Mind Map
In a WonderPen Whiteboard, you can create Mind Map cards. The entry point is shown below:
Drag this icon onto the whiteboard to create a new mind map.
A mind map looks like this:
Map Mode
You can switch between Map Mode and Outline Mode. Map Mode is the default, and the switch is in the upper-right corner, as shown below:
Layout
Map Mode supports multiple layouts, which you can switch between in the upper-left corner, as shown below:
For example, the image below uses an S-shaped timeline to show a story flow:
Map Mode Hotkeys
In the tables, Mod means ⌘ Command on macOS, or Ctrl on Windows and Linux. On macOS, Alt corresponds to ⌥ Option.
“Non-editing mode” means that the mind map canvas is focused, but no title or note is being edited.
Create and Edit
| Hotkey | Function | Available in |
|---|---|---|
Enter | Finish editing a title and keep the node selected | While editing a title |
Enter | Create and edit a sibling node | Non-editing mode |
Mod + Enter or Tab | Create and edit a child node | While editing a title; non-editing mode |
Shift + Enter | Insert a line break in a title | While editing a title |
Enter / Shift + Enter | Insert a line break in a note | While editing a note |
F2 / Space | Edit the current node's title | Non-editing mode |
Esc | Finish editing a title | While editing a title |
Esc | Close the notes panel | While editing a note |
When editing a title, press Enter once to finish editing; press it again to create a sibling node. When no node is selected, Enter creates a root node. In Focus Mode, when the focus root node or no node is selected, it creates a child node instead.
Adjust Hierarchy and Order
| Hotkey | Function | Available in |
|---|---|---|
Mod + ] | Indent the current node | While editing a title; non-editing mode |
Mod + [ | Promote the current node one level | While editing a title; non-editing mode |
Mod + Shift + ↑ / ↓ | Move the current node up / down | While editing a title or note; non-editing mode |
Duplicate, Paste, and Delete
| Hotkey | Function | Available in |
|---|---|---|
Mod + D | Duplicate the current node and its subtree after the current node | While editing a title or note; non-editing mode |
Mod + C | Copy the current node and its subtree to the clipboard | Non-editing mode |
Mod + V | Paste clipboard content as a child of the current node | Non-editing mode |
Mod + Shift + Backspace | Delete the current node and its subtree | While editing a title or note; non-editing mode |
Delete / Backspace | Delete the current node and its subtree | Non-editing mode |
Mod + D preserves notes and collapsed state without affecting the clipboard. When editing text, Mod + C / Mod + V perform standard text copy and paste.
When no node is selected, pasted content becomes a new root node; in Focus Mode, it becomes a child of the focus root node. A confirmation prompt appears when deleting a node with children.
Collapse and Expand
The following hotkeys are available while editing a title or note and in non-editing mode.
| Hotkey | Function |
|---|---|
Mod + . or Alt + . | Collapse / expand the current branch |
Mod + Shift + . | Collapse / expand sibling branches with the same parent as the current node |
Mod + Alt + Shift + . | Collapse / expand all branches |
For batch operations, branches are collapsed when any branch in scope is expanded; otherwise, they are expanded. All branches include hidden branches and multiple root nodes.
Node Selection
| Hotkey / action | Function |
|---|---|
Shift + ↑ / ↓ | Extend / shrink a contiguous selection in visible tree order |
Mod + Click or Shift + Click | Add a node to the selection, or remove it |
Shift + drag in an empty area | Select nodes within a marquee |
Esc | Clear the selection and cancel an in-progress drag or marquee selection |
The keyboard operations above are available in non-editing mode. When editing text, Shift + ↑ / ↓ retain their native text-selection behavior.
Canvas Zoom
The following hotkeys are also available while editing text.
| Hotkey | Function |
|---|---|
Mod + Shift + = | Zoom in on the canvas |
Mod + Shift + - | Zoom out on the canvas |
Mod + Shift + 0 | Reset to 100% |
Mod + Shift + 9 or Mod + Shift + F | Zoom to fit |
Zoom in and out also support the numeric keypad + and -; reset and zoom to fit also support the numeric keypad 0 and 9.
Undo and Redo
| Hotkey | Function |
|---|---|
Mod + Z | Undo |
Mod + Shift + Z or Mod + Y | Redo |
When editing a title or note, undo and redo apply to text. In non-editing mode, they apply to mind map operations.
When multiple nodes are selected, hotkeys for operations on individual nodes, including creating, editing, adjusting hierarchy, moving, duplicating, and deleting, are temporarily unavailable. You can still collapse / expand all branches, zoom the canvas, and undo or redo.
Outline Mode
Outline Mode looks like this:
Outline Mode Hotkeys
To make it easier to work with, Outline Mode supports the hotkeys below. In the tables, Mod means ⌘ Command on macOS, or Ctrl on Windows and Linux. On macOS, Alt corresponds to ⌥ Option.
“Non-editing mode” means that the outline is focused, but no title or note is being edited.
Create and Edit
| Hotkey | Function | Available in |
|---|---|---|
Enter | Create and edit a sibling node | While editing a title; non-editing mode |
Mod + Enter | Create and edit a child node | While editing a title; non-editing mode |
Shift + Enter | Insert a line break in a title | While editing a title |
Enter / Shift + Enter | Insert a line break in a note | While editing a note |
Alt + Enter | Switch between title and note, moving the cursor to the end | While editing a title or note |
F2 / Space | Edit the current node's title | Non-editing mode |
Esc | Exit title editing or remove focus from a note | While editing a title or note |
Adjust Hierarchy and Order
| Hotkey | Function | Available in |
|---|---|---|
Tab | Indent the current node | While editing a title |
Shift + Tab | Promote the current node one level | While editing a title |
Mod + Shift + ↑ / ↓ | Move the current node up / down | Editing mode; non-editing mode |
Alt + ↑ / ↓ | Move the current node up / down | Non-editing mode |
Duplicate and Delete
| Hotkey | Function | Available in |
|---|---|---|
Mod + D | Duplicate the current node and its subtree after the current node | While editing a title |
Mod + Shift + Backspace | Delete the current node and its subtree | Editing mode; non-editing mode |
Delete / Backspace | Delete the current node and its subtree | Non-editing mode |
Backspace | Delete an empty node | Editing mode, when both its title and note are empty |
Duplicating a node preserves its note and collapsed state without affecting the clipboard. A confirmation prompt appears when deleting a node with children. Spaces and line breaks count as content, so they do not make a node empty.
Collapse and Expand
| Hotkey | Function |
|---|---|
Mod + . or Alt + . | Collapse / expand the current branch |
Mod + Shift + . | Collapse / expand sibling branches with the same parent as the current node |
Mod + Alt + Shift + . | Collapse / expand all branches |
For batch operations, branches are collapsed when any branch in scope is expanded; otherwise, they are expanded. All branches include hidden branches and multiple root nodes.
Navigate and Select
The following hotkeys are available in non-editing mode:
| Hotkey | Function |
|---|---|
Shift + ↑ / ↓ | Extend / shrink a contiguous node selection |
Mod + Click | Add a node to the selection, or remove it |
Shift + Click | Select a range of nodes |
Esc | Clear the node selection |
When editing a title or note, the arrow keys move the text cursor first. At the beginning or end of text, press ← / →; on the first or last visual line, press ↑ / ↓ to move between inputs in this order: “title → note → next node's title.” Collapsed child nodes are skipped. Native text operations remain available when text is selected or a modifier key is held.
Undo and Redo
| Hotkey | Function |
|---|---|
Mod + Z | Undo |
Mod + Shift + Z or Mod + Y | Redo |
When editing a title or note, undo and redo apply to text. In non-editing mode, they apply to mind map operations.
When multiple nodes are selected, hotkeys for operations on individual nodes, including creating, editing, adjusting hierarchy, moving, duplicating, and deleting, are temporarily unavailable. You can still collapse / expand all branches and undo or redo.
TIP
In the tables, Mod means ⌘ Command on macOS, or Ctrl on Windows and Linux. On macOS, Alt corresponds to ⌥ Option.
Export
You can paste a Markdown-formatted list directly into a mind map, and its content will be converted to a mind map. You can also export a mind map as Markdown.
In the WonderPen desktop app, you can also export mind maps as images or PDFs. The entry point is shown below:
