Create from files, links, and templates

AmyMind can start from almost anything you already have. The important distinction is whether the input becomes source material for AI or an exact structure.

Two ways to start

• The create box on the home page — type, paste, drop a file, or paste a YouTube link. This is the fastest path.
• Create New / Import File on the dashboard — the same actions with a form for a topic or pasted text. Both paths use the same file parser and the same AI behavior.

What happens to each input

Input	Accepted file	What AmyMind does
Short topic	—	AI generates a new map.
Pasted text	—	AI turns the text into a map. A line break or about 160+ characters switches to this mode.
PDF	.pdf	Text is extracted, then AI generates a map.
Word	.doc, .docx	Text is extracted, then AI generates a map.
Plain text	.txt	Read as text, then AI generates a map.
Markdown	.md	Imported as an exact map; with a sentence in the box, AI regenerates from its outline.
FreeMind	.mm	Imported as an exact map; with a sentence, AI regenerates.
XMind	.xmind	Imported as an exact map; with a sentence, AI regenerates.
AmyMind	.amymind	Imported exactly, including notes and images; with a sentence, AI regenerates.
YouTube	link	Captions are fetched, then AI generates a map.

Import exactly vs. generate with AI

The create box decides from one rule:

• If the file has a structure and the box is empty, the structure is imported as-is.
• If the box contains any text, that text becomes the instruction and the file becomes source material, so the result is a new AI-generated map.
• Text-only files (PDF, Word, TXT) have no structure to import, so they always go through AI.

The attachment chip shows the current outcome before you submit. Remove the text to switch back to import, or remove the attachment to start over.

PDF: what to expect

• AmyMind needs selectable text. A scanned PDF without an OCR layer cannot be read. Run OCR first, or copy the text and paste it into the create box.
• Repeated page headers, footers, and page numbers are removed before the text is sent to the AI.
• A document longer than 30 pages triggers a warning. It is not truncated, but very long documents tend to produce shallow maps. Splitting the PDF into two or three parts usually gives a better result.
• If no text can be extracted, the attachment is rejected rather than producing an empty map.

Word and text

• .docx extracts reliably. Legacy .doc files are accepted but may not extract cleanly; re-save as .docx if the result is empty.
• .txt files are decoded with encoding detection, so older non-UTF-8 files usually open correctly.
• Word documents are flattened to text: headings, tables, and lists become source material, not map levels.

Existing mind maps

• Markdown uses heading levels as the hierarchy.
• FreeMind and XMind preserve the branch structure and node names. XMind notes are imported.
• .amymind is AmyMind's own file and keeps the most: hierarchy, notes, images, colors, shapes, and layout.

Use exact import when the map is already good and you only want to edit it in AmyMind. Add a sentence when the map is raw material and you want a new structure.

YouTube

• The video must have captions (manual or auto-generated). Without captions there is nothing to read.
• The transcript is capped at about 12,000 characters. For a long video, split the link by topic or paste the remaining transcript manually.
• If captions are missing, open the video on YouTube, turn on auto-captions, or copy the transcript into the create box.

Templates

The dashboard Templates button and the marketing template pages open an editable copy of a template in the editor. A template is a normal map after it opens — nothing is locked, and your changes do not affect the template.

Blank maps

Choose New blank mind map in the Create New menu. You get a single root node and an empty canvas. This is the right start when you already know the structure and do not want AI to propose one. See Build a map by hand.

Output language

The language selector applies to every AI path on this page. Auto follows the source material; Follow interface language uses the app language; a specific language always wins. Exact imports are not translated — they keep their original text.

Troubleshooting

Problem	What to try
The file is rejected	Check the extension against the table above.
A PDF produces nothing	The PDF is probably scanned; run OCR or paste the text.
The map is too shallow	Split long sources and add a focus sentence.
The imported map looks different	Use exact import (empty box) for structural files; AI intentionally restructures.
YouTube fails	Check captions, try a shorter video, or paste the transcript.