Basemap resolution is terrible when exporting

[AvaFarouche]

Hello!

I'm using ArcMap 10.8.1, and I use the World Terrain Basemap w/ Reference layer a lot.  Recently, when exporting maps, the basemap reference layers and labels are either illegible or hopelessly blurry.  I've been using these for years without any problems. I've played around with all of the settings in the Export wizard. I've experimented with dpis from 600 to 4000. I've got the Output Image Quality at "Best."  I turned off Image Compression and de-selected Compress Vector Graphics. Nothing is helping.   This happens when exporting to pdf, jpeg, or png.  It looks totally fine in my software, but when I export to a pdf or image, it looks totally unacceptable. I've had my IT dept look into it to see if it's something w/my system and they can't find anything.

Any ideas? Thank you in advance!!

I am so spoiled w/basemap labels now, I do NOT want to go back and take the time to create all of my own basemaps again, but it's not the end of the world if I have to.

[David_Brooks]

@AvaFarouche have you tried reducing the dpi to 200? I know that you can't export most basemap services over a dpi between 200 and 300 because the dpi exceeds the 96dpi limit of basemap cache tiles.

Also, there's no point in increasing the jpeg compression beyond 75. All that does is bloat the output with no increase in quality. 70 would also be acceptable

[AvaFarouche]

Hmm thanks for the ideas! I tried decreasing dpi to 200-300, and then the rest of the map quality looks awful as well. The Reference layer does look a little better, but the rest of it looks bad enough that it's not worth it.

I tried removing image compression, as well as increasing it to max quality for jpeg and nothing seemed to make any noticeable difference - but I don't usually use jpeg anyway. I've tried every combination of settings I can think of in exporting, and there's no acceptable result.

[David_Brooks]

@AvaFarouche that's interesting. What size of Layout are you exporting to? That's made me think, are you exporting a Layout at all? Are you just exporting direct from the map? if so you will be limited by what the web service can deliver at the scale you are zoomed into in your map window, which is 96dpi. Can you share the output here?