# PlexiiDocs overview

> PlexiiDocs is PlexiDesk's document editor. A tour of the menu bar, toolbar, view bar and side panel, and where to start writing.

Source: https://plexiidesk.com/help/docs-overview
Section: Office > PlexiiDocs
Plans: All plans
Updated: 2026-10-15

PlexiiDocs is the document editor in PlexiiOffice. Use it for anything you write: briefs, reports, proposals, letters and notes. It has the formatting, tables, page layout, comments and suggested edits you expect, plus AI that drafts and rewrites at your cursor.

Every document is kept in Office and can also sit on a desk as a Document widget. It is the same document in both places.

## Before you start

- **Plans.** PlexiiDocs is on every plan.
- **AI features** need AI to be set up: PlexiDesk credits while you are signed in, or your own Anthropic key. See [AI settings](https://plexiidesk.com/help/settings-ai).

## Open or start a document

- **A new document:** on Office Home, click the **PlexiDocs** tile, or **Create**. See [Create a document, sheet, deck, diagram, design or artwork](https://plexiidesk.com/help/office-create-files).
- **One you have:** click it in **Recent** on Office Home. See [Find, star and pin your Office files](https://plexiidesk.com/help/office-find-and-star-files).
- **From Word:** see [Word, PDF and web export in PlexiiDocs](https://plexiidesk.com/help/docs-word-import-export).

## The parts of the editor

From top to bottom:

### The header

The document's name, where it is filed, **Chat about this document**, **Share**, and whether your changes are saved. See [The editor header, saving and the File menu](https://plexiidesk.com/help/office-editor-basics).

### The menu bar

| Menu | What is in it |
| --- | --- |
| **File** | **New document**, **Make a copy**, **Rename**, **Version history**, **Download**, **Print (PDF)** and **Move to trash**. |
| **Edit** | **Undo**, **Redo**, **Cut**, **Copy**, **Paste**, **Select all** and **Find and replace**. |
| **View** | **Page view** or **Continuous view**, **Show outline**, **Show comments** and **Focus mode**. |
| **Insert** | **Image**, **Table**, **Table of contents**, **Footnote**, **Widget from a desk**, **Link**, **Horizontal line** and **Meeting**. |
| **Format** | **Text** (bold, italic, underline, strikethrough), **Paragraph styles**, **Align**, **Bullets & numbering** and **Clear formatting**. |
| **Tools** | **Word count** and **Check accessibility**. |
| **Help** | **Keyboard shortcuts**. |

### The toolbar

Undo and redo; **Styles**; the font and size; bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, inline code, subscript and superscript; text colour and highlight; alignment and line spacing; bulleted, numbered and checklist lists; link, image, table and divider; clear formatting; and find and replace. When the cursor is in a table, buttons for rows and columns appear too.

At the right end are the word count, the folder button (**Open or export Office files**) and **Ask AI**. Rest the pointer on any button to see its name. See [Format text and use styles](https://plexiidesk.com/help/docs-format-text-and-styles).

### The view bar

Under the toolbar, a row shows the word count and reading time, **Continuous** or **Page**, and in page view the page settings. At its right are **Outline**, **Comments**, **Assistant**, **Focus** and **Suggesting**.

### The page

Where you write. In an empty document it says **Write something, press "/" for commands, or use Ask AI…**

### The side panel

**Outline** and **Comments** open a panel on the right with two tabs, **Comments** and **Outline**. It starts closed. Collapse it with the arrow at its top; when it is closed, the **Panel** button at the top right brings it back. PlexiDesk remembers whether you left it open.

## What you can do

- **Format and style text,** and restyle every heading of a level at once. See [Format text and use styles](https://plexiidesk.com/help/docs-format-text-and-styles).
- **Insert with /** and **link with @** without leaving the keyboard. See [Insert with / and link with @](https://plexiidesk.com/help/docs-slash-menu-and-mentions).
- **Add tables, images and links.** See [Tables, images and links](https://plexiidesk.com/help/docs-tables-images-links).
- **Add a table of contents and footnotes.** See [Table of contents and footnotes](https://plexiidesk.com/help/docs-contents-and-footnotes).
- **Lay out real pages** with paper size, margins, headers and footers. See [Page view, margins, headers and footers](https://plexiidesk.com/help/docs-page-setup).
- **Suggest edits** for someone to accept or reject. See [Suggest edits with track changes](https://plexiidesk.com/help/docs-track-changes).
- **Comment** on a passage. See [Comment on a document](https://plexiidesk.com/help/docs-comments).
- **Find and replace,** with whole-word and pattern matching. See [Find and replace in a document](https://plexiidesk.com/help/docs-find-and-replace).
- **Focus** on the sentence you are writing, and see the outline and word count. See [Focus mode, outline and word count](https://plexiidesk.com/help/docs-focus-outline-word-count).
- **Draft and rewrite with AI.** See [Draft and rewrite with AI in PlexiiDocs](https://plexiidesk.com/help/docs-ai-writing).
- **Embed a desk widget** in the page. See [Embed desk widgets and other files in a document](https://plexiidesk.com/help/office-embed-widgets-and-files).

## Keyboard shortcuts

| Do this | Mac | Windows |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bold, italic, underline | `⌘` `B`, `⌘` `I`, `⌘` `U` | `Ctrl` `B`, `Ctrl` `I`, `Ctrl` `U` |
| Undo | `⌘` `Z` | `Ctrl` `Z` |
| Find and replace | `⌘` `F` | `Ctrl` `F` |
| Insert something | `/` | `/` |
| Link to something in your workspace | `@` | `@` |
| Run the document's commands by name | `⌘` `K` | `Ctrl` `K` |

**Help** > **Keyboard shortcuts** lists more. See [Keyboard shortcuts in Office](https://plexiidesk.com/help/office-keyboard-shortcuts).

## Common questions

**Do I need to save?**
No. Every change is saved as you type. The header says **Saved** when it is stored.

**Can I work on a document on a desk?**
Yes. Add a Document widget, or put a document you already have on a desk. See [Document widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-document).

**Where are the AI Assistant and Comments?**
**Comments** in the view bar opens the side panel on its Comments tab. **Assistant** opens Plexii, the assistant. See [Meet Plexii, your assistant](https://plexiidesk.com/help/ai-assistant).

## Related tasks

- [Format text and use styles](https://plexiidesk.com/help/docs-format-text-and-styles)
- [Insert with / and link with @](https://plexiidesk.com/help/docs-slash-menu-and-mentions)
- [Page view, margins, headers and footers](https://plexiidesk.com/help/docs-page-setup)
- [Draft and rewrite with AI in PlexiiDocs](https://plexiidesk.com/help/docs-ai-writing)
- [Word, PDF and web export in PlexiiDocs](https://plexiidesk.com/help/docs-word-import-export)
- [Document widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-document)