Cross-Links

Mind maps are trees by nature — every node has one parent and can have many children. But real ideas are rarely that simple. Cross-links let you connect any two nodes in your map, regardless of where they sit in the hierarchy. They are the bridge between a simple tree and a rich knowledge graph.

What Are Cross-Links?

A cross-link is a connection between two nodes that are not in a direct parent-child relationship. They appear as curved dashed lines drawn between the two connected nodes, visually distinct from the solid lines that represent the tree hierarchy. Cross-links let you express relationships like:

• “This concept relates to that concept.”
• “This task depends on that task.”
• “This cause leads to that effect.”

Creating a Cross-Link

Hold Option and drag from one node to another to create a cross-link between them. As you drag, a preview line follows your cursor. Release on the target node to complete the connection.

The cross-link appears immediately as a curved dashed line connecting the two nodes.

Adding Labels

You can add a label to a cross-link to describe the nature of the relationship. Labels appear along the connecting line, making it clear why two nodes are linked. This is especially useful when you have multiple cross-links and need to distinguish between different types of relationships.

Customizing Line Styles

Cross-links support several visual customization options to help distinguish different types of relationships:

• Line styles — Choose between Solid, Dashed, or Dotted lines
• Arrow styles — Control arrow direction: End (default), Start, Both, or None
• Colors — Set a custom color for each cross-link to match your visual coding system
• Waypoints — Add control points along the line to curve and redirect the path around other nodes. Cmd+Click on a cross-link line to add a waypoint. Cmd+Click on an existing waypoint to remove it. Drag waypoints to reshape the curve.

These options give you full control over how cross-links appear, making it easy to visually separate different types of connections at a glance.

Selecting and Deleting Cross-Links

Click on a cross-link line or its label to select it. The selected cross-link is highlighted in the inspector panel where you can edit its label, color, line style, and arrow style.

To delete a cross-link, select it and press Delete or Backspace. Press Escape to deselect a cross-link without deleting it.

If a node involved in a cross-link is deleted, the cross-link is automatically removed as well.

Saving

Cross-links are saved with your file, so they persist between sessions. When you reopen your mind map, all cross-links will be exactly where you left them.

Use Cases

• Linking related concepts: Connect ideas across different branches that share a common theme.
• Showing dependencies: In project planning, link tasks that depend on each other even when they belong to different workstreams.
• Cause and effect: Draw connections between causes in one branch and their effects in another.
• Study and research: Link supporting evidence to claims, or connect related theories across different subject areas.
• Software design: Connect components that interact with each other, even if they live in different parts of the architecture.