Video Tutorials2022-10-19T09:21:18+02:00
 

Learn! – Jump in and get started with draw.io

draw.io Tutorials

Learn draw.io with our collection of video tutorials.  Whether you’re new to draw.io or diagramming, the materials are there to help you create professional looking diagrams, quickly and easily.

Visit us on YouTube

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from Youtube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

More Information
Unblock content Accept required service and unblock content

0:46 min

Open draw.io in Confluence

A draw.io diagram can be created within any Confluence page, provided you have permission to edit the page. If you don’t have the correct permissions for a specific page, you will not be able to find any diagram that is on that page, even when you search for it.

draw.io can be inserted like any other macro, using the macro browser. Click the drop down menu in the toolbar with the plus icon (“+”), then click on “draw.io diagram”.

If “draw.io diagram” is not directly in this menu, click on “Other macros” and enter “draw” in the search field at the top right of the dialog.

Tip: You can also use the curly bracket shortcut: “{draw” (Windows: “Alt Shift” + “7”, Mac: “Alt” + “8”).

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from Youtube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

More Information
Unblock content Accept required service and unblock content

0:39 min

How to use the template manager

If you want to quickly create a similar diagram, using templates or existing diagrams can help. You can create a copy of a template by clicking the “Copy” button. The original template is not changed, instead a clone is generated. The new diagram is opened in the draw.io interface.

When the template manager is displayed:

  • Click on the left menu item “draw.io Diagrams” then “Blank” to create a new, empty draw.io diagram.
  • Use “Search” to find existing diagrams to use as a template.
  • draw.io includes many templates by default (e.g. flowcharts, mind maps, and more). You can find these in the various categories listed on the left.

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from Youtube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

More Information
Unblock content Accept required service and unblock content

0:32 min

Save a diagram

When the draw.io editor is closed using the “Save and Exit” or “Exit” buttons, the Confluence page is displayed. The easiest way to save a diagram is using the “Save and Exit” button at the top right corner. draw.io automatically saves the state of a diagram. If you mistakenly click “Exit”, you can access and restore your changes when you insert a new diagram.

Click “File” > “Save” in the menu to save a diagram without exiting draw.io.

When you save a diagram for the first time, a filename for the diagram is generated. In the current release, you can not change a diagram’s filename within Confluence after it has been created.

After saving a diagram, it can be edited at any time – click on the diagram, and then click on “Edit” in the toolbar.

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from Youtube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

More Information
Unblock content Accept required service and unblock content

0:39 min

View mode

In view mode, you can display a larger version of the diagram by clicking on it (zoom in, zoom out). You can change the display of the diagram when editing the Confluence page (size, border, etc.). When you click on a diagram in edit mode, a toolbar is displayed either above or below the diagram.

The following options are available on this toolbar:

  • Change how the diagram is displayed within the Confluence page (border, toolbar, etc.)
  • Duplicate the diagram
  • Change the displayed size within the page (in the same way as images in Confluence)
  • Remove the diagram

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from Youtube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

More Information
Unblock content Accept required service and unblock content

0:35 min

Navigation in the diagram editor

In this video you will learn how to use the control panels and navigate within the draw.io editor. The drawing area is in the middle. Everything located here is visible in the diagram on the Confluence page after saving. The two most important navigation functions are moving the visible drawing area (panning or scrolling), and zooming in and out.

Use the mouse wheel or the scroll bars to scroll the drawing area vertically or horizontally. Similarly, you can click and hold the right mouse button and drag the visible drawing area around.

You can zoom in and out using the magnifying glass icons on the toolbar. Alternatively, press the “Alt” key and use the mouse wheel to zoom. You can see the current zoom status in the toolbar.

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from Youtube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

More Information
Unblock content Accept required service and unblock content

0:49 min

Control panels and tools

The control panels are divided into three sections.

First is a horizontal toolbar above the drawing area. The most important tools and the main menu are located in this top toolbar, as well as in the format panel on the right. Which tools are available depends on the context. For example, different tools are displayed when you are working with text compared to when you are working with objects.

Similarly, the format panel contents change depending on the context. When you select an object, you can customize the display, the included text, or the arrangement and size in the format panel. When nothing is selected, the drawing area itself may be customized.

The symbol library is displayed on the left hand side of the drawing area, and contains a variety of shapes organized into categories. Simply click on a shape from the symbol library, or click and drag the shape into the diagram. The shapes in the symbol library are categorized. You can expand or collapse these categories as needed.

  • You can select multiple shapes by holding the “Shift” key and selecting the shapes you want to use.
  • To delete all of the shapes you added from the symbol library. Hold the “Shift” key, select all of the shapes, then click on the trash icon in the toolbar. Alternatively, instead of using the toolbar to delete the selected shapes, simply press the “Delete” or “Backspace” key.

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from Youtube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

More Information
Unblock content Accept required service and unblock content

0:49 min

Select and move multiple objects

To move a single object, click on the object, hold the mouse button down and move the object to its new position.

To move multiple objects, select them with a frame as described below (or with the “Shift” key), and then move them to their new position. It is important that the mouse cursor is over one of the selected objects when you move them.

When the objects are close to each other, you can select them by clicking, holding the mouse button down, and ‘drawing’ a frame around all of the objects. It is important to start in an empty space in the drawing area, and ensure that the frame completely surrounds all of the objects you want to select.

If you want to change the color of all symbols and lines, select them as above, then select the color you want to use.

Tip: If you have made a mistake, you can undo your changes using the undo arrow in the toolbar at any time.

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from Youtube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

More Information
Unblock content Accept required service and unblock content

0:51 min

Duplicate shapes

There are various ways to duplicate an object:

  • Using the menu: Edit > Copy, then Edit > Paste
  • Using the menu: Edit > Duplicate (you save a step)
  • Keyboard shortcuts: “Ctrl” + “C” then “V” for copy + paste, or “Ctrl” + “D” for duplicate

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from Youtube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

More Information
Unblock content Accept required service and unblock content

0:32 min

Rotate shapes

To scale an object (make it smaller or larger), you can simply move any of the 8 blue points on the object. To proportionally resize an object, hold down the “Shift” key as you move the points.

Click on the rotate symbol to rotate the object in the desired direction.

To more accurately scale or rotate an object, use the Shape Format panel on the right hand side when the object is selected. Click on the “Arrange” tab, then you can alter the size, position and angle of the selected object.

If you want to change the height of a rectangle to match an earlier rectangle, copy the height value from the first rectangle to the current rectangle.

You can also rotate an object by changing its Angle or by using Flip.

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from Youtube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

More Information
Unblock content Accept required service and unblock content

0:51 min

Replace shapes

To replace an object, drag a shape from the symbol library onto the object you want to change, until the “Replace” symbol is displayed.

To replace multiple objects, select them, then hold down the “Alt” key and select the shape you want to use from the symbol library, or drag a shape onto one of the selected objects.

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from Youtube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

More Information
Unblock content Accept required service and unblock content

1:11 min

How to add, edit and style text

You can insert text directly in any object. Click on the object, then enter your text. The text and the object are always grouped together. For example, you don’t have to select both the object and text individually before moving the object.

Similarly, you can add text to any connection. Double click on a connection and enter your text.

You can also add text anywhere in the drawing area (outside of objects and connections). Double click on an empty area, or select “Text” from the library.

Text inside of an object wraps automatically. You can edit the text formatting using the “Text” tab on the format panel.

Text on connections

  • Text on connections can wrap over multiple lines.
  • You can also add multiple text labels on one line.
  • Move a text field by clicking on the yellow dot and dragging it to a new position.
  • You can move any text field on a connection with this method.
  • When you want to reposition a connection with its text, simply move the connection.
  • You can change the text size, font, color, and more.

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from Youtube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

More Information
Unblock content Accept required service and unblock content

1:11 min

How to use connectors

If you hover the mouse cursor over an unselected object (without clicking), you will see multiple small crosses (connection points), and four blue arrows (connection arrows).

You need to be careful not to hover over a selected object, because then, only the blue connection arrows are displayed.

A connection can be created using one of the small crosses (connection points), or with one of the blue connection arrows. When you hover over a connection point, it will be highlighted green, so you know you are in the right position.

Connections in the library

To insert a connector from the symbol library, click on the connection you want to use., then drag and drop it from the library into position on the drawing area. You can then connect the ends of the connectors to the connection points on any of the objects within your diagram.

Duplicate and connect objects

Click on the blue arrow at the bottom of an object to duplicate it and its content (shape, color, size), and automatically connect the duplicated object to the original. If another object is nearby when you click on the blue arrow, it will not duplicate the object, but instead link the two existing objects together.

By default, a connection with an arrow is used, but you can change this or delete the arrow in the “Style” tab of the format panel.

Tip: There are several ways to duplicate shapes and work with connectors.

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from Youtube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

More Information
Unblock content Accept required service and unblock content

2:35 min

Anchor links within a page

Catch the attention of your readers and make a long page more usable by creating a diagram for navigation and inserting anchor links. You can use these links to jump to the headings throughout the page.

First create your diagram, then select and right click on a shape. Select Edit link, then Page Content from the left hand panel. Select the heading you want the shape to link to, then click Insert.

Now users can use your diagram to navigate down the page easily!

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from Youtube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

More Information
Unblock content Accept required service and unblock content

0:41 min

Use the revision history to see changes

Changes to a draw.io diagram are directly saved in Confluence in the page history. This includes the date and time of the change, as well as the user who made the change. You can restore older versions of a diagram from the page history.

It’s vitally important that a diagram’s version history is stored within Confluence to comply with audits and comprehensive change tracking. draw.io is the only tool of its kind that is so deeply (and usefully) integrated into Confluence.

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from Youtube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

More Information
Unblock content Accept required service and unblock content

0:56 min

Import and export diagrams

You can see the import and export options using the “File” menu.

Export file formats Import file formats
  • .xml
  • .vsdx
  • .gliffy
  • .png (with embedded XML)
  • .svg
  • .jpg
  • .gif
  • .xml
  • .vsdx
  • .pdf
  • .html
  • .png (with embedded XML)
  • .svg
  • .jpeg

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from Youtube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

More Information
Unblock content Accept required service and unblock content

1:37 min

Gliffy Import

Importing all existing Gliffy diagrams within Confluence is easy using the mass import function.

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from Youtube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

More Information
Unblock content Accept required service and unblock content

3:30 min

How to use the draw.io Board editor

This video introduces you to the reduced editor of our Board macro in draw.io for Confluence. With the Board editor, you can use draw.io like a digital whiteboard. draw.io Boards is integrated into our draw.io Diagrams for Confluence app.