Node Icons

Icons give your nodes a quick visual identity, making it easy to scan your mind map and spot specific types of information at a glance. Whether you want to mark a node as a task, flag a warning, or simply add a bit of personality, icons provide an expressive way to enrich your maps.

Adding an Icon

Select the node you want to add an icon to and press Shift+I, or right-click the node and choose Add Icon. This opens the icon picker where you can browse and select from a wide range of icons. Once selected, the icon appears next to the node text.

Icon Types

The icon picker offers two types of icons:

SF Symbols

Over 60 system icons organized into categories for easy browsing:

• Status — checkmarks, warnings, flags, and indicators
• Calendar — dates, clocks, and time-related icons
• Actions — common actions like edit, delete, and share
• Objects — documents, folders, books, and everyday items
• Communication — messages, mail, and conversation icons
• People — person, group, and team icons
• Development — code, terminal, and developer tools
• Media — play, pause, music, and camera icons
• Arrows — directional arrows and navigation indicators

Emojis

Over 100 emojis spread across a wide range of categories:

• Faces — expressions and reactions
• Objects — everyday items and tools
• Status — indicators and signals
• Priority — urgency and importance markers
• Communication — speech, writing, and messaging
• People — people and roles
• Nature — plants, weather, and the outdoors
• Tech — devices, screens, and technology
• Travel — places, vehicles, and landmarks
• Food — food and drink
• Animals — animals and creatures
• Gestures — hand signals and gestures
• Symbols — mathematical, musical, and miscellaneous symbols

Searching and Navigating the Picker

The icon picker includes a search field — start typing to filter icons by name. This makes it fast to find exactly what you need without scrolling through every category. You can also navigate the picker using your arrow keys and press Enter to confirm your selection.

Changing or Removing an Icon

To change an existing icon, select the node and press Shift+I again to reopen the picker and choose a different one. To remove an icon entirely, use the context menu or the icon picker.

Combining Icons with Colors and Shapes

Icons work alongside colors and shapes to build a rich visual vocabulary for your maps. For example:

• A red diamond with a warning icon for critical decision points.
• A green rounded rectangle with a checkmark icon for completed items.
• A blue node with a question mark icon for open questions.
• A purple hexagon with a lightbulb icon for creative ideas.

By layering these visual properties, you can communicate meaning at a glance without reading every label.

Ideas for Using Icons

• Node types: Use a lightbulb for ideas, a checkmark for tasks, a question mark for open questions, and a warning sign for risks.
• Categories: Assign icons by domain — a code icon for development nodes, a message icon for communication topics, a calendar icon for deadlines.
• Visual hierarchy: Add icons to key nodes so they stand out when scanning a large map.
• Status tracking: Combine icons with colors to show progress — a flag icon on red for blocked, a checkmark icon on green for done.