Draw.io diagrams by Miro

People: All users
Plans: Free, Starter, Business, Education, and Enterprise plans
Platforms: Browser, Desktop

With the Miro-built Draw.io app, you can create and collaborate on various types of diagrams, uniting cross-functional teams, projects, and technical documents in a single workspace. This tool is ideal for crafting technical diagrams such as UML and ERD, designing server racks, and visualizing network and cloud architectures.

Key capabilities of Draw.io Diagrams

You can streamline your diagramming process with a range of advanced features available in the Draw.io Diagrams app. These capabilities allow for enhanced customization, efficiency, and integration with your existing workflows.

• Access over 50 shape packs including ArchiMate's enterprise architecture, electrical circuits, and floor plans, and search for shapes in open-source icon libraries.
• Import diagrams from draw.io, Visio, and Lucidchart.
• Enjoy advanced features like layers, tags, smart containers, auto-layout, and shape metadata.
• Format text with HTML and use mathematics typesetting in labels.
• Generate diagrams text using PlantUML, Mermaid code, CSV spreadsheet data and formatting information, or SQL code.
• Generate diagrams from text descriptions using draw.io smart templates.

✏️ Enterprise Admins can add the Draw.io Diagrams app to their approved app list from their app settings.

Get started with Draw.io Diagrams

This section guides you through accessing and initially setting up the Draw.io Diagrams app on your Miro board, ensuring it's readily available for your diagramming tasks.

Launch the Draw.io Diagrams app

To begin using Draw.io Diagrams, you first need to launch it from your Miro board's toolbar. Follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the creation toolbar on the left side of your board.
2. Click the Tools, Media and Integrations (+) icon and search for Draw.io Diagrams.
3. Launch the Draw.io Diagrams app.

Launching the Draw.io Diagrams app from the creation toolbar

Pin Draw.io Diagrams to the toolbar

For easier access in the future, you can pin the Draw.io Diagrams app directly to your creation toolbar. Here's how:

1. After searching for the app in the toolbar, hover over the Draw.io Diagrams app in the search results.
2. Click the Pin to toolbar icon.

Pinning the Draw.io Diagrams app to the toolbar

Create diagrams with Draw.io

The Draw.io Diagrams app offers flexibility in starting your diagramming work, allowing you to begin with a blank canvas or utilize pre-designed templates. You can also incorporate your existing diagrams from various sources.

💡 You can add your existing draw.io diagrams to a Miro board. Learn how to import Draw.io diagrams.

Create a new diagram

To start a diagram from scratch, follow these steps. This method provides a blank canvas for your custom designs.

✏️ Use Draw.io's rulers, customizable grid, and positioning guidelines to help you diagram faster.

1. Launch the Draw.io Diagrams app.
2. You'll be presented with a blank canvas to start your diagram. You can also drag and drop draw.io files onto the draw.io canvas.
3. On the left sidebar, you'll see various shape categories.
4. Click and drag shapes (e.g. a rectangle or oval) from the sidebar onto the canvas.
5. Continue adding shapes and connectors as needed to complete your diagram. You can also add other elements like text boxes, images, and more from the left sidebar.
6. Once done, click Save and close in the top-right corner of the Draw.io Diagrams app.

Creating a new diagram using the Draw.io Diagrams app

Choose a template

If you prefer to start with a pre-designed structure, you can choose from available templates. Here's how:

1. Launch the Draw.io Diagrams app.
2. In the top toolbar, click the Insert icon (+).
3. Click Template.
4. Select a template.
5. Edit the template as needed.
6. Once done, click Save and close in the top-right corner.

Choosing a template from the Draw.io Diagrams app

Modify your diagrams

Once your diagram is on the canvas within the Draw.io Diagrams app, you can modify its components in several ways to refine its structure and appearance.

Connect shapes

Connecting shapes is a fundamental part of creating diagrams. Follow these instructions to create and customize connectors:

1. Hover over a shape. Small connection points will appear.
2. Click and drag from one of these connection points to another shape to create a connector line.
3. Click on a connector line to customize it. In the right-side panel, you can change the connector's style (straight, curved, etc.), add arrowheads or other endpoints, and adjust the line's color and thickness.

Connecting shapes in the Draw.io Diagrams app

Add labels to shapes and connectors

To add textual information to your diagram elements, you can label shapes and connectors. Here's how:

1. Double click on the shape or connector and start typing.
2. Format the label from the text menu on the right side of the canvas. You can change the font styling, color, direction, and height.

Adding labels to shapes in the Draw.io Diagrams app

Move, resize, and delete objects

You can easily manipulate objects on your canvas. These steps explain how to move, resize, or delete them:

1. To move a shape or connector, click and drag it to the desired location.
2. To resize a shape, click on it and drag any of the small blue circles.
3. To delete an object, select it and press the Delete key on your keyboard or click the Delete icon in the top toolbar.

Moving, resizing and deleting an object in the Draw.io Diagrams app

Edit shape metadata

You can add important details to your shapes as metadata to make them more informative. Follow these steps:

1. Launch the Draw.io Diagrams app.
2. Select a shape in your diagram.
3. Right-click the shape and select Edit Data.
4. A dialog will open with the shape metadata. Property names are on the left, and their values on the right.
5. Add key-value pairs for the information you wish to associate with the shape.
6. Click Apply to save the metadata to your shape.
7. Hover over the shape to view its metadata.

Editing shape metadata

Add layers to your diagram

Layers help elevate the organization and clarity of your diagrams, allowing you to separate different parts for focused editing or viewing. This is particularly useful for complex projects.

1. Open your diagram in the Draw.io Diagrams app.
2. Click View, and select Layers to display the Layers dialog.
3. To add a new layer, click the plus (+) icon at the bottom of the Layers dialog.
4. To edit the layer name, double click on the layer, edit the text, and click Rename.
5. Select the layer to make it active for adding or editing elements.
6. To hide or show a layer, click the eye icon next to the layer name.
7. Click Save and close when you're done editing your diagram.

Adding layers in the Draw.io Diagrams app

Manage shapes and shape libraries

Draw.io Diagrams provides extensive options for using various shape libraries and managing custom shapes to suit your specific diagramming needs.

Utilize a wide range of Draw.io shape packs

You can broaden your diagramming possibilities by accessing Draw.io's extensive selection of shape packs. Here's how to add them:

1. Launch the Draw.io Diagrams app.
2. Click More Shapes at the bottom of the Shapes panel on the left side.
3. Explore the categories and check the boxes next to the shape packs you wish to add.
4. Click Apply to add the selected shape packs to your Shapes panel.

Selecting a draw.io shape pack

Add custom shapes with the scratchpad

To tailor your diagramming experience further, you can create and integrate personalized shape libraries using the scratchpad. Follow these steps:

1. Launch the Draw.io Diagrams app.
2. Navigate to View.
3. Select Scratchpad.
4. The scratchpad will open in the left-hand panel.
5. Add custom shapes by dragging and dropping the files over the scratchpad.

Adding custom shapes with the scratchpad

Edit custom shapes in the scratchpad

Once custom shapes are in your scratchpad, you can modify them. Here's how:

1. On the canvas, click on a shape.
2. Click and drag the blue dots to resize the shape.
3. Use the right-side panel to further customize the shape, including the shape color, text, and size.
4. When you're done, click on the shape, and then click the plus icon in the scratchpad.
5. The shape will be added to your custom shapes.

Modifying custom shapes with scratchpad

Delete and rename custom shapes in the scratchpad

You can manage your custom shapes by deleting or renaming them within the scratchpad. Follow these instructions:

1. Within the scratchpad, click the pencil icon.
2. To delete a shape from the scratchpad, click the x in the top-right corner of the shape.
3. Click on the text field underneath a shape to enter a name. By default, shapes added to the scratchpad are untitled.
4. Click Save when you are done editing.

Deleting and renaming custom shapes with scratchpad

Export custom shapes as a shape library

To use your custom shapes elsewhere or share them, you can export them as a library. Here's the process:

1. Within the scratchpad, click the pencil icon.
2. Click Export to save your custom shapes as a library.
3. Enter a filename for your custom shape library and select the location where you want to save the file.
4. Click Save.

Exporting custom shapes as a library

Work with Visio diagrams

Draw.io Diagrams allows for seamless transition between diagramming tools, ensuring you can work with your Visio diagrams across different platforms without losing detail. Here's how to import and export them:

1. Launch the Draw.io Diagrams app.
2. To import, click File in the top-left corner, hover over Import From, and select Device. You can also upload your Visio (VSDX) file using one of the cloud services in the menu.
3. Choose the Visio (VSDX) file from your device and click Open to import.
4. To export, after completing your diagram, click File, hover over Export as, and select Visio (VSDX).
5. Follow the prompts to complete the export process.

Importing and exporting diagrams in the Draw.io Diagrams app

Save, edit, and export Draw.io diagrams

This section covers the essential final steps in your diagramming workflow: saving your work to the Miro board, making subsequent edits, and exporting your diagrams in various formats.

Save your Draw.io diagram

After making changes within the Draw.io Diagrams app, you need to save your work to the Miro board. Follow these steps:

1. When you've finished making changes to your diagram, always remember to click Save and close in the top-right corner of the Draw.io Diagrams app.
2. The Draw.io Diagrams app will close, and your diagram will automatically appear on your Miro board.

Saving a diagram from the Draw.io Diagrams app

Edit your Draw.io diagram

If you need to make further changes to a diagram already on your Miro board, here's how to edit it:

1. On your Miro board, select the diagram you want to edit.
2. A toolbar will appear.
3. In the toolbar, click the Edit pencil icon.
4. The Draw.io Diagrams app will open and you can make changes to the diagram.

Editing a diagram in the Draw.io Diagrams app

Export your Draw.io diagram

You can export your diagram in several formats including PNG, JPEG, and PDF directly from the app. Follow these instructions:

1. Click File in the top-left corner of the Draw.io Diagrams app.
2. Hover over Export as.
3. Choose your desired format and follow the prompts.
4. Click Export.

Exporting a diagram from the Draw.io Diagrams app

Reference information

This section provides additional details, including specific use cases and frequently asked questions for Draw.io Diagrams, to help you make the most of this tool.

When to use Draw.io Diagrams

Draw.io Diagrams is particularly useful when your projects have more specialized diagramming requirements. Consider using it in the following scenarios:

• Niche shape libraries: Access niche shapes, whether for intricate electrical engineering diagrams or the specific layout of floor plans.
• Customization: Create your own shape packs with Visio (VSSX files) or directly within draw.io to tailor your diagrams exactly to your needs.
• Seamless integration: Draw.io ensures smooth compatibility with major diagramming tools like Visio, Lucidchart, and more. Share and collaborate effortlessly, using Visio (VSDX) as the universal format.
• Preserve important details: Retain crucial layer and shape metadata (the text within your diagrams) to keep rich information intact when migrating from Visio, draw.io, or Lucidchart.

✏️ This Third Party Platform app utilizes open source Draw.io code from the Github repository, and is hosted securely by Miro; no data is shared with third parties. Draw.io is closed to contributions. Therefore this Third Party Platform app is provided "as-is" with all bugs and errors, and is offered without any warranty, indemnity, security commitments, or support of any kind from Miro or Draw.io.

Frequently asked questions

Here are answers to some common questions about using the Draw.io Diagrams app in Miro.