Turn your Obsidian notes into an editable mind map
Paste your notes or upload a PDF, then explore and edit the map it creates.
Making mind maps in Obsidian, and a faster route
Obsidian has no dedicated mind map view, so the usual way to make mind maps in Obsidian is to place a central card on a Canvas board, add branch cards around it, and connect them with arrows.
- Use Canvas cards for a hand-built map you fully control.
- Use wikilinks like [[Topic]] to connect related notes in your vault.
- Paste a long note or PDF into DeckOwl to get a first-draft map.
- Edit the generated branches to match how your course is organized.
Starts from your notes
Paste Obsidian note text or upload PDFs, DOCX, PPTX, or photos of pages.
Editable, explorable maps
Rearrange branches and expand sub-points so you can study one idea at a time.
Free to start
The free plan includes 3 generations per month. No credit card is needed to start.
How it works
Copy your note
Copy the text of the Obsidian note, or grab the .md file from your vault.
Paste or upload
Drop the text into DeckOwl, or upload a PDF, DOCX, or PPTX of the source material.
Explore the map
Expand branches, edit labels, and review each section in the order that fits your course.
Building by hand gives you full control over the structure. The trade-off is time: every branch has to be typed, placed, and linked manually, which gets slow with a long lecture or a 40-page chapter.
DeckOwl can take the first pass for you. Paste your Obsidian note or upload the source PDF, and it returns an editable mind map you can reshape before you study from it.
Explore related topics
Make a concept map from your notes
Step-by-step way to turn PDFs or notes into an editable mind map with AI.
Free Mind Map Maker from Your Notes
Turn your PDF or notes into a free mind map, with 3 generations a month on the free plan.
Mind map in Word: step-by-step guide
Steps to make a mind map in Word, plus a faster AI option that builds one from your own notes or PDFs.
Book Summary Mind Map Guide
Step-by-step: build a book summary as a mind map from your own notes or a PDF.
Business Mind Map From Your Notes
Step-by-step guide to building a business mind map from your notes or PDFs with AI.
How to Make a Concept Map
Step-by-step guide to concept maps, plus a way to build one from your own notes.
How to Make a Concept Map for Students
Step-by-step guide to concept maps for students, plus a free AI mind map tool.
Concept map in Word, made from your notes
Skip the blank page. Turn notes or a PDF into an editable concept map with AI.
Frequently asked questions
How do I start a mind map in Obsidian Canvas?
Create a new canvas from the file explorer, add a central card with your main topic, then add branch cards and connect them with arrows.
How many branches should a study mind map have?
Most useful maps have four to seven main branches, each with a few sub-points you can recall without looking. Split very large topics into separate maps so each one stays readable.
Can I export my DeckOwl mind map to Obsidian?
The free plan keeps everything in the browser with no exports. Plus adds PDF, DOCX, Anki, and CSV export, so check the export options on your plan before moving work out of DeckOwl.
Can I try DeckOwl without a credit card?
Yes. The free plan gives 3 generations per month and needs no credit card to start. Students with a school email get 40% off Plus.
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