Open files in VS Code and Cursor / Docs and diagrams

XMind to Excel (CSV)

In XMind itself, Excel export needs XMind Pro (USD 4.92 a month, per xmind.com/pricing on 10 Nov 2026). XMind Viewer in VS Code opens .xmind maps for free and exports PNG, SVG and Markdown for free. Its Pro tool CSV (Excel) writes every topic of every sheet as a table: sheet, level, path, notes, labels, markers and link. It has 3 free tries, then Zovo Pro is USD 19 once, not a subscription.

Free, MIT license. Extension ID zovo.xmind-mind-map-viewer, version 0.2.2. Needs VS Code 1.90.0 or newer.

Steps in VS Code

1. Install XMind Viewer from the Marketplace, or press Ctrl+P (Cmd+P on macOS) and run ext install zovo.xmind-mind-map-viewer.
2. Click the .xmind file in the Explorer. It opens in XMind Viewer (XMind 8 and 2020+ files).
3. Export PNG, SVG, or the sheet as a Markdown outline. That is free, and the map file is never changed.

Where Zovo Pro saves time

Viewing maps and exporting PNG (up to 2x), SVG, a Markdown outline of the sheet or all sheets as one Markdown file are free.

Each topic becomes a row with its full path, so you can filter and sort the map in Excel. The same tool writes OPML for outliners. Convert a folder does every .xmind, .mm and .opml file in a folder to Markdown, CSV or OPML in one run.

With CSV (Excel) and OPML (Zovo Pro)

4. Open the Export menu, right-click the map in the Explorer, or use the Command Palette (type XMind).
5. Pick CSV (Excel) and save.
6. Open the CSV in Excel: one row per topic with sheet, level, path, notes, labels, markers and link.

CSV (Excel) and OPML works 3 times on your computer before it asks for a license, and a try counts only when you get a result. Opening a file shows no popup and no countdown.

Zovo Pro costs USD 19 once. It is not a subscription, and it turns on the Pro tools in every Zovo extension, not only XMind Viewer. After a card payment (Stripe) your license key shows on the next page. In VS Code, run "Zovo Pro: Enter Zovo Pro license key" from the Command Palette and paste it. The key is checked on your computer, with no network call. With GitHub Sponsors, pick the "$19 one time" tier, then run "Zovo Pro: I already paid: unlock with GitHub Sponsors" and sign in with the same GitHub account. With PayPal, send USD 19 with "Zovo Pro" in the note and the key comes by email within a day.

A team of 5: USD 59 once, by card or by PayPal. Every rule and every Pro tool is on the Zovo Pro page.

Steps in Cursor, Windsurf or VSCodium

1. Open the Extensions view with Ctrl+Shift+X (Cmd+Shift+X on macOS).
2. Search for zovo.xmind-mind-map-viewer and click Install. Cursor, Windsurf and VSCodium install from Open VSX, where it is published as zovo/xmind-mind-map-viewer.
3. If your editor has no gallery, download the .vsix from the Open VSX page and run "Extensions: Install from VSIX...".
4. Then use it the same way as in VS Code.

What XMind Viewer handles

• Every sheet in one table.
• Notes, labels, markers and links.
• A folder of maps in one run.

What it does not do

• It writes CSV, which Excel opens; not an .xlsx with formatting.
• Existing files are never overwritten.

Other options

• XMind Pro. Export to Excel from XMind with a paid plan.
• xmind2Excel, xm2xl. Free open-source scripts (Python and command line) that read .xmind files.

Install counts and Open VSX status were checked on 11 November 2026. Descriptions in quotes are the extensions' own.

Questions

More about XMind Viewer

Read the XMind Viewer page for every feature and setting, or the source code on GitHub.

Related guides

• XMind Viewer & Mind Map Viewer on the VS Code Marketplace (also on Open VSX). Opens XMind mind maps in VS Code.
• XMind to PDF without XMind Pro
• Preview a reStructuredText (.rst) file in VS Code
• Read an RTF file in VS Code
• Preview Mermaid diagrams in VS Code