# Connect shapes with connectors

The difference between a diagram that survives editing and one that falls apart is whether the connectors are actually attached. A line drawn near a shape is not attached to it.

Hover over a shape until the blue arrows appear, then drag from its edge. A green circle means a fixed point; a blue outline means a floating connection.

![image-20260907-081835.png](https://help.gocapable.com/images/217cfc59-c808-414c-b866-9ce0adbca245.webp)

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## What this is for

* Drawing any diagram with relationships.
* Fixing arrows that detach when shapes move.
* Routing a connector around other shapes deliberately.

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## How it works

| **Action**          | **How**                                                                              |
| ------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Draw a connector    | Hover a shape, then drag from the blue arrow or the edge.                            |
| Floating connection | Blue highlight on the whole shape. The connector picks the best side as things move. |
| Fixed connection    | Green circle on a specific point. The connector always attaches there.               |
| Waypoint            | Drag the middle of a connector to add a bend.                                        |
| Label an edge       | Double-click the connector, or use the format panel to place labels near either end. |
| Change the style    | Right-click for straight, orthogonal or curved routing.                              |

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## A few things that catch people out

* Floating connections are the better default; fixed points are for when the side genuinely matters.
* A connector that moves oddly when you drag a shape is usually attached to a fixed point you did not intend.
* Right-click and clear waypoints to reset a connector that has become a tangle.

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## Related

[Style shapes and connectorsFill, stroke, and the raw style string.](https://help.gocapable.com/diagrams/style-shapes-and-connectors.html)

[Layers, groups and orderWhat sits in front, and what moves together.](https://help.gocapable.com/diagrams/layers-groups-and-order.html)

[draw.io editorBack to the editor overview.](https://help.gocapable.com/diagrams/draw-io-editor.html)

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_The canvas rewards ten minutes of learning._