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The header bar

The bar across the top of the window, with back and forward, the open desk's controls, Add widget, Smart Stack, body double, Attention, Search and Settings.

All plansUpdated

The header runs across the top of PlexiDesk on every screen. The left end is about where you are, the middle is for adding to the desk, and the right end holds tools you can reach from anywhere. Several controls appear only while a desk is open, so the header changes as you move around.

Left end: back, forward and the desk

  • Back and forward. The two arrows take you back and forward through the screens you have visited. An arrow is greyed out when there is nowhere to go. On a Mac you can also press ⌘ ← and ⌘ →. Mouse back and forward buttons work on any computer. On Windows, use the arrows or your mouse buttons.
  • The desk's name (only while a desk is open). Click it for one menu that shows where you are, who else is on the desk and what you can do with it. On the Team plan, small coloured dots appear beside the name when other people are on the same desk. See The desk menu.
  • The view button (only while a desk is open). It shows how the desk is drawn: Free canvas, Columns, List, Table, Gallery or Compact. Click it to switch. While the desk is in a view other than Free canvas, the same button sits inside the view instead. See Desk views.

The middle: Add widget

While a desk is open, the Add widget button sits in the centre of the header.

  1. Click Add widget. The widget menu opens with the search box ready.
  2. Browse the nine columns, which group widgets by what you are doing: Write & capture, Plan & track, Numbers & data, Files & documents, Draw & diagram, People & messages, Web & apps, Build & automate, and Desk layout.
  3. Click a widget to add it to the desk. Or type in Search widgets… to match a widget's name, description or group, and press Enter to add the first match.

Each widget in the menu shows its quick-add key in grey. Press Esc to close the menu. See Add a widget to a desk and Quick-add keys.

Right end: the desk's quick actions

While a desk is open, a row of quick actions for that desk sits to the right of centre. Rest the pointer on a button to see its name.

  • Status shows the desk's status. Click it to move the desk to the next status. See Desk status and time.
  • Focus starts a focus session on this desk. While one is running, the button reads Focused. See Start a focus session Coming soon.
  • Chat opens the desk's own conversation as a chat widget on the desk. Meeting starts a meeting about this desk.
  • A timer appears in the row when one is running for the desk.
  • Tidy arranges the widgets. Rest the pointer on it to pick a layout. See Tidy a desk.
  • Build opens Build with AI, where you describe what you want on the desk. See Build a desk with AI.
  • Template saves the desk as a template. See Desk templates.
  • Resume opens the desk's handoff document. See Resume where you left off.
  • The load ring at the end shows how much is on the desk. See The desk load meter.

For everything in this row, see Desk quick actions.

Right end: tools on every screen

These sit at the right end of the header wherever you are.

  • Smart Stack groups the loose widgets on the open desk into related sections, using AI. It becomes available when the open desk has at least three loose widgets (widgets that are not already in a section and not pinned). Until then it is greyed out and its tooltip says what it needs. It runs on your PlexiDesk AI credits when you are signed in, or on your own Anthropic key. See Tidy a desk.
  • Body double pairs you with another PlexiDesk user so you can work alongside each other. The icon fills in while it is looking for a partner or a session is running, and a small dot appears when a partner is found or connected. Body doubling is part of the Pro and Team plans. See Body doubling Coming soon.
  • Team shows who in your organisation is online right now, with a count on the button. Its panel shows your own status, a Busy button for do-not-disturb, and Appear offline to hide yourself from the team. Live presence is part of the Team plan, and the button appears only when your plan includes it. See Presence Coming soon.
  • Attention shows a number when items need you. Click it to open Attention. It appears only when the Attention layer is turned on (in Settings, on the AI tab) and at least one item needs you. See Attention overview Coming soon and Attention settings Coming soon.
  • Search (the magnifying glass) opens the command palette, the same as pressing ⌘ K on a Mac or Ctrl K on Windows. See The command palette.
  • Settings (the gear) opens Settings on the Appearance tab, where you choose the theme, accent colour and font. The other tabs are Account, Organisation, AI, Templates, Data and Advanced. Click the gear again to close Settings. See Settings overview Coming soon and Appearance Coming soon.

On Home and other pages

Without a desk open, the desk's name, the view button, Add widget and the quick actions are not shown. You still have back and forward on the left, and Smart Stack (greyed out), Body double, Team, Attention, Search and Settings on the right.

Move the window

On a Mac, the empty parts of the header act as the window's title bar: drag them to move the window. The window's close, minimise and full-screen buttons sit at the left end of the header, before the back arrow.

Common questions

I cannot see Add widget. It appears only while a desk is open. Open a desk from Home or from Rooms in the side menu.

Smart Stack is greyed out. It needs a desk open with at least three loose widgets on it. Rest the pointer on it to see what it is waiting for.

There is no Team button. Live presence is part of the Team plan. When your plan does not include it, the button does not appear.

The Attention number is missing. It appears only when the Attention layer is on and something needs you. If nothing needs you, there is no number to show.

Clicking the gear opened Appearance. Where are my other settings? They are on the other tabs along the top of the Settings panel. See Settings overview Coming soon.

Still need help? Contact support at [email protected].