All mind maps are owned by the team, not by individual creators. Typically, the team that created the mind map is the owner of all mind maps.

All mind maps are owned by the team to which the user who created them belongs. The map is not owned by the individual creator but by their team.

Even mind maps that are not shared with the team always belong to the team, not to the individual who created them.

Why is Mind Map Ownership so Important?

Mind map ownership determines who retains access to the mind map if a team member decides to leave the team or is removed from it. This can affect permissions and mind map accessibility.

What is Mind Map Ownership?

Every mind map in MindMeister has an owner.

In most cases, the mind map owner is the MindMeister team to which the user who created the mind map belongs. Simply put, the mind map is always owned by the team that the mind map admin belongs to.

Please be aware, that mind maps cannot be owned by a single user. Mind maps are always owned by the entire team, even if you are a team of one.

• Example 1: You are currently working alone and have created three mind maps. You want to invite another user to your team. Once they are added, the mind maps that both you and they created are now owned collectively by your team. The mind maps are not owned by either you or the new user because mind map ownership is never tied to a single team member.
• Example 2: You are currently working alone and have created three mind maps. Another team invites you to join them. When you join, your mind maps will become owned by the new team. You will still have access to these mind maps and will remain the mind map admin with the same permissions. However, if you leave the team later, you will lose access to these mind maps, and the team’s admin will take over access. 

Where Can I See Who Owns a Mind Map?

To view the ownership of a mind map, open the Share dialog.

The Share dialog will show the team to which the Content Manager belongs, designating this team as the mind map’s owner.

Can a Mind Map Have More Than One Content Manager?

No, each mind map can only have one Content Manager.

Can a Mind Map Have More Than One Owner?

No, each mind map can only have one owner.

What Happens to Mind Map Ownership if a Team Member Leaves?

If the Content Manager of a mind map leaves or is removed from the team:

• The departing user will not retain access. They will lose access to all mind maps.
• The team admin is automatically assigned as the new Content Manager.
  • If your team has multiple admins, the next available admin (in order of when they joined the team) will be assigned as the new Content Manager.
• The mind map remains accessible to the entire remaining team.

What Happens to Mind Maps When a Team Member’s Account Is Disabled?

When a team member’s account is disabled, mind maps they created remain accessible under certain conditions for the remaining team members.

• Mind Maps in the My maps area: If a mind map appears in the My Maps area and the Content Manager's account is disabled, remaining team members can still access it.
• Mind Maps in the Team maps area: If a mind map has been moved to the team area and the Content Manager’s account is disabled, the mind map will be greyed out and inaccessible to the team.

Unlike accounts that have been removed from the team, accounts that have been disabled still retain the Content Manager role for the mind maps they created. (However, the disabled account can no longer access MindMeister and is restricted to the Accounts area only.)

Make sure important mind maps remain accessible before disabling an account: 

• To prevent loss of access to important mind maps, duplicate them before the account is disabled. The duplicated mind map will be managed by the user who created the copy, who will have full control over the duplicate.
• To maintain access for the team, share the duplicate with the same people who had access to the original mind map.
• Once the duplicate is secured, archive the original mind map for record-keeping.

I Just Left My Team, and All My Mind Maps Are Gone. What Happened?

When you leave a team, you lose access to all mind maps associated with it. Since the team owns the mind maps, the mind maps remain accessible to the team members, with the team admin taking over as the new Content Manager.

Can I Leave My Team with Any of My Mind Maps?

In most cases, you cannot take any mind maps with you when you leave a team. All mind maps created within the team are owned by the team, not individual members. This means that when you leave, you lose access to those mind maps, and they remain available only to current team members.

Exception: If you are the last remaining member of a team and are leaving to join another team, you can take all the mind maps with you.

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