- Mind Maps
Free online mind maps
Create a mind map online
You and your team can visually comb through your brilliant ideas using intuitive features that make mind mapping fun and collaborative. Choose a mind map template from Canva’s mind map maker, customize the labels, and work with your team in adding branches of information to build new concepts. Create a mind map with our online whiteboard tools and elements for free.
Infinite space made for unlimited ideas
Professionally designed templates to fast-track your workflow
Share and ideate with anyone, anytime, on any device
Run a workshop with whiteboard elements, sticker notes, and a timer
Embed your mind map in Docs, presentations, and more easily
Easy online whiteboard tools and data visualization
How to make a mind map
What is a mind map?
A mind map shows the different ideas associated with a particular concept. It is a useful tool for brainstorming. The concept is usually shown in the middle as a central idea that branches off in different directions. So, what is mind mapping? It’s simply the process of creating mind maps. Mind mapping involves brainstorming to document the relationships of information based on a single concept, then placing those ideas onto the mind map itself.
Why use mind maps?
Ever feel like you have too many thoughts floating around in your head? Then mapping them out could be just what you need. Mind maps help you to brainstorm, take notes, or work through complex problems. Bring your ideas to life by creating a visual organization of your thoughts so you can remember information, identify correlations, and see the bigger picture.
Mind mapping is perfect for any field. In school, it proves to be a helpful learning technique to retain an influx of information. It enables students and teachers to sort notes and summaries and design courses. At work, mind maps are essential for note-taking, project planning, or ideation of new products, services, and processes. Simply put, mind maps help individuals and teams who want to sort their thoughts and bring more clarity into their day-to-day activities.
Map your ideas well
Mind maps can leap from topic to topic, so keep your thoughts and ideas organized. Canva’s free online mind map maker lets you quickly edit and customize professional mind map examples. Just choose the perfect template for you and start mind mapping for free to your next “Aha!” moment. Enjoy online whiteboard tools like custom sticky notes, shapes, and arrows to establish and connect interrelated ideas and highlight standout insights.
Find elements on top of your mind
Bring more clarity on a concept with a dash of creativity. Adding visual cues like images, icons, illustrations, or videos can provide a visual context on a topic and inspire you and your team to generate fresher insights. Explore our amazing media library of design elements to include on your mind map. When it comes to mind, search it and find photos or graphics to support an idea. Then, assign a color to its sticky note and related branches. Text to Image even helps you transform your ideas into images, no matter how unique the prompt or reference is.
Collaborate with your team
Canva Whiteboards bring more features to maximize how you work with more brilliant minds. Brainstorm with your team smoothly anywhere in the world by inviting them to collaborate on your mind map. It’s as easy as sharing a link to their email or socials. Your team can access your mind map design, apply changes, leave comments, and pitch in more ideas and subtopics. Run a workshop any time from your desktop or mobile device and manage each session with our built-in timer. So whether you're organizing your team minutes or curating ideas for a group presentation, real-time collaboration is at work!
Do and share more with mind maps
Don’t limit your thinking to the size of the canvas. Our free mind map software sits on our online whiteboard(opens in a new tab or window) so you and your team can expand it to explore more exciting concepts and arrive at a million-dollar idea. It doesn’t stop with your mind map design. When you’re all done, you can download your mind map as a JPG, PNG, or PDF file, share it on social media, or email it directly to someone. Embed it on websites, reports, or Canva Docs. You can also present your ideas in a deck. The options are endless and always one click away.
Start inspired with mind map templates
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Frequently Asked Questions
- A mind map is a type of graphic organizer. One places a central idea in the middle and branches out into pieces of related information or thoughts in words, phrases, or visual elements like images or drawings. Explore our free mind map maker to generate ideas and concepts using ready-made templates you can customize with shapes, photos, fonts, and colors from our library.
- Mind maps serve many uses in different settings. You can create it for personal development when you set your goals, break down your thoughts, or plan your future trips and activities. Professionals in different industries include mind maps in idea generation, brainstorming on a concept, and team collaborations. Mind mapping is, at its core, visually organizing and understanding ideas, so it makes sense for it to be a go-to technique for people at home, school, or business.
- Yes, they help students improve retention and comprehension of a subject or topic. Mind mapping can be a good way to organize your notes in class and structure a lesson you’re reviewing. Creating a mind map also boosts a learner's ability to sort through and process different concepts while understanding the correlation of concepts and information as they branch out.
- Both mind maps and outlines sift through ideas and organize thoughts but are very distinct in how they are presented. Mind mapping involves visual elements such as shapes, arrows, colors, and media like drawings, images, or videos. An outline, however, banks on a linear flow of lists or paragraphs of information.
- Yes. We designed our mind map software to make teamwork easier. You can add your whole team and control who can edit your design. You can also add comments—no more back and forth over email! Access free and premium mind map templates then customize them with images from your gallery or our extensive stock library of photos, graphics, and illustrations.