---
description: "Learn more about: Warning C26481 NO_POINTER_ARITHMETIC"
title: Warning C26481
ms.date: 04/29/2020
f1_keywords: ["C26481", "NO_POINTER_ARITHMETIC"]
helpviewer_keywords: ["C26481"]
ms.assetid: 4fd8694d-b45b-4163-b2d5-88c4889d00ed
---
# Warning C26481

> Don't use pointer arithmetic. Use span instead (bounds.1).

## Remarks

This check supports the [C++ Core Guidelines](https://github.com/isocpp/CppCoreGuidelines/blob/master/CppCoreGuidelines.md) rule [I.13](https://github.com/isocpp/CppCoreGuidelines/blob/master/CppCoreGuidelines.md#Ri-array): *Do not pass an array as a single pointer*. Whenever raw pointers are used in arithmetic operations they should be replaced with safer kinds of buffers, such as `span<T>` or `vector<T>`.

This check is more restrictive than I.13: it doesn't skip `zstring` or `czstring` types.

C26481 and [C26485](c26485.md) come from the [Bounds Safety Profile](https://github.com/isocpp/CppCoreGuidelines/blob/master/CppCoreGuidelines.md#SS-bounds) rules. These rules were implemented in the first release of the C++ Core Guidelines Checker. They're applicable to the raw pointers category since they help to avoid unsafe use of raw pointers.

## Example

This sample results in a warning for pointer arithmetic.

```cpp
// c26481_bad.cpp
// compile using:
// set Esp.Extensions=CppCoreCheck.dll
// cl /W3 /EHsc /permissive- /analyze /analyze:plugin EspXEngine.dll /analyze:ruleset "%VSINSTALLDIR%\Team Tools\Static Analysis Tools\Rule Sets\CppCoreCheckBoundsRules.ruleset" c26481_bad.cpp

int main() noexcept
{
    int * from_array = new int(10);
    int * later_array = from_array + 1;
    delete[](from_array);
}
```