Mind Map
Visualize concept relationships and see the big picture of your notes
Mind maps turn a note into a visual diagram of how its ideas connect. They suit visual learners and complex topics, because they show structure that can be hidden in linear text.
What is a Mind Map?
A mind map is a diagram that represents information as a tree:
- Central node: the main topic, in the middle
- Groups: the major subtopics branching from the centre
- Branches and leaves: the details under each group
- Connection lines: a line from each idea to the ideas beneath it
Every node is a short label, usually an emoji followed by a few words, so the whole map reads at a glance. AI builds the map from your note.
Accessing the Mind Map
Navigate to any note from the Notes tab.
Tap the Study Tools tab.
Select the Mind Map tile. The first time you open it for a note, Notesmakr shows "Generating mind map..." while it builds the map from your note, then saves it to your account. Next time, it opens the saved copy.
Understanding the Mind Map
Node Types
The AI organises your note into a central node, groups, branches and leaves. They all use the same square-cornered box with a bold outline. The text size shrinks a little with each level: the central node has the largest text, groups slightly smaller, and branches and leaves the smallest.
Colours and Lines
- Colours: Notesmakr colours the map for you. The centre uses your colour theme, each first-level branch gets its own hue, and deeper levels are lighter shades.
- Connection lines: every connection is the same curved line from a parent idea to one of its children.
You can change the colour theme for the whole map, or the colour of a single node. See Customising your map.
Interacting with the Mind Map
Navigation
Zoom:
- Pinch: zoom in and out
- Toolbar buttons: zoom out and zoom in, with the current zoom percentage between them
Pan:
- Drag the canvas to move around the map
Fit to Screen:
- The map fits the screen when it opens. If you have zoomed or panned away, tap Fit to Screen in the toolbar to see the whole map again.
The Toolbar
A floating toolbar sits at the bottom of the canvas. Drag its grip to move it out of the way, and tap the arrow at its end to collapse it. It contains:
- Add Node: adds a new child under the selected node
- Grid toggle: shows or hides the dot grid behind the map (on by default)
- Colour theme: picks the colour theme for the whole map
- Zoom out, zoom in and Fit to Screen
- Delete Selected Node: removes the selected node (in red)
Working with Nodes
- Tap a node to select it. Add Node and Delete act on the selected node. You cannot delete the central node.
- Double-tap a node to open Edit Node, where you can change its text and background colour.
- Collapse or expand a branch with the small circle at the edge of any node that has children.
- Very long labels are shortened with an ellipsis on the canvas.
Customising Your Map
Everything here is free and applies to the map you are viewing.
- Colour theme: tap the colour swatch in the toolbar to pick from 25 themes (grey plus 24 colours). The default is blue.
- Node colour: double-tap a node, then choose a Background Color swatch.
- Edit text: double-tap a node and change Node Text.
- Add and delete nodes: select a node, then use Add Node or Delete Selected Node.
- Grid: switch the dot grid on or off.
Saving
Tap the Save icon in the top bar to store your changes. If you leave after editing, Notesmakr asks whether to keep your unsaved changes. If you are offline, the map is saved on your device ("Saved Locally") and syncs when you are back online.
Regenerate
Open the More options menu (three dots) and choose Regenerate Mind Map to have AI build a new map. Notesmakr warns you first: "This will create a new mind map. Any manual changes will be lost." A regenerate uses 1 generation.
Export
From the More options menu:
- Export as Image: saves or shares the whole map as a PNG
- Export as PDF: opens a PDF preview you can save or share
Use these to print the map for revision or share it with a study partner.
Using Mind Maps for Study
Strategy 1: Big Picture First
Start with Fit to Screen so every node is visible.
Look at the nodes next to the centre. These are the main topics of your note.
See how each topic breaks down into smaller ideas.
Notice any labels you do not recognise. Those are the places to study next.
Zoom in on the branches you need to study more deeply, or collapse the ones you already know.
Strategy 2: Test Your Mental Model
Without looking, try to recreate it on paper.
Sketch the central topic, the main groups and as many branches as you can.
Open the mind map and check what you missed.
Use the Reading tab or Q&A to learn what you could not recall.
Repeat the exercise to build a stronger mental model.
Strategy 3: Connection Discovery
Choose two nodes on different branches.
Trace the lines back through the centre. How do they relate?
Try to say why they are linked in your own words. Ask Q&A if you are unsure.
This builds understanding beyond surface-level memorisation.
Combining Mind Maps with Other Tools
- Mind map, then flashcards: understand the structure first, then drill the details.
- Mind map and Q&A: if a connection is unclear, open Q&A and ask how two concepts relate.
- Mind map, then a quiz: wrong answers often point to a gap in your mental model. Go back to the map to fix it.
- Mind map and the Reading tab: use the map for structure and the Reading tab for detail.
Tips for Effective Mind Map Use
Mind map best practices:
- Start with the overview: get the big picture before the details
- Colour code personally: give nodes colours that mean something to you
- Print it out: export as PDF and annotate by hand
- Recreate from memory: the best test of understanding
- Use it to plan essays: the map hierarchy makes a ready-made structure
- Teach it: explain the map to someone else
- Combine with the text: the map shows structure, the Reading tab holds the details
What's Next?
Explore other study tools:
Or continue your study journey: