted 3D web scene—ready to explore and share. Just like that, your local GIS project has become a fully web-accessible 3D map, viewable from any modern browser.
Customizing and Enhancing Your Web Scene
Once your 3D scene is published online, the fun really begins. ArcGIS Online provides a suite of tools for customizing your web scene’s look, behavior, and interactivity.
Open your scene in the Scene Viewer, Esri’s web-based environment for managing and refining 3D maps. Here, you can adjust lighting, modify layer visibility, and even set navigation controls for your audience. If your scene covers a city, you can define building transparency or add realistic shadows that move with the sun’s position. One of the most powerful features is the ability to set “slides”—predefined camera views that guide users through key locations or themes. Think of these as chapters in a story. A coastal erosion study might include slides showing different decades, while an urban development scene could highlight proposed construction areas.
You can also integrate pop-ups and labels to add context to your data. When users click on buildings, landmarks, or terrain points, they can see attributes such as names, statistics, or even multimedia attachments like photos and videos. This interactivity transforms your web scene from a visualization tool into an educational or storytelling platform. Don’t forget to adjust lighting and atmospheric effects. Realistic sky gradients, soft shadows, and fog can make your scene feel immersive and natural. Whether you want a sunrise glow over a mountain range or a crisp, clear aerial view of a city, Scene Viewer gives you the flexibility to create exactly the mood you envision.
Sharing, Embedding, and Collaborating Online
Now that your 3D scene is live, it’s time to share it with the world. ArcGIS Online provides several options for distributing your scene to different audiences.
If your goal is internal collaboration, you can share the scene privately within your organization. This allows colleagues to view, interact, and even edit layers depending on their permissions. It’s ideal for planning teams, research groups, or government agencies working collaboratively on spatial projects.
For public outreach or education, you can make your scene publicly accessible. This allows anyone with the link to explore your map. You can embed the scene in a website, online article, or digital report. Embedding adds a professional touch—users can interact directly with your 3D scene without leaving your page. Esri’s StoryMaps platform takes this even further by allowing you to combine your 3D web scenes with narrative text, images, and multimedia. Imagine walking your audience through a city redevelopment plan or an environmental case study where they can zoom into specific features as they read.
You can also integrate web scenes into dashboards or applications using ArcGIS Experience Builder or Web AppBuilder, creating custom interfaces with buttons, charts, and interactive panels. The result is a tailored experience that merges storytelling, analysis, and exploration in one unified interface. By sharing your 3D scene online, you open new pathways for communication—transforming maps into immersive, interactive experiences that engage and inform.
Optimizing for Performance and Accessibility
A beautifully rendered 3D scene means little if it’s slow or inaccessible. Ensuring performance and usability across different devices is key to creating a great web experience. The first step is optimizing your data before publishing. Simplify geometry for complex structures, merge layers where possible, and reduce the resolution of textures that aren’t visible up close. In the Scene Viewer, you can adjust the level of detail dynamically—allowing distant objects to load with fewer polygons while keeping nearby areas crisp and detailed.
Browser compatibility is another important consideration. Most modern browsers, such as Chrome, Edge, and Firefox, support WebGL, which powers ArcGIS’s 3D rendering. However, mobile devices may struggle with large scenes, so keep your model lightweight for portability.
Accessibility also matters. Use clear symbology, readable color contrasts, and descriptive labels for features. If your scene includes complex data, consider adding slides or guided tours to help non-technical users navigate the content intuitively. Finally, test your scene on multiple devices—desktops, tablets, and smartphones—to ensure consistent performance and appearance. A fast, intuitive scene invites engagement, while a laggy one discourages exploration. The goal is to make your 3D map not only impressive but universally accessible.
The Future of 3D Web Mapping with ArcGIS
Publishing a 3D scene from ArcGIS Pro to the web is more than just sharing data—it’s about connecting people with place in ways that feel alive and immediate. And this is just the beginning. As technology advances, web-based 3D mapping is becoming increasingly immersive. ArcGIS now supports integration with augmented and virtual reality tools, allowing users to explore data spatially in true 3D environments. Cloud computing continues to expand capabilities for larger, more detailed models, while AI-powered features are helping automate workflows like building extraction and terrain classification. ArcGIS Pro remains at the heart of this evolution. Its deep integration with ArcGIS Online and Enterprise ensures that workflows remain seamless—from data preparation to publication and collaboration. With each update, Esri enhances both the realism and performance of 3D visualization, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in digital cartography.
The future of mapping isn’t just about seeing data—it’s about experiencing it. 3D web maps will increasingly serve as bridges between physical and digital worlds, enabling smarter planning, deeper insight, and greater connection to the landscapes we inhabit. By mastering the workflow from ArcGIS Pro to web, you’re positioning yourself at the forefront of this transformation—turning your maps into immersive worlds that inspire and inform.
From Desktop to Web: A New Way to Share the World
The ability to publish 3D scenes from ArcGIS Pro to the web has fundamentally changed how we communicate geographic information. It democratizes cartography—making complex spatial data accessible, interactive, and visually compelling to anyone with an internet connection. Whether you’re visualizing urban skylines, simulating flood zones, or showcasing natural landscapes, your work no longer has to live within the confines of desktop software. Instead, it can be experienced across devices and audiences worldwide. ArcGIS Pro gives you the creative and analytical tools to design sophisticated 3D environments, while ArcGIS Online provides the stage where your vision comes alive for others to explore. Together, they bridge the gap between science and storytelling, precision and artistry. As you publish your next 3D scene online, remember that you’re not just sharing a map—you’re crafting an experience. Each viewer becomes an explorer, each click a discovery, and each perspective a new way to see the world.
