Support

Mind mapping

Mind mapping is a visual way of organizing information around a central topic, in a hierarchical fashion. It is a visual form of outline text, used to organise content on a canvas, including text notes, images, tasks, links, and other types of content.
Escape has both an outline and a mind map mode, enabling you to switch instantly between linear and spatial organization.

Integrated file browser

Escape includes an integrated file browser that assists you in creating and organizing your mind map files.

On iOS, you can create mind maps by tapping the add button in the bottom right corner of the file browser. On iPadOS and macOS, the add button is located in the top right corner.

Home screen widget

You can also create mind maps directly from the home screen widget.

Home screen quick actions

Tap and hold the app icon to reveal the quick actions menu, and then choose the New Mind Map option.

Quick mind maps location

The quick mind maps created via the widget or using the action from the app icon menu, are located in the root of the Escape iCloud folder. If iCloud Drive is not enabled, the new mind maps are created in the root folder of the local storage.
The file name is inherited from the text of the root topic.

Creating topics

To create a new topic, simply tap and hold any existing topic for a split second. A new topic will appear, which you can then drop next to any existing topic.
On macOS, or iPadOS when using a trackpad or mouse, you can hover the cursor over any topic for a split second, and then tap one of the plus buttons that appear.

Creating tasks

To create a task within a topic, start by creating a topic. Then add a task percentage icon from the icon editor. You have the option to choose between 0%, 25%, 75%, and 100% completion for the task.
You can also set a task priority from 1 to 5 by adding a priority icon.

Editing topic content and style

You have the ability to edit various aspects of a topic. This includes editing the topic text, notes, attached links, or images. Additionally, you can adjust the topic colors, shape, and text style.

Editing a topic on iOS is similar to editing text in a notes app. The topic editor consists of a keyboard and a row of buttons, that allow you to switch between different editor sections.
To edit a topic, double-tap on the topic.

Editing a topic on macOS is similar. The topic editor is displayed in a floating panel that can be minimized by deselecting the selected editor button.
To edit a topic, double-click on the topic.

Note: You can add up to 5 icons on a topic.

Cut, copy, paste or delete topics

To paste text, links, or images, double-tap on a topic and then select the paste option. This action creates a subtopic that contains the pasted information.
When using a trackpad or mouse, simply right-click on a topic to access the context menu.

Organizing topics

You can quickly organize topics by dragging and dropping them to the desired location. When you reattach a topic to a new parent topic, a temporary line connection confirms the attachment.

By pressing Esc while dragging the topic, you can cancel the drag operation.

Map topics can be balanced by selecting the balance option from the root topic's context menu.

Folding and unfolding topics

You can fold or unfold the subtopics of a topic by tapping or clicking anywhere on the topic.

Copying and pasting topic styles

You have the flexibility to apply a topic style to either a single topic, or multiple topics at once.

To copy or paste a topic style on a single topic, double-tap or right-click on the topic to access the context menu. From there, select the appropriate option.
If you want to apply a topic style to multiple topics at once, you can choose the paste style option from the Batch Op submenu.

Batch operations

You can perform operations on multiple topics at once. These operations include adding, removing, checking, and unchecking tasks, and sorting topics by completion, priority, or name.
You can also apply topic styles to sibling topics, topics at the same level, or to all the topics in a branch.

To perform batch operations, tap on a topic, choose the Batch Op submenu from the context menu, and then select the desired operation.
The operation will be applied to the topic itself and its siblings unless specified otherwise.

Pasting text, links, or images

Double-tap a topic and then choose the paste option from the context menu. Pasting on a topic creates a subtopic containing the pasted content.

When using a trackpad or mouse, simply right-click on a topic to access the paste option.

Pasting multiple items

If the pasted text contains multiple lines or if the clipboard holds multiple photos or links, the app automatically creates several subtopics. Each item from the clipboard will have its own corresponding subtopic.

Pasting into an existing topic

If you want to add text to a topic that already has text content, double-tap on the topic to begin editing, and then tap and hold the topic text until the standard context menu appears. From there, choose the paste option.

To paste notes, links or images into a topic, double-tap on the topic and then paste the content into the appropriate editor section.

Importing MindManager MMAP files

Escape utilizes MMAP as its native mind map format. To import MMAP files, you have two options:
You can open a MMAP file from another app by selecting the "Open in Another App" option, and then choosing Escape, or simply by dropping the MMAP files into the Escape iCloud folder.

Please note that while relationships and callouts in MMAP mind maps are currently not supported, they are preserved for round-trip editing.

Importing other formats

You can import MD, OPML and text files. Use the option "Open in Another App" and then choose Escape, or drop the files in the Escape iCloud folder. They are automatically imported when opened.

Copying the text, link, or the image of a topic

Double-tap on the topic and then copy the content from the appropriate editor section. For photos, tap the share button in the photo editor and select the copy option.

When using a trackpad or mouse, simply right-click on a topic to access the copy option.

Copying outline text

To copy the outline text representing a branch of topics, double-tap on the root topic and choose the copy option from the context menu. This action will copy the text of the topic and its subtopics to the clipboard, organized into indented outline levels.

Exporting or sharing mind maps

You can share your mind maps as MindManager MMAP, MD, OPML, PDF, outline text or PNG.

To export or share a mind map from the file browser, simply tap and hold, or right-click, on the desired mind map file. Then, select an action from the share screen that appears.
You can directly share an open mind map by tapping or clicking the share button in the navigation bar.

Export or sharing topic photo

To export or share a topic photo, access the photo editor section for the specific topic, and then tap or click the share button available in the editor.

Text size for individual topics

You can adjust the text size for a topic via the text style editor.
The text size can also be adjusted using keyboard shortcuts. Press Command-+, Command-- or Command-0, to increase, decrease or reset the text size.

Default text size

The default text size is determined by the system-wide text size. On iOS/iPadOS you can change the system text size via the Accessibility section of the Settings app.
On macOS, you can change the system text size via Display & Brightness section of the Settings app.

Drag and drop from other apps

You can drag and drop text, images, links and colors. The dragged item can be placed as an individual topic, by dropping it next to an existing topic.

Colors can only be dropped onto a topic, and doing so changes the topic border colour.

Finding and replacing text

You can search for text in topics using several criteria, match case, whole words, starts with, and ends with. You may also use a regular expression by selecting the appropriate option.
After finding the matches, you can replace them all at once, or one by one.

On iOS, you can start the search by tapping the search button from the toolbar, if available, or by selecting Find option from the More button menu in the toolbar.
On macOS, select Find option from the Edit menu.

On any platform that supports keyboard shortcuts, you can also use them to start a search.

Creating topics

Editing topics

Cut, copy, paste or delete topics

Copy, paste or reset topic styles

Moving selection

Moving topics

Folding or unfolding topics

Tasks

Batch tasks

Priorities

Batch priorities

Text styles

Batch text styles

Canvas zoom

Find & replace

Recent mind maps widget

You can open recently accessed mind maps via the home screen widget. Additionally, the widget allows you to create new mind maps.

Home screen menu

Long press or right click the Escape icon to reveal the context menu, and then choose the New Mind Map option.

Back button context menu

On iOS/iPadOS, you can tap and hold the back button within the mind map editor to open a menu displaying your recently accessed mind maps.

Read-only mind maps

You can make a mind map read-only. Such a mind map cannot be modified, but you can fold and unfold topics as you browse it. However, these changes are temporary and not saved.
The read-only flag is set at file level and synchronized across devices.

Locking or unlocking mind maps

On iOS you can make a mind map read-only from the file browser, by selecting the appropiate option from the context menu.
On macOS, you have two options for doing this: the file browser or the Finder. In Finder, select the mind map file and then select "Get Info" from the context menu. Then in the Sharing & Permissions section, set all privileges to read-only.

A read-only mind map can be unlocked following the same procedure.

Home screen widget

Escape provides a widget that can be added to the Home screen or the Sidebar on iOS/iPadOS and macOS. It enables you to open recently accessed mind maps or quickly create a new one.
The create button can be hidden via the widget settings.

Lock screen widget

The widget enables you to open Escape directly from the lock screen.

Siri shortcuts

Siri shortcuts can be used to automate recurring tasks in your workflow. Escape ships three builtin shortcuts, for creating, opening and exporting mind maps.

Creating new shortcuts

Escape provides three app actions: New Document, Open Document and Export Document. They can be used to create custom shortcuts via the Shortcuts app.

Custom URL scheme

Escape supports a custom URL scheme, which enables controlling and communication between Escape and other apps, allowing them to trigger specific actions.
The following actions are available through the custom URL scheme:

Create mind map

This action creates a new mind map either in the root folder of the Escape iCloud folder, or in the root folder of your local storage, if iCloud Drive is not enabled. escapeapp://newMap
escapeapp://newMap?name=Name The 'name' parameter is percent encoded. If this parameter is not present, the name of the mind map file is inherited from the text of the root topic.

Example: escapeapp://newMap?name=Project%20ideas

Open last accessed mind map

This action opens the most recently accessed mind map. escapeapp://openMap