Getting started with cards

Here's a quick start guide to help you get the most out of Whimsical cards and stacks.

Entering and exiting the card mode

There are two ways you can enter the card mode:

1. Use the shortcut Shift + C
2. Use the All tools menu (➕ sign) from the toolbar to find and enable the card mode. The All tools menu can also be accessed with the shortcut /

To exit the card mode, select the ⬅️ arrow in the toolbar or use the keyboard shortcut Q .

Making cards and stacks

First, make sure you have card mode enabled. Card mode will allow you to see cards and stacks in the toolbar and enable you to use the keyboard shortcuts.

To make your first stack:

1. Click or drag a stack out from the toolbar
2. Use the keyboard shortcut S

To create a card, you can use one of the following actions:

1. Double-click on the canvas
2. Click or drag a card out from the toolbar
3. Use the keyboard shortcut A

Tip: You can also use the  All tools menu to add individual cards and stacks without enabling the card mode. You can add other items to the same board alongside your stacks and cards, like sticky notes, mind maps, and wireframe sketches.

Customizing stacks and cards

When you create or select a stack, there are a set of customization options available in the toolbar, including:

• Setting the default size for cards added to the stack
• Setting the default color for cards created in the stack
• Opening the stack in a sidebar
• Sorting options for the cards in the stack, such as sorting by newest, oldest, latest comments, most comments, and most votes

When you create or select a card, you get similar options in the toolbar, including:

• Changing the size of the card
• Changing the colour of a card
• Choosing whether to watch (subscribe to) the card or not
• Assigning the card to yourself or a teammate
• Duplicating the card

Importing and exporting stacks of cards

A stack of cards can be exported as text, or you can also turn text into a stack of cards. To export as text, select the stack, copy it, and then paste it as plain text (sometimes called paste special) with Cmd +Shift +V (Mac) or Ctrl + Shift +V (PC).

You can also copy text and convert it to a stack of cards by pasting it into Whimsical while in card mode.

Expanding cards

Once you open a card, you can add a more detailed card description with different formatting options, such as images, links, and bullet lists.

Here, you can also delete the card, assign it to a teammate, change its color, send it to another stack, or start a discussion about it. 

Card progress and checklists

When you add a checklist to your card's description, you'll see an indicator on the front of the card showing progress through the list:

Take a look at our templates to get ideas on how to use cards and stacks:

• Product launch checklist
• Cost benefit analysis
• Basic Kanban board

Next up! Getting started with wireframes