We consider the graph $\Gamma _{\text {virt}}(G)$ whose vertices are the elements of a finitely generated profinite group G and where two vertices x and y are adjacent if and only if they topologically generate an open subgroup of G. We investigate the connectivity of the graph $\Delta _{\text {virt}}(G)$ obtained from $\Gamma _{\text {virt}}(G)$ by removing its isolated vertices. In particular, we prove that for every positive integer t, there exists a finitely generated prosoluble group G with the property that $\Delta _{\operatorname {\mathrm {virt}}}(G)$ has precisely t connected components. Moreover, we study the graph $\widetilde \Gamma _{\operatorname {\mathrm {virt}}}(G)$ , whose vertices are again the elements of G and where two vertices are adjacent if and only if there exists a minimal generating set of G containing them. In this case, we prove that the subgraph $\widetilde \Delta _{\operatorname {\mathrm {virt}}}(G)$ obtained removing the isolated vertices is connected and has diameter at most 3.

For a group $G$, let $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6E4}(G)$ denote the graph defined on the elements of $G$ in such a way that two distinct vertices are connected by an edge if and only if they generate $G$. Let $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6E4}^{\ast }(G)$ be the subgraph of $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6E4}(G)$ that is induced by all the vertices of $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6E4}(G)$ that are not isolated. We prove that if $G$ is a 2-generated noncyclic abelian group, then $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6E4}^{\ast }(G)$ is connected. Moreover, $\text{diam}(\unicode[STIX]{x1D6E4}^{\ast }(G))=2$ if the torsion subgroup of $G$ is nontrivial and $\text{diam}(\unicode[STIX]{x1D6E4}^{\ast }(G))=\infty$ otherwise. If $F$ is the free group of rank 2, then $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6E4}^{\ast }(F)$ is connected and we deduce from $\text{diam}(\unicode[STIX]{x1D6E4}^{\ast }(\mathbb{Z}\times \mathbb{Z}))=\infty$ that $\text{diam}(\unicode[STIX]{x1D6E4}^{\ast }(F))=\infty$.

The generating graph $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6E4}(H)$ of a finite group $H$ is the graph defined on the elements of $H$, with an edge between two vertices if and only if they generate $H$. We show that if $H$ is a sufficiently large simple group with $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6E4}(G)\cong \unicode[STIX]{x1D6E4}(H)$ for a finite group $G$, then $G\cong H$. We also prove that the generating graph of a symmetric group determines the group.