The three modes

Step	Mode	You do
1	Stage	Place shapes from the palette, connect them, frame regions, pick a theme
2	Story	Add acts and scenes; set visibility and spotlight, add animations, capture cameras, write the script
3	Show	Present → Show from start, then drive from the presenter view

Keyboard shortcuts

The tools

The drawing tools live in the Basic section at the top of the Shapes palette, and on the Insert menu with their keys. A tool is one-shot: it returns to Select after one use. Hold Shift while drawing a rectangle or oval for a square or a circle.

Tool	Key	Draws
Select	V	Click to select, drag to move; drag an empty area to marquee-select
Marquee	M	A selection rectangle, even when the drag starts on an object
Rectangle · Oval · Polygon · Star	R O Y S	A basic shape; sides, points and corners are dials in the Inspector
Line	L	A line with waypoints — click to add, double-click to finish
Freeform	E	A freehand path
Text	T	A text box
Connector	C	A connector from one object's port to another's
Frame	F	A labeled region that captures the objects inside it
Image · Screenshot	I G	An image from a file, or a capture of a window or screen

Kinds of object

Kind	Description	Connectable?
Shape	A box-like object — from a pack, or drawn with a basic tool	Yes
Connector	A line between two objects; routes itself, carries a label and arrowheads	No
Frame	A labeled region that carries its members when moved	Yes
Line	A drawn line with waypoints — not a connection, just ink	No
Text	A standalone text box	No
Image	A picture, placed as a shape	Yes

Animations at a glance

Kind	Button	Target	Behavior
Flow	Flow	A path of connectors	A marker travels the path; loops
Accent · Glow	Accent	Any object	A breathing halo; loops
Accent · Scale	Accent	Any object	The object breathes bigger and smaller; loops
Accent · Ring	Accent	Any object	A ripple from the outline; loops
Reveal	Reveal	A sequence of objects	They draw on or fade in, one after another; once, on entry

The menus

Menu	What is on it
File	New ▸ (Blank, or a diagram type) · Open · Save · Save As · Export as image · Export as PDF · Export as draw.io or Mermaid · Shape packs… · Import shapes · Open recent packs · Import diagram · Import slide deck (PDF) · Paste diagram text
Edit	Undo · Redo · Cut · Copy · Paste · Duplicate · Delete · Move / Copy / Extract to page ▸ · Select All
Insert	The ten tools, with their keys
Arrange	Auto-arrange ▸ (flow, tree, mind map, radial) · Tidy up · Align · Distribute · Z-order · Group · Ungroup · Combine ▸ · Reverse direction · Lock
Format	Line style ▸ · Line weight ▸ · Font ▸ · Text size ▸ · Fill pattern ▸ · Reset to theme style · Document properties · Themes…
View	Appearance ▸ (System, Light, Dark) · show and hide the panels · Focus canvas · Reset panel layout · Show overview · Grid ▸ · Zoom to fit · Stage / Story
Story (Story mode)	Add Act · Add Scene · Duplicate / Delete Scene · Spotlight selection · Capture camera · Frame selection · Clear camera · Return to scene view · Replay animations · Add flow / accent / reveal · Previous / Next scene
Present	Show from start · Show from current scene
Help	Command palette… · Keyboard shortcuts · User guide (online) · Reload guide document · Report a bug… · About expono

Files

Extension	Purpose
.xpd	A project — diagram, pages, acts, scenes, theme, and embedded images
.xpp	A shape pack or a theme, shared as a file
.drawio · .mmd · .excalidraw	Diagrams from other tools — File → Import diagram…, or paste the text
.png · .svg · .pdf	What expono exports — see Export