Google Docs is free and equipped with basic word processing tools, some perfect for creating mind maps for your projects. Here’s how to use these tools directly within Docs. If you prefer to enhance the app’s capabilities with extensions, keep reading for add-on suggestions and tips.
How to Create a Custom Mind Map With Google Docs Tools
There are a few features in the app for drawing and designing whatever you want. A simple mind map is definitely within your capabilities with Google Docs.
1. Adjust the Page Orientation
Start by setting up your page. To change its alignment, go to Format > Page orientation. Set the Apply to option to Whole document, and decide whether you want a portrait or landscape orientation. Click OK.
Google Docs will adjust the page to your chosen orientation. You can then start creating your mind map. But first, make sure you understand what you need it to convey, what design principles will benefit it the most, and how to avoid common mind mapping mistakes, such as obsessing over details and styles.
2. Add Text to Your Mind Map
With the straightforward Google Docs tools, you don’t need to worry about getting overwhelmed. Let’s start with some text boxes. Go to Insert > Drawing > New. In the window that opens, you can draw parts of your mind map. For now, select the Text box, and use the mouse to draw one in the grid.
Assuming it’s the starting point of your mind map, type in a title. Adjust its font, format, borders, and fill color. Now, you can click Save and close to add the text box to your document and come back later to continue the drawing. Just select it and hit Edit.
It’s also possible to add text boxes to your Google document drawing-by-drawing and then connect them with arrow icons, for example. But it’s much easier to compile several elements in a single drawing and put your mind map together one grouping at a time. This is a good idea as some types of practical mind maps can be quite complex.
3. Add Lines and Shapes
Back in the drawing panel, insert more text boxes. Then, select the Line icon for access to arrows, elbow connectors, curves, polylines, and scribbles.
Under Shapes, you’ll find arrow, call-out, and equation designs, too. All of these can serve as more text boxes, if you need them. If you have photos or illustrations for your mind map, click the Image tool and upload a file from your device or paste into a URL. Stock images are also available.
You can select each item in your mind map to edit it further. And once your mind map is complete, the Save and close button is your next step. But there are some restrictions to keep in mind when drawing on Google Docs.
Unlike editing an image in Google Docs proper, you can only crop it or adjust its borders in the drawing panel. So, consider other tools if such visuals are important to your diagrams. Chrome extensions for editing images online are a great place to start.
Another issue that can affect your mind map’s design is the default canvas size of a drawing on Google Docs. It’s the standard 4:3 ratio, which you can’t change in this app. There’s a solution, though.
Go to Google Drawings, start a new design or open an existing one, select File > Page setup, and choose a canvas size that fits your vision. Besides the standard option, you can have a widescreen 16:9 or 16:10 ratio, as well as a custom size.
Draw however much of your mind map you want, save the drawing, and go back to your Google document. Repeat these steps: Insert > Drawing but click From Drive instead. Find the right file and import it.
4. Enrich the Mind Map With Extra Objects
There are a few other features you can add to mind maps on Google Docs, such as hyperlinks, drop-down menus, and smart chips displaying files, dates, people, and more.
Keep in mind that it’s easier to incorporate these into a mind map made up of separate drawings instead of one big one that takes over the page.
5. Share or Download Your Mind Map
When the mind map is ready, you can give other users access via the Share button. From there, let Google Docs send invites or do it yourself with links to the document.
Otherwise, you can download the mind map through the File tab. Formats to choose from include DOCX, PDF, EPUB, and plain text.
Create Your Mind Map With Google Docs Extensions
If you want more interesting layouts for your mind maps and even customizable templates, look into extensions compatible with Google Docs. Below are two examples of productive and affordable apps.
To add extensions on Google Docs, just go to Extensions > Add-ons > Get add-ons. Type “mind maps” into the search box and see what comes up.
1. Mindomo
After you install this extension, you need to exit your document and go to Google apps on your main dashboard. Click this icon and scroll down until you find Mindomo.
Select it, sign in with your Google account, and you’ll end up on Mindomo’s website. Click Create, choose a template, and you can immediately start editing it.
The app is clean and easy to use as you can add topics and subtopics, change colors and fonts, try different layouts, and even assign tasks to team members. Mindomo offers lots of other tools to manage your mind mapping.
Finally, you can export the document in standard PDF, PowerPoint, Project, Excel, and other formats, but also as a Mindomo file or pack, Freemind file, and MindManager file. Unfortunately, many of these are only available to Premium and Pro members.
Download: Mindomo (Free, subscription available)
2. Lucidchart
If you prefer an extension that lets you create mind maps and then easily add them to a Google document, try Lucidchart before anything else.
After installing it, refresh the page, and the Lucidchart icon will appear in your document’s sidebar. Once you’ve signed up, this add-on will be your quick link to creating new mind maps and browsing your existing designs before importing them.
As for your mind mapping dashboard on Lucidchart, the layout is more complex and features a lot more tools than Mindomo. In the end, however, you can end up with far more impressive designs.
Does this type of mind-mapping app appeal to you? Look into similar Google Docs add-ons for creating diagrams. What matters is that you find an extension that enhances your project planning or brainstorming capabilities and isn’t too expensive or difficult to master.
Download: Lucidchart (Free, subscription available)
Google Docs Can Become a Powerful Tool for Creating Mind Maps
For the simplest possible mind mapping tools on Google Docs, use the built-in drawing and insert features. With practice, you’ll learn to design insightful, practical, and clean-cut diagrams.
But don’t hesitate to explore extensions. The best ones integrate smoothly with Docs and offer extra ways to make your mind maps pop.
While there are more specialized platforms like Canva and Word for creating mind maps, with the right tools, Google Docs can stand out as a versatile option.