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 outlined text, used to organise content on a canvas, including text notes, images, tasks, links, and other types of content.

Mind maps are a powerful way to visualize your thoughts, organize ideas, and manage projects, whether you're brainstorming, studying, structuring work tasks, or planning a vacation.

Escape has both a mind map mode and an outline mode, enabling you to switch instantly between spatial and linear organization.

Creating mind maps

Create a new mind map by pressing the + button in the File Browser's toolbar. You can choose where to stored the files by navigating to either iCloud or the Local Files.
The mind maps created in iCloud are automatically synchronized to all your devices.

Creating topics

To create a new topic, tap and hold any topic in the map for a split second. A new topic will be created, which you can drop next to an existing topic, as a child or sibling topic.

When using the trackpad or mouse, hover the cursor over any topic for a split second until the creation arrows appear. The arrows indicate the positions where a new topic can be created, either as a child or as a sibling topic. Move the cursor in the desired direction and press the + button that appears shortly.

When using a keyboard, press Tab to create a child topic or Return to create a sibling topic.

Editing topics

To edit a topic, double-tap the topic.

Deleting topics

To delete a topic, double-tap the topic, and then select the delete option from the context menu.

When using a keyboard, press Delete.

Duplicating topics

To duplicate a topic, double-tap the topic, and then select the duplicate option from the context menu.

When using a keyboard, press Command-D.

Cutting, copying, or pasting topics

To cut, copy or paste a topic on iOS, double-tap the target topic, and then select the option from the context menu. You can also paste text, links, or images in the same manner.
When using a trackpad or mouse, right-click on the topic and use the options in the context menu.
This action will create a subtopic that contains the pasted information.

When using a keyboard, press the standard keyboard shortcuts Command-X, Command-C or Command-V.

You can merge topics children when pasting, by selecting the dedicated option in the context menu.

Moving topics

You can reposition topics by dragging and dropping them to the desired location.
When using the finger, tap and hold the topic for a split second until it starts wiggling, and then drag the topic.

To cancel the drag operation press Esc while dragging the topic.

Topics can also be repositioned using keyboard shortcuts: hold Option and press the arrow key in the desired direction.

Folding topics

To fold or unfold a topic, press anywhere on the topic, or press the Space key.

You can also fold all sibling topics at once by pressing Shift-Space, or by pressing Option-Command while clicking the topic.

Adding and editing tasks

You can add a task to a topic by setting its completion percentage in the Task editor. You can also set a priority in the editor.

Task percentage and priority can also be set using the context menu options, or the keyboard shortcuts: To add or remove a task, press Command+T. To check or uncheck a task press Command+Y.
To set the priority, press Option and the number key. To remove the priority, press Command+Option and any number key.

Roll-up tasks

You can create a roll-up task to summarize subtasks. To do this, edit the topic, and toggle the "Roll Up Subtasks" switch in the Task editor.
You can roll up tasks using one of the two methods: by averaging the completion percentage, or by counting the number of completed tasks out of the total number of tasks.
The roll-up method can be changed in the Editor Preferences.

Adding and editing links

You can add four types of links to a topic: web links, email addresses, links to files and folders, or links to mind maps and topics.

To add the link, paste it into the Link editor. The editor also lets you create a link directly by navigating to the target—whether it's a mind map, file, or folder.
You can access the Link editor by pressing the edit button next to the link field in the Notes & Link editor, or by pressing Command+K.

You can also edit the link directly in the Notes & Link editor: just long-press the link field and choose an option from the context menu.

Linking mind maps and other files

To link files or folders, simply drag them onto your mind map from the File Browser or other apps.

Copying links to mind maps and topics

To copy the link to a mind map, navigate to the mind map file in the Files Browser, and select the Copy Link to Mind Map option from the context menu of the target mind map file.
To copy the link to a topic, select the Copy Link to Topic option from the context menu of the target topic.

Opening links

You can open the link by pressing the link icon shown in the topic.
Mind map and topic links are open in the same window. To open a link in another window, press Command while pressing the icon.

Opening mind maps from other apps

You can embed links to mind maps and topics into other apps by copying and pasting the link.

Adding and removing icons

Add or remove icons in the Icons editor. A topic can display up to 5 icons at a time.

Images

Add or remove images in the Image editor.

Drawings

Add or remove drawings in the Image editor. You can create a new drawing or draw over an existing image.

Previewing the image

To preview the image directly in the Image editor, press and hold the image or the maximize button.
For a full preview, press once the maximize button.

Adding extended notes

To add extended notes to a topic, open the Notes & Link editor, and then press the edit button next to the notes field.
You can also edit the notes directly in the Notes & Link editor: just long-press the notes field and choose an option from the context menu.
When using a keyboard, press Command+L to access the Notes editor.

Text size

You can adjust the topic text size in 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.

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

Shape

You can set the topic shape in the Shape editor.

Colors

You can adjust the text, border, or fill colors in the Colors editor.
If no border color is set, the topic inherits the border color of the parent topic.

Additionally, you can set the task percentage indicator to match the border color in the Task section of Editor Preferences.

The colors for text and task percentage indicator automatically adapt to the topic background for maximum visibility.

Matching style

To match the topics style you can copy and paste the style using the options in the main or context menu.

Mind map structure and edge style

You can change the mind map structure and edge style in the Editor Preferences.

Topics spacing and sizing

You can change the mind map layout in the Editor Preferences. There are two predefined layouts: Default and Wide. Furthermore, you can create custom layouts that sync across your devices.

Additionally, you can enable topic justification so that all sibling topics are the same size.

Arranging topics

You can visually balance topics across the sides of the root topic or move them all to one side.
These arrangement options are available in the main or context menu for the root topic only.

Theme

The app automatically follows your system theme. For darker environments, you can manually select the Deep Black theme in Editor Preferences or in the main menu.
Additionally, you can choose the canvas color.

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 in the toolbar, if available, or by selecting Find option in 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.

Dragging from other apps

You can drag and drop text, images, links and colors into the mind map. 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.

Linking files

To link files or folders, simply drag them onto your mind map from the File Browser or other apps.

Batch actions

You can perform actions on multiple topics at once. These operations include adding and editing tasks, sorting topics, and styling them.
Actions can be applied on sibling topics, topics at the same level, or to all topics in a branch.

You can apply batch actions via the main menu, the context menu, or by using keyboard shortcuts.

Creating topics

Editing topics

Managing topics

Managing topic styles

Selecting topics

Moving topics

Folding or unfolding topics

Tasks

Batch tasks

Priorities

Batch priorities

Text styles

Batch text styles

Canvas zoom

Find & replace

Panes & panels

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, or you can drop the MMAP file in the Escape iCloud folder or the File Browser.

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

Importing other formats

Additionally, you can import Markdown, TextBundle, OPML, and text files. Use the Open in Another App option, or drop the files in the Escape iCloud folder or the File Browser. They are automatically imported when opened.

Pasting content

To create a new subtopic from the clipboard content, double-tap a topic (or right-click if using a mouse) and select the paste option from the context menu.
If you want to insert text directly into an existing topic, double-tap the topic to enter edit mode, then tap and hold the text until the context menu appears, and then select the paste option. For pasting extended notes, links, or images, simply edit the topic and paste the content into the corresponding section of the topic editor.

Exporting mind maps

You can export your mind maps as MMAP, Markdown, OPML, PDF, outlined text, or PNG.
To export a mind map from the File Browser, select the Share option from the context menu of the mind map file.
You can also share the open mind map by pressing the share button in the navigation bar.

Copying the content of a topic

Edit the topic and then copy the content from the corresponding editor section. For photos, tap the share button in the photo editor.
Alternatively, select Copy from the target topic's context menu.

Copying outlined text

To copy the outlined text representing a branch of topics, select the Copy option from the context menu of the target topic. This action will copy the text of the topic and its subtopics to the clipboard, organized into indented outline levels.

Home screen

You can create a new mind map directly from the home screen by selecting the New Mind Map option in the app icon's context menu.

Editor back button

On iOS and iPadOS, long-press the back button in the mind map editor to view and open your recently accessed mind maps.

Home screen widget

The widget offers quick access to recently accessed mind maps and new mind map creation, from your Home screen or Sidebar.
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.

Integrated file browser

Escape includes a built-in file browser to manage your mind maps. You can create, rename, and delete files directly within the app, or organize them into an unlimited hierarchy of folders.
You can also move files between folders or drag and drop them between the file browser and other supporting apps.

Read-only mind maps

You can lock a mind map by selecting the Lock option from the mind map file's context menu.
In read-only mode, editing is disabled but you can fold and unfold topics.

Provisioning files

You can add files by dropping them into the app's iCloud folder.
Additionally, you can add files to an iOS device's local storage by connecting it to your Mac and dragging them into the Finder.

Synchronizing mind maps

The mind maps saved on iCloud are automatically synchronized across all your devices.
Because synchronization relies on your system clock, ensure your device's time is set correctly to avoid any sync issues.

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://createMap
escapeapp://createMap?name=Name The 'name' parameter is percent encoded.

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

Open last accessed mind map

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

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