Best Templates for Mind Mapping in 2023

I learned Mind Mapping technique in my school days. I am still using it in the old-fashioned way, using pen and paper to collect information and research. But recently, I thought of creating one on my laptop. I searched for tools, software, and ended up with templates. Because, using templates for Mind Mapping would be easy and save my time in creating one and learning new software.

Most of the users use templates for mind mapping in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Google Docs, Canva, Microsoft OneNote and Microsoft Visio. Now Mind Mapping software is are AI based like Chatmind, Whimsical, Gitmind, etc

So, we will provide download link for the best template for mind mapping to be used in the mentioned applications. The best templates for mind mapping in 2023 are Travel Plan, Weekly School Plan, Cost Benefit Analysis, Financial Statement and Work Breakdown.

What are Mind Maps?

In simple words, Mind Map is a diagram used to display complex and large information based on a central idea or topic visually. Let us see the definition and meaning of mind map in detail.

What is Mind Mapping?

It is a note taking technique that allows you to organize facts and thoughts in map format. The map contains a central image, major themes, key images and keywords forming a connected nodal structure. The major themes spread from the central image and branches with key images and keywords.

Mind Maps may contain many sub-topics. So, to keep a mind map organized, it is better to color code them. Adding visual elements (images and illustrations) to a mind map helps you to visualize an idea. This makes our brain process it faster.

Who can use Mind Mapping?

Mind Mapping is a technique that allows you to organize what you are hearing and reading. So, that you will be able to store it, remember it and retrieve it whenever you need. It allows you to organize facts, ideas, concepts or even summarize a book, chapter, etc.

Everyone including teachers, students and business person can use mind map and mind mapping  technique.

Mind mapping examples

Where to use mind mapping?

Basically, you can use mind mapping for the following things.

• Brainstorming
• Summarizing facts and information.
• Complex Problem Thinking
• Studying, Retaining and Recalling Information.
• Consolidating information.

Apart from these, you can use mind mapping innovatively as you like.

Techniques of Mind Mapping

A good mind map will be able to show the overall structure of topic or problem. It will contain images, lines, and their relationship. Unlike simple note making technique, it is a graphics technique containing visual objects.

Tony Buzan Mind Mapping Technique

We know Tony Buzan as the father of Mind Mapping. His guidelines are given below.

• Mind Map starts at centre and builds out radially.
• Main topic is placed at the center with subtopic branching out.. 
• Any Ideas are allowed to be written freely.
• The ideas you write are known as Keywords.
• One Keyword is to be written in one line.
• Keywords are connected to the main central topic with lines.
• To highlight and emphasize Keyword images, symbols, codes and different colors are used.

Mind Mapping Software

• XMind
• Mindmeister
• Coogle
• Freemind
• Draw.io
• Lucidchart
• Stormboard

Mind Mapping App for Mobile

• Mindjet
• Mindly
• Mindmeister
• MindNode
• Simplemind
• Mondomo
• iMindMap

AI Mind Mapping Software

• Chatmind
• Whimsical
• Gitmind
• Ayoa
• XMind

Best Free Templates for Mind Mapping in 2023

Most of you use office application in your everyday life. Nearly 1.2 billion users use some kind of Microsoft office product like Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc at present. So, mind mapping templates for these products are the most searched one and we will provide download direct link for these.

Canva is the most popular graphics tool online. Google Suite is gaining popularity as an Office suite for online usage. Templates for Google docs and Google Drive are mostly searched. One Note is  a popular note taking application from Microsoft. 

We will discuss and list the best templates for Mind Mapping for the above mentioned application one by one. But, let us know what is templates?

What is Templates?

Templates are a ready-made format to create anything on the computer. It might be documents, images, videos, programs etc.It contains the overall layout and predefined content which makes our work easy, simple and time saving.

Template in this post refers to the ready-made editable files to create a mind map easily. There are many software and apps to create mind maps. Each software or app has templates provided by them or created by users. So, you will be able to draw mind maps easily in less time.

Templates for Mind Mapping in Canva

Creating a mind map in Canva is very easy, simple and intuitive. Canva has got an extensive collection of mind map templates and examples. You can edit and change the mind map according to you. You can also adjust the colors, fonts, text and many other things. Moreover, you correct grammar and spelling mistakes of text in Canva using free online grammar tools available.

Features of Mind Map template in Canva

• The design of a mind map template in Canva made to fast-track your workflow.
• Presently, Canva has 37+  templates for mind mapping.
• The User Interface  to create a mind map in Canvais easy drag-and-drop.
• The data visualization in Canva‘s mind map template is easy for you to use. Even a beginner can use it.
• You can use their mind and embed in other media files like documents, power presentation, video, etc.
• Team collaboration is available in Canva. So, you can brainstorm your idea with your teammates.

How to design Mind Map in Canva

• Open  Canva and search for a “mind map”. You will be presented with 37+ mind map template. Select any of them.
• Click on the text or elements (Circle, square, images, etc) to customize according to your need.
• Format your mind map by customizing colors, font, text size, etc
• You can also add different elements like frames, shapes, lines, etc.
• Save in different formats and even share it.

Format Available to download Mind Map in Canva

• JPG
• PNG
• PDF – Standard and Print.

Sharing Mind Map from Canva

You can share mind maps in Canva to various platforms. To list some of them are.

• Facebook 
• Twitter
• Link Sharing
• Canva Present – like MS PowerPoint.
• Email.

Microsoft Word Template for Mind Map

Microsoft Word is the most popular document creating application in the world. Nearly 1.2 billion use it in everyday life for creating documents, mind maps, etc. It would be easy for you to use a ready made templates for mind mapping in word. 

You can create mind maps in Word manually using Shapes, Smart Art, images, lines, etc. Word provides the highest level of customization for creating Mind Maps.

Tools Provides by MS Word to create Mind Maps manually

• Shapes – Insert > Shapes
• SmartArt –  Insert > SmartArt
• Pictures-  Insert > Pictures
• Text Box-  Insert > Text Boxes

5 Best Templates for Mind Mapping in Microsoft Word

Know Yourself Mind Map

Social Media Mind Map 

Travel Plan Mind Map

Waste disposal Mind Map

Weekly School Plan Mind Map

Mind Mapping Templates for PowerPoint.

PowerPoint is the most used application for presentation. It is generally used in almost every industry. Mind Map is an essential diagram used in almost every PowerPoint presentation. It allows you to create dynamic slides (pages) which include animation, narration, images, videos, etc.

Microsoft PowerPoint is the most popular PowerPoint application available. So, we will provide 5 best  templates for mind mapping in PowerPoint.

Best Templates for Mind Mapping for PowerPoint

Cost Benefit Analysis Mind Map

Financial Statement Mind Map

Social Media Mind Map

Sales Strategies  Mind Map

Waste Disposal Mind Map

Microsoft Visio Templates for Mind Mapping

Miscrosoft Viso is the top rated and best mind mapping tools of 2023. Microsoft Viso comes as a bundle pack with Microsoft Office or as a standalone application. It is basically used to create professional diagrams, flowcharts, floor plans, engineering designs. Etc.

You can create a Mind map in Microsoft Viso by two ways.

• Using Inbuilt template for Visio by MindMaster
• Manually creating mind map templates in Visio.

Using Inbuilt template for Visio by MindMaster

On the negative side, Mindmaster doesn’t provides direct templates for Microsoft Visio for Mind Mapping. But there is little hack to create one. You can use inbuilt mind map templates in Mind Master and save it in Visio (.vsd )format. And then open and edit it in Visio for added features.

Steps for creating using Visio inbuilt template

• Open MindMaster and choose any mind map template.
• Save it in Viso file format (.vsd) or any format supported by Visio.
• Edit and customize the mind map in Visio.

Manually creating mind map templates in Visio.

It is always best to create a mind map manually and from scratch. Mind Map is called brainstorming diagram in Microsoft Visio. To make a mind map in Visio manually, you can follow two methods. To list, they are.

• Using Brainstorming template
• Using brainstorming shapes.

Using the Brainstorming Template of Visio.

You can find brainstorming templates in the template gallery in Visio. After launching the template, you can edit and customize according to your needs. Topics, sub-topics and keywords can be added from a brainstorming ribbon. Brainstorm in Visio provides different tools to format your mind map.

Using Brainstorming Shapes

You can find brainstorming shapes in More Shapes>Business>Brainstorming in Visio. After shapes launches, arrange the shapes and add lines to create a mind map. You can customize the mind map with text, colors, images, etc. Basically, Brainstorming ribbon provides the tools to add topics to keywords. Visio also provides a shortcut menu to make quick changes and edits.

Best Microsoft Visio Templates for Mind Mapping 

Agile Principles Mind Map

Basic Mind Map Template

Cost Benefit Analysis Mind Map

Social Media Uses Mind Map

Work Breakdown Mind Map

Mind Mapping with OneNote 

Microsoft OneNote is a digital note taking application. Besides note taking you can also store screen clipping, drawing and commentaries. OneNote helps you to organize your information into sections and pages.

Feature of OneNote for Mind Mapping

• Mind Maps in OneNote can be organized into sections and pages. So, you can navigate and search your mind map easily.
• Customization of Mind Maps with highlighting, ink annotations and other tools.
• You can share and collaborate your mind map with your teammates.

Templates for Mind Mapping in OneNote

There is not much inbuilt template provided by OneNote. But you can create one or import from another application. Creating a new mind map from scratch is the best option.

To draw a mind map in OneNote, you have to create a new section with a blank page. Then go to Insert > Draw to get different drawing tools. These tolls will easily help you to create mind maps.

Features of templates for Mind Mapping in One Note.

• Main Topic – Put it in the centre of the OneNote Page.
• Create Sub-topic and Keywords.
• Use branches to connect to the main topic
• Color code the connection, sun-topic and keywords.

You can text, colors, images and other things to make the mind map appealing.

Best Templates for Mind Mapping for  OneNote 

Healthy Grocery Mind Map

Little Prince Story Mind Map

Teaching Plan Mind Map

Waste Disposal Mind Map

Weekly School Plan Mind Map

Mind Map Template in Google Docs

Google Docs is the most popular online office suite used by everyone. There are several mind map tools for Google Docs as add-ons or applications for Google Drive. Let us discuss the top 5 best mind map tools and add-ons for Google Docs.

LucidChart Diagrams by Lucid Software 

Lucidchart is the most popular and provides the best free templates for mind mapping. It is used by over 15 million people.

Lucid Software provides Lucidchart Diagram for Google Suite, including Google Docs. You can create an online diagram of mind maps using Lucidchart diagrams. Besides, you can also create flowchart, wireframes, UML and more.

Features of Lucidchart diagrams.

• It has drop-and-drag feature for easy drawing.
• Many templates for mind mapping are available to choose from.
• It has real time collaboration features. So, you can work with your team mates together.
• It provides many easy to share and publish features.

MindMeister by www.mindmeister.com

 MindMeister provides the easiest and best free templates for mind mapping. It lets you turn any bullet-point list into a visually appealing mind map. Thus the mind map created will be automatically inserted in your Google docs.

Basically, with a click of a button it turns any list to mind map. The first point becomes the main topics of the mind map. The other points become sub-topics. Sub-list or points under the main list become keywords subsequently.

MindMup 2 by Gkko Adzic

MindMup is an open-source and free application integrated with best mind map tools. It is one of the best mind map add-ons for Google Suite. It also provides the best templates for mind mapping. Overall, it is a great browser based mind map tool with lots of features.

Features of MindMup 2

• Better Google Drive/Google apps like Google docs integration.
• You can attach files (images, illustrations, etc) to map nodes from Google Drive.
• You can also add images from Google Photos.
• It provides many templates, visual themes, argument visualization for mind maps.

Sketchboard by sketchboardme

Sketchboard is an online whiteboard for creating beautiful mind maps. It makes online diagramming and mind mapping  simple, fun and intuitive. Sketchboard not only allows you to mind map your ideas, concepts, etc. but allow collaboration with your teammates.

It has many free templates for mind mapping. You can use this readymade template to create studding mind maps.

Features of Sketchboard

• It provides endless virtual whiteboards. So, there is no limit to keywords and paper size.
• The shape gallery in Sketchboard has 400+ shapes. This allows you infinite options for customization of mind maps.
• It provides many ready-made free  templates for mind mapping.
• Apart from above, it also has real-time team collaboration features.

Mindomo by mindomo

Mindomo is one of the best tools to provide templates for mind mapping. It allows you to draw visually stunning mind maps. You can make concepts, tasks, ideas and other information into a single structured information-mind map.

This tool provides many templates for mind mapping to be used in many fields. To list, some are education, business, personal development, etc.

Features of Mindomo

• Mind maps in Mindomo can be turned into presentation or real time editable outlines.
• Many customization options are present in Mindomo. You canada icons, colors, styles and templates.
• Mindomo has the highest number of import and export features. To list some are.
  • PDF
  • RTF
  • PPT
  • TXT
  • HTML
  • ZIP
  • PNG
  • XLS.
• Real Time collaboration with teammates for working on mind maps.

Final Verdict

We have seen that mind mapping helps us to display complex information in a easy way. So, we can store it in our brain and retrieve it. Few ready made templates for mind mapping are provided by some application like Canva, Google Docs, etc.

You can also directly download over 15+ ready made templates for mind mapping from here. The templates for mind mapping are provided for Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Microsoft OneNote and Microsoft Visio. Summing up, the best template like Travel Plan, Cost Benefit Analysis, Financial Statement, etc can be downloaded for free here.