Turn your notes into a mind map you can explore
Upload a PDF, DOCX, slide deck, or photo of a page and get an editable mind map of the main ideas and how they connect.
Why a mind map helps with dense notes
Long lecture notes often hide how one idea depends on another. Turning them into mind map ideas from your notes puts the central topic in the middle and shows subtopics as branches, so you can see the structure before memorizing details.
- Pull the central topic and main branches from a full chapter in one pass.
- Spot which subtopics connect to more than one heading.
- Redraw the structure when your professor reorganizes the unit.
- Keep a visual overview next to your flashcards and quizzes.
Editable branches
Rename, move, or add nodes so the map matches how you think about the material.
Explorable structure
Collapse and expand branches to focus on one section of a long lecture at a time.
Starts from your material
Works from PDFs, DOCX, PPTX, plain notes, and photos of pages read with text recognition.
How it works
Upload your notes
Add a PDF, Word file, slide deck, plain text, or a photo of a page.
Generate the map
DeckOwl pulls out the main ideas and arranges them into branches with sub-points.
Edit and explore
Reshape the map, expand the branches you need, and keep working on it until it fits your course.
The map is a starting point, not a finished answer. Because each branch is editable, you can merge overlapping ideas, add your own examples, and move a concept under the heading where it belongs for your course.
Mind maps also work well for review. Collapse the branches you already know, open the ones that still feel fuzzy, and test yourself on the details underneath.
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Frequently asked questions
How many branches should a mind map for plate tectonics have?
Most useful maps for plate tectonics have four to six main branches, such as plate boundaries, driving forces, evidence, and hazards, with two to four sub-points under each. Fewer branches usually means the map is too broad to guide review.
What is the best way to study from a mind map?
Cover the map and try to rebuild each branch from memory, then check what you missed. Redraw it a day later to see what stuck.
Can I export my mind map?
Exports are paid features: Plus includes PDF, DOCX, Anki, and CSV export, and Pro adds QTI 2.1 and Moodle XML. The free plan lets you study in the browser without exports.
Is there a free plan?
Yes. The free plan includes 3 generations per month and studying in the browser, and no credit card is needed to start.
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