Overview
Shapes and lines can change how information is organized and emphasized in your Mindmup map. You can adjust the appearance of nodes and the lines connecting them to create a clearer visual structure.
Mindmup lets you customize shapes and lines across the entire map. You can also style individual nodes and connecting lines when you want a specific part of the map to stand out.
Customize shapes across the map
Use the global shape and line settings to change the appearance of nodes and connecting lines throughout your map.
- Click the Customize layout & style icon in the upper-left corner. You can also right-click anywhere in the canvas › Customize layout & style.
- Select Shape.
- Under Global shape, adjust:
- Border thickness to make node borders thinner or thicker.
- Corner radius to control how rounded the corners are.
- Padding to change the space between the node text and its border.
- Shadow to add or adjust the shadow around nodes.
Choose from the available options or use Custom where available when you need a specific value.
Customize lines across the map
The Shape settings also control the lines connecting nodes.
Under Global lines, you can adjust:
- Line thickness to make connecting lines thinner or thicker.
- Line style to choose Curved, Elbowed, or Straight lines.
Try different line styles to find the one that makes your map easiest to follow.
Customize an individual node
You can style a specific node without changing the shapes used throughout the rest of the map.
Select the node, then click the Node style icon in the quick menu and open Shape. You can also press Shift + Space to open the node style options, then select Shape.
You can adjust:
- Border thickness
- Corner radius
- Padding
- Shadow
Individual node styling is useful when you want a specific node to stand out without changing the appearance of the rest of the map.
Customize an individual connecting line
Select a connecting line to open its quick menu. From there, you can:
- Change the line color.
- Add an arrow at the start, end, or both ends.
- Switch between a solid and dashed line.
- Change the line thickness.
- Add text to the line.
These options are useful when a connection needs to communicate more than a simple relationship between two nodes.
Example use cases
- Shape and line customization can make complex maps easier to understand.
- For a project plan, you might use thicker borders for major milestones and standard borders for individual tasks.
- For a process map, arrows can show the direction from one step to the next. Dashed lines can visually distinguish secondary relationships.
- For study notes, different node shapes or shadows can help important concepts stand out without changing the structure of the map.
Tips
- Keep shapes consistent when nodes serve the same purpose.
- Use thicker borders or shadows selectively to emphasize important nodes.
- Choose a line style that keeps connections easy to follow.
- Use arrows when the direction of a relationship matters.
- Add text to a connecting line when the relationship between two nodes needs explanation.
- Avoid applying too many different styles. A small number of consistent visual cues usually makes a map easier to read.
Common questions
Can I copy a shape or line style?
Yes. Mindmup provides Copy style and Paste style actions for nodes and connecting lines. This makes it easier to apply the same appearance to other parts of your map.
Do shape settings change the size of my nodes?
Some settings can affect how much space a node takes up. Padding changes the space between the text and the node border, while Corner radius changes the shape of the corners.
What happens if I customize a node after changing the global shape settings?
The individual styling applies to that specific node. This lets you keep a consistent global design while giving selected nodes a different appearance when they need extra emphasis.
Related features
- How to Customize Map Layout
- How to Customize Map Colors
- How to Customize Text
- How to Reset Styling
- How to Connect Topics
Designing Clean, Readable Maps
Ready to customize your map? Open an existing Mindmup map and experiment with its shapes and connecting lines. Start with a few small changes and use consistent styles to make important information easier to recognize.