How to use Minotrace
Minotrace is a board for mapping who is connected to whom. This guide takes about five minutes.
On this page
Quick start Entities and links Choosing a layout Saving and backups Sharing securely Keyboard shortcuts FAQQuick start
- Open minotrace.com. The first time, you'll see a sample case, Operation High Tide. Explore it freely; nothing is saved until you change it.
- Start your own board: ☰ → New board.
- Add an entity: double-click an empty spot (or right-click → New entity here, or press N). Pick a type (Person, Company, Bank account, Phone…) and give it a name.
- Link two entities: hover an entity, then drag one of the four small handles that appear around it onto another entity. Choose the type of link (e.g. Owns, Transferred to).
- Arrange: right-click an empty spot → Arrange ▸, or use the Arrange button in the toolbar, and pick a layout.
- Save a copy: ☰ → Save to file (Ctrl+S). Your board also autosaves in this browser.
Entities and links
- Select: click. Drag on empty space to select several. Ctrl+click (Cmd+click on Mac) adds to the selection, and Shift+drag adds an area.
- Edit: double-click an entity or a link to open its properties: name, type and attributes (any key/value, like DOB or Account number).
- Delete: select and press Delete (or Backspace), or right-click → Delete. Deleting an entity also removes its links. Ctrl+Z brings everything back.
- Move: drag an entity. Pan the board with the hand tool (H) or by holding Space, and zoom with the mouse wheel.
Choosing a layout
| Layout | Good for |
|---|---|
| Force | A first look at any network: clusters appear on their own |
| Circular / Circular groups | Small groups and who connects them |
| Grid | Tidying many entities into a readable block |
| Tree / Indented / Mindmap | Ownership and hierarchies: companies, shareholders, subsidiaries |
| Radial | Everything around one central person or company |
| Temporal | Events and transactions in time order |
| Swimlane | Timelines split by person or account |
Every layout can be undone with Ctrl+Z.
Saving and backups
Your boards are stored only in this browser. Nothing is sent to a server unless you share.
- ☰ → Save to file (Ctrl+S) downloads a
.minotracefile. It's a plain JSON file: you can open it in any text editor. - ☰ → Open… (Ctrl+O) loads a file back, on this computer or another one.
- ☰ → Export image… saves a PNG of the whole board, for reports and slides.
Clearing your browser data deletes your boards. Save to file regularly.
Sharing securely
☰ → Share… (or the share button, top right) creates a link. Whoever opens it gets an editable copy of the board in their own browser.
The board is end-to-end encrypted: the key lives only in the link, so Minotrace can't read it. Anyone with the link can open it, so send it only to people you trust. Read more in Security.
Keyboard shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+K or / | Command palette: search any action |
| N | New entity |
| V / H | Select tool / Hand (pan) tool |
| Space (hold) | Pan while held |
| Delete / Backspace | Delete selection |
| Ctrl+Z / Ctrl+Shift+Z | Undo / Redo |
| Shift+1 | Fit everything on screen |
| Ctrl+S / Ctrl+O | Save to file / Open file |
| ? | Show all shortcuts |
| Esc | Close menus, clear selection |
On a Mac, use Cmd instead of Ctrl.
Press ? in the app for the complete, always up-to-date list.
FAQ
Is it really free? Yes. Minotrace on the web is free, and the core board stays free.
Do I need an account? No. There are no accounts.
Can I use it on another computer? Save to file, then open that file on the other computer. Or share a link to yourself.
Can my team work on the same board at the same time? Not yet. Today, sharing creates a copy. Tell us if you need live collaboration: send feedback.
Can I import from Excel, CSV, i2 or Maltego? Not yet; it's on the list. Tell us which format matters most to you.
Which browsers are supported? Chrome, Edge and Firefox on desktop are tested. Safari and phones aren't tested yet; tell us if something breaks.
How big can a board be? Boards with up to 10,000 entities stay responsive. With the whole board in view, entities show as dots; zoom in to see icons and names.
Where is my data stored? In your browser. Shared boards are stored encrypted on Cloudflare. See Privacy and Security.