How long have you been looking for a perfect way to visually capture and organize your thoughts and ideas on the board? With Miro mind map, you can apply the world-recognized graphic technique that goes far beyond simple note-taking to structure your content hierarchically.
Available on: browser version, Desktop app, Tablet app, Mobile app (limited functionality)
How to use Miro mind map
To get started on mind mapping, find Mind map among apps on the toolbar. For your convenience, you can drag the icon to your toolbar.
Mind map on the toolbar
Select mind map and click anywhere on the board to add the parent node - the starting point of your mind map. The plus signs on each side of it will prompt where you can start branches and create child nodes. You can create a vertical or a horizontal mind map.
Creating a parent node and starting a horizontal mind map
Use the following shortcuts to speed up the creation process:
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Return to create a sibling node and start editing it right away
- Shift + Return to break lines inside a node
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Tab to create a new child node
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Arrows to move between nodes
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Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V (on Windows)/ Cmd + C and Cmd + V (on Mac) to duplicate a node
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Escape to exit the editing mode
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Delete to delete the whole node
- Ctrl (on Windows)/Cmd (on Mac) (hold) to stop auto-reassign
All nodes are automatically aligned but you can select and drag the nodes to change their position on the canvas. Use align child modes to auto-arrange your mind map.
Changing the hierarchy
You can also choose the style for your mind map (the nodes can either use curved or straight lines) and change the orientation. And if you want your mind map to look colorful and bright, use Randomize tool.
Style of your mind map
Since the main component of every mind map is text, you can apply different text styling options in its shortened version. Please note that to preserve the visual consistency of the mind map, changing the text size in the parent node will affect the whole mind map.
Changing the font size of the mind map
To reassign a child node to another parent node, simply drag the node.
✏️ Hold down Ctrl (for Windows)/Cmd (for Mac) if you'd like to move the node instead of reassigning it.
Reassigning a node
Use nodes linking to show dependencies between ideas in your mind map when visualizing complex concepts.
Nodes linking
You can also change your mind map's size by selecting it and dragging the white dot.
Changing mind map's size
You can change individual nodes by using different options on the context menu: change the style and color, highlight text, and add an URL. Currently, it is not possible to change the font.
Changing a node
To add text to a node, double-click it.
✏️ Use Shift + Return to break lines inside a node.
Enter “-“ + space at the beginning of a line for a bulleted list. Enter “1.” at the beginning of a line for a numbered list.
To create a bullet list starting from the second (or third/fourth/etc.) line, create a new line with Cmd + Enter (for Mac) or Ctrl + Enter (for Windows).
Inserting additional text into a node
To delete a node, press Delete or click three dots on the context menu and choose Delete. The node will be deleted along with all the child nodes.
Deleting a node
⚠️ Mind map nodes can't be locked and grouped.
Expanding and collapsing mind maps
Build mind maps of any size without getting lost in the details. Expand and collapse branches to:
- get a better overview of your mind map
- focus on the right level of detail while working
- help users easily navigate your mind map
- present only certain levels of detail to your audience
How to collapse and expand branches
To collapse, hover over the branch and click the minus ( - ) button. Any comments attached to that branch will also be hidden.
After collapsing a branch, you’ll see a number that indicates how many nodes and comments are hidden. To expand the branch again, simply click the number.
Expanding and collapsing branches of a mind map
Mind map export
Feel free to export your mind map as an image or PDF file. Learn more about export functionality on this page. You can also download your Miro mind map as a structured CSV file with the help of the Mindmap downloader.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I move/reassign a node?
- Yes, simply drag the node. - Can I attach an image to a node?
- Though there is no option to attach an image to a node, we have it in the backlog. - Can I export the data from a mind map into intelligent CSV data?
- Yes, please use the Mindmap downloader. - Can I have several nodes connected to the same child node?
- As a workaround, you can use connection lines to link a child node to several parent nodes. - Can I copy my mind map to another Miro board?
- Yes, you can copy and paste it like any other content - select the parent node, click the three dots on the context menu, choose Copy, and paste the widget on another board. Ctrl + C/Ctrl + V (on Windows) or Cmd + C/Cmd + V (on Mac) will work as well. Please make sure that the board owner allows copying the board content. - How do I move the whole mind map around the board?
- Select the parent node and move it. - Can I change the text size of an individual child node?
- No, at the moment, you can only change the size of the parent node which will result in changing the size of the whole mind map. - Can I convert sticky notes, text blocks, cards, and other widgets into mind map nodes?
- No, it is not currently possible. You can copy the text from a sticky note/card/text block and paste it into a node. - How do I insert a node between two existing ones?
- Temporarily reassign one of the nodes to another one, create a new node, reassign the node back.
Inserting a node between existing ones
💡 If you haven't found the feature you've been looking for, feel free to share your idea in the Community Wish List.
✏️ If you experience issues using a mind map, try these troubleshooting tips.