Free Mind Map Generator Online - Mind Mapping Tool - Small Study Tools
Central Topic · Branching Ideas · Works on Mobile

Mind Map Generator

Build a visual mind map starting from a central topic and branching outward into ideas, sub-ideas and details. Every node is fully draggable on both desktop and mobile. Pro Mode adds custom colours, icons, themes, more levels and SVG/PDF export.

100% Private — saved only in your browser, never sent to a server
Pro Version is Free for now
✓ Custom colours · Icons · Themes ·
More branch levels · Auto-arrange · SVG/PDF export unlocked
Day Night
Colour:
Pick an icon for the selected branch PRO
🧠 Central Topic:
🌿 Branches: 0
📊 Max Depth: 0
Tap the central topic to rename it, then select it and tap "Add Branch"
100%
Export your mind map
📖 Quick Reference
0Central Topic the single idea everything branches from.
1Main Branches the big themes coming off the centre.
2Sub-Ideas details and examples under each branch.
+Select any branch, then tap the green + to add a child.
🎨 Colour Themes PRO
💡 Mind Mapping Tips PRO
`; const blob = new Blob([html],{type:'text/html'}); const a=document.createElement('a'); a.download='smallstudytools-mindmap-print.html'; a.href=URL.createObjectURL(blob); a.click(); toast('Print-ready file downloaded — open it to save as PDF'); }function downloadOutlineTXT() { if (!nodes.length) { toast('Add some branches first'); return; } function buildOutline(parentId, indent) { const children = nodes.filter(n=>n.parentId===parentId); let lines = []; children.forEach(c => { lines.push(' '.repeat(indent) + '- ' + c.label); lines = lines.concat(buildOutline(c.id, indent+1)); }); return lines; } const central = nodes.find(n=>n.id===0); const lines = ['=== MIND MAP OUTLINE — SmallStudyTools.com ===','', central.label, ...buildOutline(0,1), '', 'Generated by SmallStudyTools.com']; const blob = new Blob([lines.join('\n')],{type:'text/plain'}); const a=document.createElement('a'); a.download='smallstudytools-mindmap-outline.txt'; a.href=URL.createObjectURL(blob); a.click(); toast('Downloaded outline as TXT!'); }// ── MODE ────────────────────────────────────────────────────── function setMode(mode) { isPro = mode==='pro'; document.getElementById('btnSimple').classList.toggle('active',!isPro); document.getElementById('btnPro').classList.toggle('active',isPro); widget().classList.toggle('pro-mode',isPro); document.getElementById('proModeBar').style.display=isPro?'flex':'none'; document.getElementById('modeHint').textContent=isPro ?'Custom colours, icons, themes, auto-arrange and up to 4 branch levels' :'Click a node and use the green + button to add a branch'; render(); try{localStorage.setItem(SK+'_mode',mode);}catch(e){} }function toast(msg){const t=document.getElementById('toast');t.textContent=msg;t.classList.add('show');setTimeout(()=>t.classList.remove('show'),2400);} function save(){try{localStorage.setItem(SK,JSON.stringify({nodes,nextId}));}catch(e){}}// ── SAMPLE DATA ─────────────────────────────────────────────── function loadSampleData() { nodes = [ {id:0, parentId:null, x:1000, y:340, w:200, h:70, level:0, label:'Exam Revision Plan', color:'#000000', icon:''},{id:1, parentId:0, x:760, y:160, w:150, h:54, level:1, label:'Subjects', color:'#4f46e5', icon:'📚'}, {id:2, parentId:0, x:1230, y:160, w:150, h:54, level:1, label:'Study Methods', color:'#10b981', icon:'💡'}, {id:3, parentId:0, x:760, y:560, w:150, h:54, level:1, label:'Schedule', color:'#f59e0b', icon:'⏰'}, {id:4, parentId:0, x:1230, y:560, w:150, h:54, level:1, label:'Wellbeing', color:'#7c3aed', icon:'❤️'},{id:5, parentId:1, x:540, y:80, w:130, h:46, level:2, label:'Mathematics', color:'#4f46e5', icon:''}, {id:6, parentId:1, x:540, y:200, w:130, h:46, level:2, label:'Biology', color:'#4f46e5', icon:''}, {id:7, parentId:1, x:540, y:320, w:130, h:46, level:2, label:'History', color:'#4f46e5', icon:''},{id:8, parentId:2, x:1480, y:80, w:140, h:46, level:2, label:'Active Recall', color:'#10b981', icon:''}, {id:9, parentId:2, x:1480, y:200, w:140, h:46, level:2, label:'Spaced Repetition', color:'#10b981', icon:''}, {id:10, parentId:2, x:1480, y:320, w:140, h:46, level:2, label:'Past Papers', color:'#10b981', icon:''},{id:11, parentId:3, x:540, y:480, w:140, h:46, level:2, label:'Daily Timetable', color:'#f59e0b', icon:''}, {id:12, parentId:3, x:540, y:600, w:140, h:46, level:2, label:'Deadline Tracker', color:'#f59e0b', icon:''},{id:13, parentId:4, x:1480, y:480, w:130, h:46, level:2, label:'Sleep', color:'#7c3aed', icon:''}, {id:14, parentId:4, x:1480, y:600, w:130, h:46, level:2, label:'Breaks', color:'#7c3aed', icon:''}, ]; nextId = 15; selectedNodeId = 0; render(); save(); scrollToCentral(); toast('Sample mind map loaded!'); }// ── INIT ────────────────────────────────────────────────────── function scrollToCentral() { const central = nodes.find(n=>n.id===0); if (!central) return; const canvas = document.getElementById('canvasArea'); const targetLeft = Math.max(0, (central.x + central.w/2) - canvas.clientWidth/2); const targetTop = Math.max(0, (central.y + central.h/2) - canvas.clientHeight/2); canvas.scrollLeft = targetLeft; canvas.scrollTop = targetTop; }try{ const saved=JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem(SK)||'{}'); if(saved.nodes && saved.nodes.length){ nodes=saved.nodes; nextId=saved.nextId||1; } else initCentralNode(); const savedMode=localStorage.getItem(SK+'_mode'); if(savedMode==='pro') setMode('pro'); else render(); scrollToCentral(); }catch(e){ initCentralNode(); render(); scrollToCentral(); }

How to Use the Mind Map Generator

From a single central topic to a full branching map. Every node drags the same way on desktop and mobile.

1
Name the Topic
Tap the central bubble and type your subject.
2
Add Branches
Select a node, then tap the green plus to grow a new idea off it.
3
Auto-Saves as You Go
Your mind map is saved in your browser, nothing to lose.
4
Export or Go Pro
Export as PNG, or unlock colour themes and icons in Pro.

Everything above runs entirely in your browser. Your mind map is never uploaded to a server, so it stays completely private from start to finish.

Specifications
Price Free
Signup Not Required
Data Storage Local only (this device)
Structure Central topic, unlimited branches
Branch Levels 2 free, up to 4 in Pro
Layout Free-form drag, Auto-Arrange radial
Export Formats PNG · Outline TXT · SVG (Pro) · PDF (Pro)
Pro Tools Custom Colours · Icons · 6 Themes · More Levels
Platform Optimized for Web & Mobile
Category Strategy & Diagrams
Found a bug or something not working right? Let us know and we'll fix it. Every report helps make this tool better.
Report an Issue

Mind Map Generator, Free and Online

A mind map generator lets you start from one central topic and branch outward into ideas, sub-ideas and details, the same radiant structure Tony Buzan formalised in 1974. This one is fully draggable on both desktop and mobile, includes ready-made colour themes, and runs entirely in your browser.

A straight list of notes forces ideas into an order they don't actually have, which is exactly the problem a mind map solves. Instead of writing top to bottom, you start with a single central topic and let related ideas branch outward in whichever direction makes sense, mirroring how the brain actually links concepts to each other rather than filing them in sequence. This free mind map maker online tool lets you rename the central topic, select any branch and tap the green plus to grow a new idea off it, drag any node to reposition it with a finger or a mouse, and tap Auto-Arrange to lay the whole map out radially in one click. Export the finished map as a PNG. Pro Mode adds custom colours, icons for key branches, six colour themes, deeper branch levels, and export to SVG and PDF.

1Simple vs Pro, What Each Mode Includes

FeatureSimple ModePro Mode (Free)
Central topic, unlimited branches, drag on desktop and mobileIncludedIncluded
Auto-Arrange radial layout, sample dataIncludedIncluded
5 preset colours, export as PNG or outline TXTIncludedIncluded
Custom hex colours, icon picker for branchesNot includedIncluded
6 colour themes (Ocean, Sunset, Forest, Candy, Royal, Mono)Not includedIncluded
Up to 4 branch levels (Simple Mode caps at 2)Not includedIncluded
Canvas zoom, export as SVG or PDFNot includedIncluded

2Reading the Levels

0
Central Topic
1
Main Branch
2
Sub-Idea

Most mind maps that actually get used stay to three levels, the central topic, five to seven main branches radiating off it, and one layer of sub-ideas hanging off each branch for detail. The five to seven number is not arbitrary, it roughly matches how many distinct items a person can hold in view at once without the map turning into visual noise. Once a branch grows beyond a handful of children, it is usually a sign that idea deserves to become its own central topic in a separate map, rather than being crammed deeper into the same one.

3Where the Mind Map Actually Came From

British author Tony Buzan coined the specific term mind map and gave the format its defined rules, a single central topic, curved branches, and colour coding, popularising it during his 1974 BBC series Use Your Head, a history confirmed by the Nielsen Norman Group's comparison of cognitive maps, mind maps and concept maps. Buzan did not invent branching diagrams from nothing though. The earliest known example is the Tree of Porphyry, a classification diagram the philosopher Porphyry of Tyros created around 300 AD to organise Aristotle's categories, nearly seventeen centuries before Buzan's television series. Even the closely related concept map has an earlier, separate origin, developed by Joseph Novak at Cornell University in 1972, two years before Buzan's term appeared, but built around multiple linked ideas rather than one fixed centre.

QuestionQuick Answer
What decides where a branch sits?Its parent branch, and its level in the hierarchy
How many main branches is ideal?Around five to seven, radiating off the central topic
What is different about a concept map?It links multiple ideas together, with no single fixed centre
Who coined the actual term "mind map"?Tony Buzan, in his 1974 BBC series Use Your Head
Privacy Note

Everything, including Pro Mode's custom colours, icons, themes and extra branch levels, runs entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your mind map is saved only in local storage on your own device, and is never sent to a server.

4Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make a mind map online for free?
Rename the central topic to whatever you are mapping, select it, and tap Add Branch to create your first main idea. Select any branch and tap the green plus to add a sub-idea underneath it, or tap Auto-Arrange to lay everything out radially. Export the finished map as a PNG. No signup is required, and everything is saved only in your browser.
What is a mind map used for?
A mind map is a diagram that starts from a single central topic and branches outward into related ideas, sub-ideas and details, mirroring how the brain naturally links concepts rather than forcing them into a straight list. It is used for brainstorming, studying, note taking, project planning and any situation where seeing how ideas relate to each other matters more than reading them in order.
Who actually invented the mind map?
British author Tony Buzan coined the specific term mind map and popularised it during his 1974 BBC series Use Your Head, giving the format a defined set of rules including a single central topic, curved branches and colour coding. Buzan did not invent branching diagrams from scratch though, the earliest known example is the Tree of Porphyry, a classification diagram created by the philosopher Porphyry of Tyros around 300 AD, nearly seventeen centuries earlier.
What is the difference between a mind map and a concept map?
A mind map radiates outward from a single central topic in a tree structure, which makes it fast to build and good for individual brainstorming. A concept map, developed separately by Joseph Novak at Cornell University in 1972, connects multiple ideas to each other with labelled relationships and does not require one fixed centre, which makes it better suited to mapping how a whole system of ideas relates together rather than branching from one starting point.
How many levels should a mind map have?
Most useful mind maps stay within three levels, the central topic, five to seven main branches around it, and a layer of sub-ideas under each branch. Going much deeper tends to make the map harder to scan at a glance, which works against the format's main advantage of taking in the whole structure in one view.
Is my mind map data private?
Yes. Everything, including Pro Mode's custom colours, icons, themes and extra branch levels, runs entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your mind map is saved only in your browser's local storage, and is never sent to a server.

Grounded in Nielsen Norman Group's documented Buzan, Porphyry and Novak timeline, not the simplified single-inventor story most sites repeat. The full comparison is detailed on NN/g's guide to cognitive maps, mind maps and concept maps. For related brainstorming and diagram tools on the rest of this site, see the Flowchart Generator and the full SmallStudyTools.com tool library.

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