Mind map generator
Turn a topic into a mind map with AI, convert a pasted outline, or start from a blank page. Edit topics with the keyboard, drag branches, pick a layout and theme, then download PNG, SVG, PDF, JSON or Markdown. Maps save in your browser, with no sign-up.
- AI maps by Google Gemini, with a free fallback
- Outline to map without AI, in your browser
- 7 export formats, no watermark
AI maps use Google Gemini, or a free OpenRouter model if Gemini is busy. Check facts before you rely on them.
Current map
No map yet
- Created with—AI, text or blank
- Layout—4 layouts
- Theme—6 themes
- Saved—In this browser
Mind map editor
Drag to move around. Ctrl + scroll or pinch to zoom.
Use your own API key
Your key goes from this browser straight to Google or OpenRouter and is never sent to our server. Gemini is tried first, then OpenRouter. Without Remember, the keys are kept only in this tab. Use a key with a spending limit.
0 topics
AI can be wrong or out of date, so check facts before you rely on them. Maps are saved only in this browser. AI fair use per visitor IP: 15 maps per hour and 40 per day; the same request within 7 days comes from cache.
What a mind map is
A diagram that starts from one idea and branches out, so you see the whole topic and how its parts connect.
Central topic
The main idea in the middle. Everything else in the map belongs to it.
Main branches
The big themes of the topic. Three to eight usually keep a map readable.
Subtopics
Details under each branch. Short labels of a few words work better than sentences; put longer text in a note.
Outline
The same structure written as an indented list. This tool turns outlines into maps and maps back into outlines.
Keyboard shortcuts
Click the map first, or press Tab until it is focused.
| Keys | What they do |
|---|---|
| Tab | Add a subtopic to the selected topic |
| Enter | Add a topic next to the selected one (finish editing when you are typing) |
| F2 or double-click | Edit the selected topic |
| Delete or Backspace | Delete the selected topic and its branch |
| Arrow keys | Move between topics |
| Space | Collapse or expand the selected branch |
| Alt + Up or Down | Move the topic up or down among its siblings |
| Ctrl + Z, Ctrl + Y | Undo and redo (Cmd on a Mac) |
| Ctrl + D | Duplicate the selected branch |
| Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V | Copy a branch and paste it under the selected topic |
| Ctrl + scroll, or pinch | Zoom; drag the background to move around |
| 0 (zero) | Fit the whole map on screen |
How to make a mind map
Four steps from an idea to a finished image or PDF.
Start a map
Enter a topic for an AI map, paste an outline, or start a blank map.
Edit and arrange
Select a topic, then press Tab for a subtopic or Enter for a sibling. Drag a topic onto another to move it.
Style it
Pick a layout, theme, line style, spacing and text size. Colour a branch in the side panel.
Save and export
Maps save in your browser as you work. Download PNG, JPG, SVG, PDF, JSON, Markdown or text.
How to get a free API key for AI maps
You only need one if our AI is unavailable, your limit is used up, or you want to use your own quota. Paste it under Use your own API key in the editor.
Gemini API key
From Google AI Studio. Free tier available.
- Open the API keys page in Google AI Studio and sign in with a Google account.
- Select Create API key. Pick an existing Google Cloud project, or let AI Studio create one.
- Copy the key and paste it into Gemini API key in the editor above.
- Optional: restrict the key to the Gemini API, and add billing only if you need higher limits.
On the free tier, Google may use what you send to improve its products, and people may review it. Google allows only paid services for users in the EEA, Switzerland and the UK, and you must be 18 or older.
Open Google AI StudioOpenRouter API key
One key for many models, including free ones.
- Create an account at OpenRouter.
- Open Settings, then API Keys, and select Create.
- Set a credit limit for the key, so a leaked key cannot spend your balance.
- Copy the key (it usually starts with sk-or-) and paste it into OpenRouter API key in the editor above.
Free models allow 20 requests a minute and 50 a day, or 1,000 a day once you have bought at least 10 credits. Each provider has its own data policy; in OpenRouter's privacy settings you can avoid providers that train on prompts, which may leave fewer free models.
Open OpenRouter keysWhat this tool does, and what it doesn't
A plain list, so you know exactly what to expect.
This tool does
- Build a map from a topic with AI
- Turn outlines and Markdown into maps
- Expand one branch with AI
- Save several maps in your browser
- Export PNG, JPG, SVG, PDF, JSON, Markdown and text
- Work with the keyboard and on touch screens
This tool does not
- Need an account or sign-up
- Sync maps between devices
- Let others edit the same map live
- Upload maps you draw by hand
- Guarantee that AI facts are correct
- Add a watermark to exports
Where your data goes
Maps you draw, edit or convert from an outline stay in your browser. When you use AI, the topic, settings or pasted text go to our server and then to Google Gemini or OpenRouter, and the result is cached for 7 days. With your own key, the request goes from your browser straight to Google or OpenRouter. Fair-use counters use a hashed IP address. See our privacy policy.
When things look unexpected
The six situations people run into most, and what to do.
The AI map did not appear
Our AI may be busy or your hourly limit may be used up. Wait a minute, or add your own free key under Use your own API key.
The AI got a fact wrong
AI writes plausible outlines but can be wrong or out of date. Edit the topic, and check facts against a reliable source.
My pasted text became one long branch
The converter reads indentation, bullets, numbers and # headings. Plain paragraphs without structure need Summarise with AI.
My saved maps are gone
Maps live in this browser only. Private windows, clearing site data or another device start empty. Keep JSON backups.
The PNG looks blurry or is cut
Choose 2x or 4x in Export. Very large maps are limited by the browser's maximum image size, so SVG or PDF may be better.
Some topics are missing from the export
Collapsed branches are exported collapsed. Use Expand all before you export.
Questions about the mind map generator
Is the mind map generator free?
Yes. Drawing, editing, saving in your browser and every export are free with no sign-up. AI maps are free within a fair-use limit per visitor. If our AI is busy or your limit is used up, you can add your own free Gemini or OpenRouter key.
How does the AI mind map work?
You enter a topic, choose the kind of map, the number of main branches and the depth. Our server asks Google Gemini, or a free model through OpenRouter if Gemini is unavailable, for a structured outline and draws it as a mind map. You can also expand any branch with AI or turn pasted text into a map. AI can be wrong, so check facts before you rely on them.
Can I make a mind map without AI?
Yes. Start a blank map and add topics with Tab and Enter, or paste an outline. The text converter understands indented lines, bullets, numbered lists and Markdown headings, and it works entirely in your browser.
Where are my mind maps saved?
In this browser on this device, using local storage. They are not uploaded to our server and are not in an account, so clearing site data or using a private window removes them. Download a JSON backup to keep a map or move it to another device.
Which export formats are there?
PNG at 1x, 2x or 4x size (optionally with a transparent background), JPG, SVG, JSON that you can import again, Markdown, a plain text outline, and print or save as PDF from your browser's print dialog. Exports include collapsed branches only if you expand them first.
Is my API key safe if I use my own?
Your key is sent from your browser straight to Google or OpenRouter and never to our server. It is kept only in this tab unless you tick Remember on this device. Use a key with a spending limit, and remove it with Forget keys on a shared computer.
What happens to the topics and text I send to the AI?
The topic, settings or pasted text go to our server and then to Google Gemini or OpenRouter to build the map. The result is cached for 7 days so the same request is answered faster. Fair-use counters use a hashed IP address. Do not paste private or confidential text. See our privacy policy.