# The command palette

> Press ⌘K or Ctrl+K anywhere to find desks, documents and more, run commands, add widgets, open a web page or ask Plexii.

Source: https://plexiidesk.com/help/command-palette
Section: Get started > Find your way around
Plans: All plans
Updated: 2026-10-10

The command palette is one search box that reaches almost everything in PlexiDesk. Use it to jump to a desk, room or document by name, find a word inside your notes, tables, meetings or recent mail, run a command such as **New document** or **Reset canvas view**, add a widget to the desk you are on, open a web page, or pass a question to Plexii. It works from every screen, so you never need to remember where something lives.

The palette is part of every plan. A few of its commands open features that depend on your plan or on something you set up first; those are noted below.

## Open and close the palette

There are three ways to open it:

- Press `⌘` `K` on a Mac or `Ctrl` `K` on Windows. This works on every screen, even while you are typing in a text box.
- Click the magnifying glass near the right end of the header, just left of the Settings gear. Its tooltip reads **Search and commands (⌘K)**.
- On your Home dashboard, click the **⌘K** button in the Home bar, just before its **Ask** or **Search** button. See [The Home bar: ask, search and jump](https://plexiidesk.com/help/home-bar).

The palette opens near the top of the window with the cursor already in its search box. To close it, press `Esc`, press `⌘` `K` or `Ctrl` `K` again, or click anywhere outside it.

## Find something

1. Press `⌘` `K` on a Mac or `Ctrl` `K` on Windows.
2. Type part of a name, or a word you remember from inside the thing you want. The results change as you type.
3. Press `↓` and `↑` to move the highlight to the result you want.
4. Press `Enter` to open it. You can also click any row.

Each row shows a name and, underneath, a short hint that says what kind of thing it is, often with the words that matched. The number of results is shown at the bottom right of the palette.



### What the palette searches

Rooms and desks match by name from the first letter you type, including one you created or renamed a moment ago. Once you have typed two characters, the palette also looks inside your work:

| The hint says | What matched | Enter takes you to |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Open desk** or **Task** | A desk's name or description | That desk |
| **Open folder** or **Folder** | A room's name or description | That room |
| **On a desk** | A widget's title or text, such as a sticky or a note | The desk the widget is on |
| **Document**, **Spreadsheet** or **Slides** | An Office file's title or text | The file, open in its editor |
| **Table** | A table's name, or text in one of its rows | The desk the table is on |
| **File** | The name of a file in Files | The Files page |
| **PlexiBrain** | A knowledge entry in Brain | That entry |
| **Calendar** | The title of a time block in your calendar | Calendar |
| **Meeting** | A meeting's title, summary or transcript | Meet, in Office |
| **Signature** | A signature request's title or text | PlexiiSign |
| **Email** | The sender, subject or preview of a recent inbox message | That message in Mail |

Items in Trash and archived items are left out, so everything you find is something you can open.

> **Tip:**
> Email results come from the inbox messages Mail has loaded since you opened PlexiDesk. To search all of your mail, use the search box in Mail ([Search your mail](https://plexiidesk.com/help)). To find a chat message, search inside Chat ([Search and catch up in chat](https://plexiidesk.com/help)).

### Desks with the same name

If two desks share a name, their rows also show the room each one is in, its status and how many objects it holds, so you can tell them apart before you open one.

### Browse without typing

With the search box empty, the palette lists every command it can run from where you are, the everyday **Add** widget commands when a desk is open, and up to 60 of your rooms and desks. The areas and apps you have opened most recently move towards the top. Scroll, or use the arrow keys, to pick by eye.

## Run a command

Type a few letters of what you want to do, such as "new", "reset" or "calendar". When the command is highlighted, press `Enter`.

> **Note:**
> When you type ordinary words, the first row is often **Search the web**, so pressing `Enter` straight away searches the web. Press `↓` until the command you want is highlighted, or click it.

These are the commands the palette offers. Some appear only in the situations noted.

### Go somewhere

| Command | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **Go to Home** | Opens your [Home dashboard](https://plexiidesk.com/help/home-dashboard). |
| **All tasks** | Opens the [All Tasks](https://plexiidesk.com/help) view. |
| **Plans** | Opens your [plans](https://plexiidesk.com/help), with their boards and timelines. |
| **Calendar** | Opens [Calendar](https://plexiidesk.com/help). |
| **Vault** | Opens your [Vault](https://plexiidesk.com/help). |
| **PlexiDesk**, **PlexiOffice**, **PlexiPeople**, **PlexiBrain** | Switches to the Desk, Office, People or Brain [area](https://plexiidesk.com/help/plexii-areas). |
| **Documents** | Opens PlexiiOffice. |
| **PlexiDesign**, **PlexiDraw**, **PlexiDiagrams** | Opens PlexiiDesign, PlexiiDraw or Diagrams. |
| **Files** | Opens [Files](https://plexiidesk.com/help). |
| **Mail** | Opens [Mail](https://plexiidesk.com/help). |
| **PlexiInbox** | Opens your [Inbox](https://plexiidesk.com/help) of notifications and share invites. |
| **Messages** | Opens [Chat](https://plexiidesk.com/help). |

### Create something

| Command | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **New folder or task** | Opens the **New Desk** window so you can set up a desk. See [Create a desk](https://plexiidesk.com/help/desk-create). |
| **New document**, **New spreadsheet**, **New presentation** | Creates a blank file and opens it in PlexiiDocs, PlexiiSheets or PlexiiSlides. |
| **New design** | Opens [PlexiiDesign](https://plexiidesk.com/help) so you can pick a size or template. |
| **New artwork** | Opens [PlexiiDraw](https://plexiidesk.com/help) so you can pick an artboard. |
| **New plan** | Creates a plan and opens it. |
| **New flow** | Creates a [flow](https://plexiidesk.com/help) in Brain and opens it. |
| **Start a meeting** | Opens Meet with the new meeting window ready. See [Start or schedule a meeting](https://plexiidesk.com/help). |
| **New signature request** | Opens [PlexiiSign](https://plexiidesk.com/help) with a new request started. Pro and Team plans. |
| **Compose mail** | Opens Mail with a new message, once you have [connected a mailbox](https://plexiidesk.com/help). |

Type **new** to see every create command at once.

### On a desk

These commands appear only while a desk is open.

| Command | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **Add** and a widget's name, such as **Add Sticky** | Adds that widget to the desk. If the widget has a single-key shortcut, the key is shown at the right of the row. With the search box empty, only the everyday widgets are listed; type any widget's name to find it. See [Add widgets with a single key](https://plexiidesk.com/help/quick-add-keys) and [Add a widget to a desk](https://plexiidesk.com/help/add-a-widget). |
| **Reset canvas view** | Takes the desk back to 100% zoom at its starting position. See [Move around the canvas](https://plexiidesk.com/help/canvas-navigation). |
| **Snap to grid: off (turn on)** or **Snap to grid: on (turn off)** | Turns snapping on or off, so widgets you drag line up on the desk's grid. See [Select, move and arrange widgets](https://plexiidesk.com/help/canvas-select-arrange). |
| **Related desks** | Chooses which other desks Brain reads together with this one. See [Related desks](https://plexiidesk.com/help/desk-related-desks). |
| **Smart Stack widgets** or **Smart Stack** | Opens Smart Stack, which suggests sections for the loose widgets on this desk. These appear when the desk has at least three widgets that are not in a section. Needs AI set up. See [Tidy, auto-arrange and Smart Stack](https://plexiidesk.com/help/canvas-tidy). |

If a widget is not included in your plan, choosing its **Add** command offers an upgrade instead.

### Focus, Attention and Brain

| Command | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **Attention — open Capture** | Opens the Capture window so you can file something to Attention. It appears when Attention is turned on. See [Turn Attention on or off](https://plexiidesk.com/help). |
| **Find a body double** | Opens body doubling, so you can pair with someone to focus together. Pro and Team plans. See [Find a partner and run a session](https://plexiidesk.com/help). |
| **Sync workspace to Brain** | Indexes your desks, documents and files for Brain, then opens Brain. See [Brain overview](https://plexiidesk.com/help). |

### Learn and explore

| Command | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **Take a tour** | Opens the tours, so you can replay the welcome or take a short tour. See [Tours and the first-run welcome](https://plexiidesk.com/help/tours-and-onboarding). |
| **Create Wire & Agent Showcase desk** | Builds a sample desk of worked examples that show connected widgets and desk agents. A card with each example says whether it works straight away or needs your own Anthropic key ([Add your own API keys](https://plexiidesk.com/help/api-keys)). |

## Commands inside a document or presentation

When you open the palette inside PlexiiDocs or PlexiiSlides, a small **Document** or **Slides** label appears in the search box, the box reads **Command the document, or search everything…** (or **Command the slides, or search everything…**), and that editor's own commands lead the list. When you type, matching editor commands rank above the palette's other commands. Where a command has a keyboard shortcut, it is shown at the right of the row.

In a document you can, for example:

- Format text: **Bold**, **Italic**, **Underline**, **Strikethrough**, **Inline code**, **Highlight**, **Clear formatting**.
- Set the style: **Heading 1**, **Heading 2**, **Heading 3**, **Body text**, **Bulleted list**, **Numbered list**, **Checklist**, **Quote block**, **Code block**, **Divider**, and the four alignments.
- Insert: **Insert image**, **Insert table**, **Insert widget from a desk**, **Insert office file**.
- Work with the page: **Find and replace**, **Toggle focus mode**, **Toggle outline**, **Toggle page view**, **Page orientation: portrait** and **Page orientation: landscape**.
- Use AI: **Draft with AI** and **Rewrite selection with AI** (AI needs to be set up).
- Import and export: **Import Word (.docx)**, **Export Word (.docx)**, **Export PDF**.

In a presentation you can, for example:

- Insert: **Insert text box**, **Insert shape**, **Insert ellipse**, **Insert image**, **Insert line**, **Insert widget from a desk**, **Insert chart**, **Insert table**.
- Work with slides: **New slide**, **Present deck**, **AI: generate or redesign slides**, **Undo**, **Redo**.
- Import and export: **Import PowerPoint (.pptx)**, **Export PowerPoint (.pptx)**, **Export PDF**.
- With something selected on the slide: **Duplicate element**, **Delete element**, **Centre on slide horizontally**, **Centre on slide vertically**, **Bring to front**, **Bring forward**, **Send backward**, **Send to back**.
- With two or more things selected: the align commands (such as **Align left edges**) and **Group**. With three or more: **Distribute horizontally** and **Distribute vertically**. With a group selected: **Ungroup**.

PlexiiSheets, PlexiiDesign and PlexiiDraw show the palette's usual commands. For more on the editors, see [PlexiiDocs overview](https://plexiidesk.com/help) and [PlexiiSlides overview](https://plexiidesk.com/help).

## Capture to Attention from the palette

When Attention is turned on, the palette is a fast way to note something down without leaving what you are doing.

1. Press `⌘` `K` on a Mac or `Ctrl` `K` on Windows.
2. Type **@attention** followed by what you want to remember, for example `@attention book the venue for the launch`. The @attention tag can also go at the end of the line.
3. The top row now reads **Attention — capture** with your text. Press `Enter`.
4. The Capture window opens with your text already in it. Finish filing it there. See [Capture something into Attention](https://plexiidesk.com/help).

To open Capture empty, type **@a** and press `Enter`, or choose **Attention — open Capture**. While what you type is addressed to Attention, the web and Plexii rows step aside, so `Enter` always goes to Capture.

## Open a web page, search the web or ask Plexii

Whatever you type, the palette also offers to take it beyond your workspace:

- **Open** and a web address, such as **Open example.com**, appears when you type an address. Its hint reads **Opens in Plexii**. Choose it to open the page in the built-in browser. See [Browse the web inside PlexiDesk](https://plexiidesk.com/help).
- **Search the web — “your words”** searches the web and shows the results inside PlexiDesk.
- **Ask Plexii — “your words”** opens the assistant panel and sends your words to Plexii as a new conversation. See [Meet Plexii](https://plexiidesk.com/help/ai-assistant).



Which row comes first depends on what you type:

- **A web address** puts **Open** at the top, so `Enter` opens the page.
- **A question or a request** puts **Ask Plexii** at the top, so `Enter` asks Plexii. The palette reads your words as a question when they end with a question mark, or start with a word such as how, what, why, can or is, or with a request such as write, draft, summarise, explain or plan.
- **Anything else** puts your closest matches and **Search the web** near the top, with commands and **Ask Plexii** further down.

Plexii needs AI to be set up: sign in to use PlexiDesk credits, or add your own Anthropic key. See [AI settings](https://plexiidesk.com/help/settings-ai). To talk with Plexii on a page of its own, press `⌘` `⇧` `K` on a Mac or `Ctrl` `Shift` `K` on Windows to open [the Plexii hub](https://plexiidesk.com/help/plexii-hub).

## Tips

- The palette keeps your hands on the keyboard: `⌘` `K` (or `Ctrl` `K`), a few letters, `↓` if needed, then `Enter`.
- To find a desk you just made, type the start of its name. It is findable straight away.
- To see every keyboard shortcut, press `⌘` `/` on a Mac or `Ctrl` `/` on Windows. See [Keyboard shortcuts](https://plexiidesk.com/help/keyboard-shortcuts).

## Common questions

**I pressed Enter and it searched the web instead of running my command.** When you type ordinary words, **Search the web** is often the first row. Press `↓` until the command is highlighted, then press `Enter`, or click the command.

**I cannot see the Add widget commands.** They appear only while a desk is open. Open a desk from Home or from **Rooms** in the side menu, then open the palette again.

**The Attention row is missing.** Attention is turned off. Turn it on in Settings ([Turn Attention on or off](https://plexiidesk.com/help)) and the row appears.

**Why are document commands at the top while I am on a desk?** A Document or Slides widget on the open desk shares its editor's commands with the palette, the same as the full editor does. Type what you want and the matching rows come up.

**Ask Plexii did not answer.** Plexii needs AI to be set up. Sign in to use PlexiDesk credits, or add your own key in [AI settings](https://plexiidesk.com/help/settings-ai).

## Related tasks

- [Find your way around PlexiDesk](https://plexiidesk.com/help/getting-around)
- [The Home bar: ask, search and jump](https://plexiidesk.com/help/home-bar)
- [Add widgets with a single key](https://plexiidesk.com/help/quick-add-keys)
- [Keyboard shortcuts](https://plexiidesk.com/help/keyboard-shortcuts)
- [Undo and redo](https://plexiidesk.com/help/undo-redo)