Think in bullet points. Type an item, press Enter for the next one and Tab to nest it underneath, then collapse branches, drag items into place and export the whole outline as Markdown, OPML or plain text. Everything is saved privately in your browser.
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Enter new item · Tab / Shift+Tab indent / outdent · Alt+Shift+↑↓ move · Ctrl+↑↓ collapse / expand · Ctrl+Enter done · drag ⋮⋮ to reorder
Export
Import an outline (OPML, Markdown, indented text)
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How to use the Online Outliner
Type your first item. Press Enter to start a new item below it; pressing Enter in the middle of a line splits it in two.
Build the hierarchy. Press Tab to make an item a child of the one above, and Shift+Tab to move it back out one level.
Collapse and reorder. Click the arrow next to an item to fold its children, and drag the ⋮⋮ handle (or use Alt+Shift+Up/Down) to move an item and everything under it.
Mark progress. Press Ctrl+Enter (Cmd+Enter on Mac) to tick an item off, turn on numbering, or search to filter long outlines.
Export. Choose Markdown, OPML or Plain text below the outline, then copy the result or download it as a file. Use Import to bring an outline back in.
Keyboard shortcuts
The outliner is designed to be used without lifting your hands from the keyboard. On a Mac, use ⌘ wherever Ctrl is listed.
Shortcut
What it does
Enter
New item below. In the middle of a line it splits the text into two items; at the very start it inserts an empty item above.
Tab / Shift + Tab
Indent under the item above / outdent one level
↑ / ↓
Move the cursor to the previous / next visible item
Alt + Shift + ↑ / ↓
Move the item (with all its children) up or down
Ctrl + ↑ / ↓
Collapse / expand the current item (Ctrl + . toggles)
Ctrl + Enter
Mark the item done or not done
Backspace at the start of a line
Deletes an empty item, or joins the text onto the item above
Ctrl + Shift + Backspace
Delete the item and everything under it
Ctrl + Z / Ctrl + Y
Undo / redo (also Ctrl + Shift + Z)
Which export format should you choose?
Format
What it looks like
Keeps
Best for
Markdown (.md)
- Item with two spaces per level (four when numbered); done items as - [x] Item
Hierarchy, order, done state, title as # heading
README files, note apps that read Markdown, GitHub issues, documentation
OPML 2.0 (.opml)
XML <outline text="…"> elements nested inside each other
Hierarchy, order, done state (_complete="true"), title
Moving an outline into another outliner, mind-map or writing app
Plain text (.txt)
One item per line, indented with tabs or spaces, optional 1.2.3 numbers
Hierarchy and order
Emails, chat messages, pasting into a word processor or spreadsheet
All three formats can be imported again, so you can keep a backup in whichever one suits you. Collapsed branches are always exported in full; collapsing only changes what you see on screen.
Tips for better outlines
Brain-dump first, organise later. Type every idea as a top-level item without worrying about order, then drag related items under a common heading.
Keep one idea per item. Short items are easier to move, reorder and tick off than long paragraphs.
Aim for parallel siblings. Items on the same level should be the same kind of thing (all steps, all chapters, all questions), which makes gaps easy to spot.
Collapse what you are not working on. Folding finished or background branches keeps the part you are thinking about on screen; the small badge shows how many items are hidden.
Use numbering for documents. Turn on 1.1.2 numbering when the outline will become an essay, report or table of contents, so every section has a clear reference.
Back it up. The outline lives in this browser only. Download an OPML or Markdown copy of anything you would not want to lose.
Frequently asked questions
What is an outliner?
An outliner is an editor for hierarchical lists: every line is an item that can contain child items, which can contain their own children, and so on. Branches can be collapsed and moved as a unit, which makes outliners popular for planning, note taking, writing drafts, meeting agendas and breaking projects into tasks.
How do I indent and outdent items?
Click in an item and press Tab to indent it under the item above (it becomes that item's last child), or Shift+Tab to outdent it one level so it follows its former parent. The Indent and Outdent buttons in the toolbar do the same for the selected item.
What is OPML and when should I use it?
OPML (Outline Processor Markup Language) is an XML format designed for outlines. Each item is an outline element with a text attribute, nested to match your hierarchy. Many outliner, note-taking and mind-mapping apps can import and export OPML, so it is the safest choice for moving an outline between programs. This tool writes OPML 2.0 and marks completed items with _complete="true".
What does the Markdown export look like?
Each item becomes a list item starting with a dash, and every level is indented two more spaces (four when numbering is on, so ordered lists nest correctly). Completed items become task-list items written as - [x]. If the outline has a title it is added as a # heading at the top.
Where is my outline saved?
In your browser's local storage on this device. It is saved automatically a moment after each change and is never uploaded. Clearing site data or using a private window removes it, and other browsers or computers will not see it, so export an OPML or Markdown copy to keep a backup.
Can I import an existing list?
Yes. Open Import, then paste text or open a .opml, .md or .txt file. Indented lines become nested items, Markdown bullets (-, *, +), numbers like 1. or 1.2. and check boxes [ ] or [x] are recognised, and Markdown headings become parent items. You can replace the current outline or append to it.
Can I undo a mistake?
Yes. Press Ctrl+Z (Cmd+Z on Mac) or the Undo button to step back through edits, moves, deletions and imports, and Ctrl+Y or Ctrl+Shift+Z to redo. The history keeps the last 200 steps while the page is open.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.