ArcGIS Pro 3.5 Release Notes: What is New, What is Gone, and What to Expect

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ArcGIS Pro 3.5 Release Notes – What’s New, What’s Gone, and What to Expect

Esri has officially rolled out ArcGIS Pro 3.5, and with it comes a wave of bug fixes, new capabilities, and a few notable farewells to older functionality. Whether you’re a student learning GIS, a professional running enterprise workflows, or someone experimenting with geospatial tools at home, here’s everything you need to know about this release.

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🛠 Bug Fixes – Issues Addressed

Every new ArcGIS Pro release includes bug fixes, and version 3.5 is no different. The Issues Addressed list (PDF) highlights all resolved problems. If you faced glitches in earlier versions, there’s a good chance 3.5 smooths them out. You can search the list using BUG numbers directly on Esri’s Technical Support website.

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🚀 What’s New in ArcGIS Pro 3.5

• New functionality: Like other major/minor releases, 3.5 brings new tools and improvements. (See Esri’s official What’s New in ArcGIS Pro 3.5 page for feature-level details.)

• Improved workflows: Minor releases (like 3.5) don’t break compatibility but add extra functionality to existing tools and extensions.

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🛑 Deprecations & Removed Features

Some older tools and features have been retired in ArcGIS Pro 3.5:

1. ArcGIS Workflow Manager (Classic)

   • Pro 3.4 was the final release for this legacy tool.

   • The toolbox and ArcPy module tied to it are gone in 3.5.

   • The future is with the services-based Workflow Manager instead.

2. Workflow Toolset in Topographic Production Toolbox

   • Since it depended on Workflow Manager (Classic), it has also been removed.

3. VBScript Evaluators in Network Analyst

   • VBScript is officially gone for network dataset evaluators.

   • Migration to Python-based evaluators is the new way forward.

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🔑 Licensing Changes

• LocateXT is no longer a separate extension.

• Starting from Pro 3.5, LocateXT functionality is available directly in ArcGIS Pro with a Standard or Advanced license.

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⏳ Features Scheduled for Removal in Future Versions

If you’re using these, start planning migrations:

• IBM Db2 11.1 → Supported only until Pro 3.5 & Enterprise 11.5.

• PostgreSQL 13.x → Also supported only up to Pro 3.5 & Enterprise 11.5.

That means if your enterprise environment still uses these database versions, it’s time to plan an upgrade.

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🌍 Third-Party Deprecations

• Snowflake → Removing support for single-factor authentication with passwords. You’ll need to switch to modern authentication methods.

• Bing Maps → Retiring in 2028. ArcGIS Pro will move towards Azure Maps integration.

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🔗 Version Compatibility – ArcGIS Pro & ArcGIS Enterprise

Esri recommends pairing companion versions for best results:

ArcGIS Pro	ArcGIS Enterprise
3.5	11.5
3.4	11.4
3.3	11.3
3.2	11.2
3.1	11.1
3.0	11.0
2.9	10.9.1

Pro tip: Always try to stay within two companion versions for smoother workflows.

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💻 System Requirements – ArcGIS Pro 3.5

Before upgrading, make sure your system can handle it:

• OS: Windows 10/11 (64-bit), Windows Server 2016–2025

• CPU: Minimum 2 cores (recommended: 4, optimal: 10)

• RAM: Minimum 8 GB (recommended: 32 GB, optimal: 64 GB)

• GPU: Discrete GPU with 4–16 GB VRAM for best performance

• Storage: 32 GB free (SSD recommended)

• .NET: Microsoft .NET Desktop Runtime 8.0+

• WebView2 Runtime: Required for ArcGIS Pro UI components

For heavy 3D visualization and deep learning, NVIDIA CUDA-enabled GPUs are strongly recommended.

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🔐 Licensing Options

ArcGIS Pro 3.5 can be licensed in three ways:

1. Named User License (via ArcGIS Online or Enterprise)

2. Concurrent Use License (requires ArcGIS License Manager)

3. Single Use License (standalone, no extra software needed)

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☁️ Virtualization & Cloud Support

ArcGIS Pro 3.5 supports:

• Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops (2203 or newer)

• VMware vSphere 7.x and 8.x

• Microsoft Hyper-V (2019, 2022, 2025)

• Azure N-Series VMs and Amazon EC2 G4/G5 instances for GPU-powered workflows

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🎯 Final Thoughts – Should You Upgrade?

ArcGIS Pro 3.5 is a stable, forward-looking release. It clears out legacy components (like VBScript and Workflow Manager Classic), strengthens security, and sets the stage for future compatibility with modern databases and cloud systems.

If you’re running PostgreSQL 13.x or Db2 11.1, this release is your last call before forced upgrades. For general users, the performance improvements, bug fixes, and better integration make it a worthy step up.