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Turn your notes into a concept map in minutes, not a blank canvas

Canva gives you empty boxes and arrows to fill by hand. DeckOwl reads your own material and drafts a mind map you can rearrange, expand, and explore.

Create mind maps nowFree · No credit card required

Drop files here or browsePDF, DOCX, PPTX, text or photos of your notes · several files with Plus

Free · First set needs no signup · Creates mind maps in seconds

Why start from your material instead of a template

Many students who search for a concept map maker like Canva want the same thing: a map that already reflects their lecture slides and reading. Canva starts you with a blank canvas, so every node and link is typed and placed by hand. A concept map maker that reads your notes first does the sorting for you, then leaves the draft open to editing.

Upload PDFs, DOCX, PPTX, plain text, or photos of pages
Get branches and sub-points drafted from your own notes
Edit every node so the map matches your course
Study the map in the browser on the free plan with 3 generations per month

Example cell biology concept map branches

Cell membranePhospholipid bilayer · Embedded proteins · Selective permeability

MitochondriaSite of cellular respiration · Double membrane · Produces most of the cell's ATP

NucleusHolds DNA · Surrounded by a nuclear envelope · Nucleolus makes ribosomal RNA

Endoplasmic reticulumRough ER has attached ribosomes · Smooth ER makes lipids · Both connect to the nuclear envelope

RibosomesMade of rRNA and protein · Sites of protein synthesis · Free or attached to ER

Generate the full set

Built from your material

Upload a PDF, DOCX, PPTX, plain text, or a photo of a page, and the map is drafted from what you actually need to learn.

Editable branches

Move nodes, rename branches, and add your own sub-points so the map matches how your course organizes the topic.

Explorable structure

Click through main branches and sub-points to review one idea at a time instead of scanning a static diagram.

How it works

Upload your notes

Add a PDF, Word file, slide deck, or text notes. You can also photograph a page and let text recognition read it.

Get a draft map

DeckOwl organizes the material into a mind map with main branches and sub-points you can review.

Edit and study

Adjust the branches, then study the map in your browser on the free plan or export it on Plus.

The mind map output is editable and explorable, so you can rearrange branches, expand sub-points, and click through the structure while you review. If you only need a layout to fill in yourself, a design tool works fine. DeckOwl is for when the map should come from the material you are studying.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I organize a concept map for cell biology?

Start with one central idea, such as the cell, and make the major structures its first-level branches. Then add functions, components, and examples as sub-points under each structure.

How many branches should a concept map have?

Most useful maps have 4 to 7 main branches, each with 2 to 4 sub-points. If a branch grows beyond that, split it into a new map so each one stays readable.

Do I need Canva to use DeckOwl?

No. Upload your own PDF, DOCX, PPTX, notes, or a photo of a page and the mind map is generated in DeckOwl. You can start free with no credit card.

Can I export my maps?

Exports to PDF, DOCX, Anki, and CSV are part of the Plus plan, which costs $39/year or $7.99/month. The free plan lets you study in the browser without exports.

Generate free mind maps

Keep exploring the topic

Review the main ideas visually or practice recalling them.