MerMindMapDirections
Everything you need to start mapping in a few minutes.
1. Create your account
Go to Sign up and enter your name, email and a password, or choose “Continue with Google” if it’s offered. Forgot your password later? Use “Forgot password?” on the sign-in page and we’ll email you a reset link.
2. Start a mind map
- On My mind maps, click New mind map to begin with a central topic.
- Already have a map? Click Import and pick a Mermaid .mmd file, a Freeplane or FreeMind .mm file, or a Markdown bullet list (.md). It becomes a new map in your account.
- Click the pencil next to a map (or its name in the editor toolbar) to rename it.
3. Add your ideas
Click the central topic to select it, then press Tab to add a child and type its name. Press Enter to add the next idea at the same level. Keep going: Tab goes deeper, Enter goes alongside. Topics are coloured by depth so the structure is easy to read.
You can also use the Child, Sibling and Delete buttons in the toolbar.
Have a bullet list somewhere else? Select a topic and paste the list (Ctrl + V). Each bullet becomes a topic, and indented bullets become children.
Shapes, icons and highlights
Select a topic and click Format in the toolbar. You can choose a shape (square, rounded, circle, hexagon, cloud or bang), add an icon, or mark the topic with a highlight: urgent, important, idea, done or question. All of these are saved in standard Mermaid syntax.
The same panel holds settings for the whole map: colour topics by depth or by branch, and lay the map out to the right only or on both sides of the central topic.
Keyboard shortcuts
| Key | What it does |
|---|---|
| Tab | Add a child topic to the selected topic |
| Enter | Add a sibling topic below the selected topic |
| F2 or double-click | Rename the selected topic |
| Enter / Esc (while typing) | Finish / cancel renaming |
| Shift + Enter (while typing) | Start a new line inside the topic |
| Ctrl + B / Ctrl + I (while typing) | Make the selected words bold / italic |
| Delete or Backspace | Delete the selected topic (or the selected connector) |
| Arrow keys | Move the selection around the map |
| Space | Collapse or expand the selected branch |
| Ctrl + Z | Undo |
| Ctrl + Y or Ctrl + Shift + Z | Redo |
On a Mac, use ⌘ Cmd instead of Ctrl.
Mouse controls
| Action | What it does |
|---|---|
| Click a topic | Select it |
| Drag empty space | Pan around the map (right-drag works too) |
| Mouse wheel | Zoom in and out |
| Drag a topic onto another topic | Move that branch under the new parent |
| Drag a topic onto empty space | Nudge its position by hand |
| Shift + drag from one topic to another | Draw a dotted connector between them |
| Click a connector, then press Delete | Remove the connector |
4. Saving your work
- Maps save to your account automatically. Watch for Saved to account in the toolbar.
- Save .mmd downloads a copy of the map to your computer.
- Drive lets you connect Google Drive, save the map there, or pick a map from your Drive to open.
- Made a mistake? Undo and Redo are in the toolbar.
5. Working with the Mermaid code
Click Code to open the text pane. It shows your map in Mermaid mindmap format. Indentation sets the level of each topic. Edit the text and the map updates, or edit the map and the text updates. Copy the code into GitHub, Notion, Obsidian or any Mermaid-friendly tool to show your map there.
Click Preview to see exactly how Mermaid itself draws your map. Hand-placed positions and dotted connectors are MerMindMap extras. Other Mermaid tools ignore them, and the preview warns you when your map uses them.
6. Export and share
- Export saves a picture of your map as a PNG image or a scalable SVG file.
- Share lets you choose Private or Public, read-only. A public map gets a link anyone can open without an account. They can view it but never edit it; only you can. Choose Private to switch the link off again. Public maps show a Public · read-only badge on My mind maps.
Tips
- Use My maps in the toolbar to get back to your list at any time.
- Switch between light and dark themes with the sun/moon button.
- Change your password from the Password button on My mind maps.
Still stuck? Email [email protected] and we’ll help. Want the bigger picture? Read About MerMindMap.