To keep draw.io connectors attached on Mac, connect their ends to the shapes and check the highlighted attachment before releasing. Use fixed connections when each end must stay at a specific point; use floating connections when the attachment may move around the shape’s perimeter. Official connector guide

This guide focuses on rearranging a simple diagram in draw.io on a Mac: three rectangles labelled Node A, Node B and Node C, connected in sequence. The goal is to move individual nodes while preserving their connections, then adjust the line paths if necessary.

Choose whether the connector should keep the same attachment point

draw.io supports two attachment behaviours. A fixed connection remains at a particular point on a shape when you move it. A floating connection remains connected but can move around the perimeter as the shape’s position or the connector’s route changes. Each end can use a different behaviour. Fixed and floating connections

Before changing anything, decide what “stays attached” means for your diagram:

Desired result Attachment to choose What to check after moving
The line follows the node, with freedom to change sides Floating The end still meets the intended node
The line always uses a particular point, such as the right-side midpoint Fixed The end remains at that point
One node needs a specific attachment, while the other can adapt Fixed at one end, floating at the other Check each end separately

These choices follow the attachment behaviours documented in draw.io’s connector comparison.

A useful diagnostic is to separate three observations: an endpoint stays behind, an endpoint changes sides, or the line develops an awkward bend. The second can be normal floating behaviour. The third concerns routing. Test attachment first so you do not spend time reshaping a line whose endpoint still needs reconnecting.

Create fixed connections that follow your shapes

For the example diagram, place Node A, Node B and Node C in a horizontal row. Plan to connect the right-side point of Node A to the left-side point of Node B, then repeat between Node B and Node C. This is an illustrative arrangement, not a reported application test.

Make connection points visible on Mac

Click a blank area so nothing is selected. In the format panel’s Diagram tab, ensure Connection Points is enabled. In Classic mode, you can also use View > Connection Points. The documented Mac shortcut is Option+Shift+O; it toggles visibility, so check the result rather than pressing it repeatedly. Hover over a shape to look for the small crosses. Connection-point visibility controls

Connect the nodes using the highlighted points

  1. Hover over Node A and find the connection point on its right edge.
  2. Move onto that point until it is highlighted in green, then drag from it toward Node B.
  3. Hover over the left-side connection point on Node B.
  4. Release when that point is highlighted in green.
  5. Repeat from the right-side point of Node B to the left-side point of Node C.

This follows the documented procedure for drawing fixed connectors. The selected connector’s fixed end is indicated by a green cross. Draw fixed connectors

Now select and drag Node B by its body to a new position below the row. Leave Node A and Node C in place. The documented fixed-connection behaviour is that the connector ends remain at their chosen connection points as the shape moves. Select and drag the shape itself rather than a connector handle when performing this check. Move shapes and verify fixed connections

Inspect both connectors independently. For the intended example, one should still connect Node A to Node B, and the other should still connect Node B to Node C. This single-node movement is a useful practical test: moving the entire arrangement together gives you less information about whether each endpoint follows its own node.

Repair an endpoint that only appears to touch a shape

If a connector end stays behind during the movement test, inspect that end first. Select the connector, drag its endpoint onto the intended shape’s connection point, and release when the point highlights green. Repeat at the other end if necessary. draw.io documents dropping a dragged connector end onto a connection point as a way to connect shapes. Attach connector ends to connection points

For a floating attachment, drag the endpoint over the intended target and release when the shape outline is blue. The floating endpoint is shown as a blue circle. Use that visible feedback rather than judging attachment solely by whether the line appears to meet the border. Floating-connection indicators

After reconnecting, move just the target node again. If the endpoint follows but changes sides, decide whether that flexibility suits the diagram. If the endpoint must remain on the left or right edge, attach it to the corresponding fixed point.

Use custom connection points when the defaults do not fit

When a shape lacks a convenient point, open its context menu and choose Edit Connection Points. The documented Mac shortcut is Option+Shift+K. In the visual editor, double-click where you want an additional point; enabled grid snapping affects its position. Then use that point for the connector. The direct context-menu command Add Connection Point is another option, but the documentation says it is unavailable for rotated or flipped shapes. Edit a shape’s connection points

For this task, use visible points without holding modifier keys while attaching. The official connection-point page and modifier-shortcut page give conflicting descriptions of Alt and Shift during endpoint drops. On Mac, the shortcut reference maps Alt to Option. The visible-point procedure avoids relying on that conflicting guidance. Connection-point instructions, modifier-key reference

Fix bends after confirming that the ends are attached

A fixed attachment controls where a connector meets a shape; the connector’s intermediate path is controlled separately through waypoints and routing. Selected connectors show waypoint handles, and moving them changes the path. A fixed end stays at its connection point while a floating end can move around the perimeter during such edits. Connector paths and waypoints

If an old detour no longer helps, select only the affected connector. In the format panel, open Arrange, choose Reset, then choose Waypoints. This returns the connector to a more direct route. Resetting waypoints leaves connector labels where they are, so inspect any labels afterward. If needed, use Reset > Label Positions; locked labels retain their positions. Reset waypoints and labels

For a deliberately shaped route, select the connector and enable Follow Terminals in the Effects section of the Style tab. draw.io documents this option for moving manually set waypoints when a connected shape moves. Check the resulting route after repositioning; keeping the endpoints attached and preserving a useful path are separate requirements. Move waypoints with connected shapes

If you want routes to adapt around other shapes, select the connector and choose Style > Waypoints > Auto-route around shapes. The documented routing updates when connected shapes move or resize. Manually dragging the connector to add waypoints turns automatic routing off. Auto-routing also has no effect inside containers that automatically arrange their contents. Automatic routing and its limits

Avoid settings that solve a different problem

Snap to Point makes a connector use the nearest defined connection point as shapes or connectors move. Because the nearest point can change, this is useful when you want selectable anchor locations but allow the endpoint to switch between them. For an endpoint that must stay at one particular point, use a fixed connection. How snapping to anchor points works

Likewise, the documented Arrange > Layout > Orthogonal Routing command reroutes connectors once; it does not enable ongoing automatic routing. Choose it for a one-time cleanup, and choose Auto-route around shapes when you want subsequent movements to trigger new paths. One-time and automatic routing

Finish by moving Node B on its own and checking all four connector ends, then inspecting the bends and labels. That sequence gives you a clear stopping point: the intended nodes remain connected, fixed ends retain their chosen points, and the routes are readable in the new arrangement.

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