Reader mode
The Same Map. Read Like a Story.
When the mapping is done, switch to Reader Mode and your mindmap becomes a clean, distraction-free article — the same content, rendered for focus. Built for students reviewing for exams without the visual chaos.
Why this matters
Why a reader mode, not just a print stylesheet?
A mindmap is great for thinking. It's not always great for reading. Spatial layout helps your eye spot relationships; it gets in the way when you want sustained focus on a single chapter, a single argument, a single sequence of ideas. The same content that mapped beautifully becomes a wall of branches when you're trying to revise it.
Reader Mode is the second view of the document you already built. Toggle it on and the canvas collapses into a vertical, magazine-style article — the root becomes the title, top-level branches become section headings, rich-content nodes flow as body text with their images intact. Section-aware color accents from your branch palette carry through, so visual identity doesn't disappear; it just stops competing with the words.
Same document, two views of it. A thin sunrise progress bar runs along the top while you scroll, and Print-to-PDF exports the whole article as a clean printable artifact. When you're ready to keep thinking, toggle back to the map — the spatial structure is exactly where you left it.
How it stacks up
How Reader Mode compares to other mindmap-as-article views
| Capability | Dumbnote | MindMeister | XMind | Obsidian |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Article view of the same document | ✓ | partial | partial | × |
| Section colors carry through | ✓ | × | × | × |
| Reading progress bar | ✓ | × | × | × |
| Outline drawer with click-to-scroll | ✓ | ✓ | × | partial |
| Print-to-PDF with dedicated styles | ✓ | partial | partial | partial |
| Free + offline | ✓ | $$ | $$ | partial |
For your work
Read Your Notes the Way You Study for an Exam.
For students reviewing before finals, Reader Mode collapses the visual chaos of a mind map into a clean, linear document — the same content, rendered for focus. Toggle back to the map for spatial recall, toggle to Reader for sustained reading. Two views of one set of notes.
For anyone who built a long offline mind mapping session and now needs to print, share, or just stop looking at branches, Reader Mode is the calmer half of the same canvas. No export, no copy-paste, no second tool.
How it works
How Reader Mode works
-
Open Reader Mode
Click the Reader icon in the top-right of any mindmap. The canvas reflows into article form over about a second — connectors fade, nodes glide into stacked cards.
-
Scroll like an article
Top-level branches become section headings. Child nodes become subsections. Rich-content nodes become body paragraphs. Section colors carry through from your branch palette so visual identity stays intact.
-
Watch the progress bar
A thin sunrise progress bar runs across the top showing how far through the article you are — useful when you're mid-revision and want to know how much is left.
-
Print or save as PDF
Use your browser's Print → Save as PDF for a clean printable artifact. Reader Mode includes print styles that strip the chrome and keep just the article.
-
Toggle back to the map
Click Reader off and you're back on the canvas with the same spatial structure. Nothing was converted, nothing was lost — Reader was just a view.
See it in depth
Your mind map, finally readable like a story.
Reading Mode turns the canvas into a magazine spread — your branch colors carry through, a progress bar tracks how far you've read, and an outline keeps the whole map a click away. Hit print and you've got a clean PDF for the night before an exam.
- A thin progress bar at the top shows you how far through the read you are — useful when you're cramming the night before and need to know how much is left.
- Section headings inherit the colors of your branches, so the visual identity of your map carries through to the read — your "chapter 3 = green" intuition stays intact.
- The outline on the left is a clickable table of contents. Jump to any section without losing your place; close it when you want a clean, distraction-free read.
Common questions
Questions visitors ask before they try it.
Does Reader Mode change my mindmap?
No. Reader Mode is a view, not a destructive transform. The underlying document stays exactly as you built it; toggling back returns you to the map with every node in its original spatial position.
Can I print my mindmap?
Yes — open Reader Mode and use your browser's Print → Save as PDF. The article view has dedicated print styles that strip the navigation chrome and keep just the rendered article with section accents.
What happens to images inside nodes?
They flow inline with the section body, sized to fit the article column. Long Read-more content from rich-content nodes appears as its own subsection within the parent's section.
Is Reader Mode available for Graph documents?
Reader Mode is built around the hierarchical Mindmap structure (root → sections → subsections). Graph documents, which have no inherent reading order, don't have an equivalent view today.