Utilities Windows
FreeMind
Organize ideas, project notes and linked research in branching mind maps with FreeMind, a free, open-source Java application. This entry links to the Windows 1.0.1 Max installer.
- Operating system
- Windows; publisher compatibility notes document older versions through Windows 7
- Architecture
- Not specified by the publisher for this installer
- Download package
- EXE installer — Max edition, without embedded Java
Requires a separately installed compatible Java runtime. Documentation lists Java 1.6 minimum; the 2026 advisory excludes Java 24 and later. Windows 10/11 operation and specific supported runtime combinations were not verified.
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What is FreeMind?
FreeMind turns notes into branching mind maps for brainstorming, outlining essays and organizing project information. Fold branches to focus on one area, rearrange nodes with drag and drop, and attach web or local-file links to keep supporting material near the relevant idea. Colors, fonts and built-in icons help distinguish topics without turning the map into a full drawing project.
Maps are stored in XML format, and HTML export offers a way to share an outline outside the application. The linked Windows package is the 1.0.1 Max installer, which includes plugins such as PDF and SVG export; the smaller Min package omits those exports. The publisher identifies 1.0.1, released on April 12, 2014, as the stable release and labels 1.1.0 Beta2 separately. The screenshot is a historical FreeMind interface example, not proof of the appearance of the linked release.
Compatibility needs attention before installation. The download documentation gives Java 1.6 as the minimum, but the publisher's 2026 security advisory says FreeMind 1.0.1 does not run on Java 24 or later. Its Windows compatibility page documents older systems through Windows 7; the sources reviewed do not establish Windows 10 or 11 compatibility.
The same advisory warns that malicious Groovy scripts can escape FreeMind's scripting restrictions. Do not run scripts from untrusted mind maps or configure untrusted startup scripts. The publisher says stored map scripts do not run automatically just because a map is opened. This is an advisory, not a claim that the installer or application has been security-tested here.
What it offers
- Build branching mind maps with foldable nodes for notes, outlines and project planning.
- Move nodes with drag and drop and organize them with colors, fonts and built-in icons.
- Add web links and links to local files to map nodes.
- Store maps in XML format and export an outline to HTML.
- Use PDF and SVG export plugins included in the Max package.
Good to know
- FreeMind 1.0.1 does not run on Java 24 or later, according to the publisher's 2026 advisory; the older Java 1.6 minimum is not a guarantee of compatibility with every later runtime.
- The publisher reports an open Groovy scripting sandbox vulnerability affecting 1.0.1. Never run scripts from untrusted maps or use untrusted startup scripts.
- Windows 10 and 11 compatibility is not established by the reviewed publisher documentation, which lists older Windows releases through Windows 7.
- Images used in map nodes must be carried along separately when moving the map to another computer.
Product images
Sources
References used for this listing. Retrieval dates do not indicate hands-on testing.
- FreeMind - Download — served Windows product page ↗Retrieved
- FreeMind — official main page ↗Retrieved
- Download - FreeMind — stable release and Java requirements ↗Retrieved
- FreeMind - Browse /freemind/1.0.1 at SourceForge.net ↗Retrieved
- Windows - FreeMind — historical compatibility documentation ↗Retrieved
- FreeMind Bugs #1309 — A malicious script can cause harm by escaping the security sandbox ↗Retrieved
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