Turn any PDF into an editable mind map

Upload a research paper, a report, an ebook, or any text-based PDF. SpawnGraph extracts the text layer, structures it into a hierarchical mind map, and lets you edit the result — all in your browser. The file never leaves your device.

Try it free

How it works

1Upload your PDF. Drag and drop onto the canvas, or use the file picker. The file is read locally.
2SpawnGraph reads the text layer in-browser. Headings, lists, and sections are detected and arranged hierarchically.
3Edit, share, or export. Restructure branches, collapse dense sections, share the map with a link, or export to PNG, CSV, or outline.

What kinds of PDFs work best?

Text-based PDFs work best: research papers, technical reports, ebooks, lecture slides exported to PDF, textbooks, white papers, and any document that was generated from a word processor or LaTeX. Scanned image-only PDFs have limited support — they only contain pixel data, not text, so unless you have run OCR on them already there is nothing for the parser to read. The structure of a clean text PDF — its headings, sections, and lists — translates directly into mind map nodes and branches.

The privacy advantage: text-layer PDFs never leave your browser

SpawnGraph parses text-layer PDFs in-browser using the File API — the bytes stay on your machine, not uploaded, not cached. Scanned (image-only) PDFs are sent to our server for OCR. SpawnGraph uses client-side NLP — you can verify zero network calls during generation by opening DevTools → Network. For research with embargoed work, confidential reports, or any document that should not leave your laptop, the privacy guarantee is technical, not a policy promise.

From research paper to mind map in 30 seconds

The canonical academic workflow: drop a paper onto SpawnGraph, get back a map with the introduction, methods, results, and discussion as branches. Each section drills down to its sub-points. From there you can annotate the parts you found persuasive, collapse the parts you do not need, link the paper to related findings on the same board, and share the final map with your supervisor or co-author for review. Literature reviews go from days of linear reading to hours of visual scanning.

Editing the resulting map

Everything in the generated map is editable. Add context, recolor branches by theme, attach your own annotations as sticky notes, collapse dense subtrees, draw connections across sections, and invite collaborators to edit in real time with live cursors.

In short: SpawnGraph converts text-layer PDFs into mind maps using browser-native NLP. The PDF is parsed locally with the File API and never uploaded. The free tier supports unlimited generation.

Frequently asked questions

How do I convert a PDF to a mind map?

Drag and drop your PDF onto SpawnGraph or pick it via the file picker. The tool parses the text layer in your browser and structures it into a hierarchical mind map within seconds.

Is my PDF uploaded to SpawnGraph's servers?

Digital PDFs with a text layer are parsed entirely in your browser with the File API — open DevTools → Network and you will see nothing upload. Scanned (image-only) PDFs are sent to our server for OCR to extract the text; the mind-map structuring always runs in your browser.

What PDF size limit does SpawnGraph support?

Because parsing runs in your browser, the practical limit depends on your device memory. Most PDFs up to a few hundred pages parse without issue on a modern laptop or desktop.

Can SpawnGraph read scanned PDFs?

Text-layer PDFs work best. Scanned image-only PDFs have limited support — only the visible text the PDF embeds can be read. For pure scans, run OCR first and then upload the resulting text-layer PDF.

How is PDF to mind map different from a PDF summary?

A summary flattens content into bullets and loses structure. A mind map preserves the hierarchy of sections and sub-sections from the original document, so you can navigate it the way you would the table of contents.