Generate a knowledge map

Open a source or note's Knowledge Map view to generate an editable map. Atlas starts automatically when the item content is ready.

Create the map

1. Open the source or note you want to map.
2. Open its Knowledge Map view.
3. Wait for the generated canvas to appear.

If a saved map exists, Atlas opens it. For a PDF, Preparing knowledge map means Atlas is waiting for usable content.

Re-generate with a prompt

To change an existing map's focus:

1. Select Re-generate above the Download button.
2. In Enter map prompt, describe what the new map should emphasize, or leave it empty for a general map.
3. Select Re-generate to delete the old map and generate its replacement.

For example, enter: "Focus on the research methodology, evidence, and limitations." Prompts can contain up to 1,000 characters.

Select Cancel before submitting to keep the existing map. If replacement generation fails, the old map has already been deleted. Your prompt remains available to retry.

If you delete a map separately, reopening its full Knowledge Map view generates it again.

Wait for the map

• Couldn't prepare knowledge map means Atlas could not get usable PDF content for the map.
• Couldn't create knowledge map means generation failed. Use the retry control after the source is ready.
• Couldn't load knowledge map means Atlas could not load a previously saved map. Try loading it again.

For more recovery steps, see Troubleshoot maps.