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Get started with PlexiDesk

Your first launch of PlexiDesk step by step, from the welcome and an optional AI key to the starter workspace, signing in and your first desk.

All plansUpdated

PlexiDesk gives each piece of work its own desk: a canvas where notes, tables, documents, browsers, timers and other widgets sit side by side. Desks that belong together live in a room. Plexii, the assistant, is a click away wherever you are, to answer questions about your work and help you build your desks.

This guide walks you through the first time you open PlexiDesk, from the welcome to a desk with something on it.

Before you start

  • Install PlexiDesk. If you have not installed it yet, download it and follow Install on a Mac or Install on Windows.
  • Plans. Everything in this guide works on every plan.
  • An account. You can open PlexiDesk three times before you create an account. From the fourth launch it asks you to sign in or create one, as described under Sign in or create an account below.
  • AI is optional at the start. You can add your own AI key during the welcome, or skip that step and set up AI later.

The first screen: the PlexiSuite launcher

The first time it opens, PlexiDesk starts on the PlexiSuite launcher. After that it reopens wherever you left off.

On the launcher you will find:

  • Search anything in Plexii at the top, for searching your whole workspace. Anywhere in the app, ⌘ K on a Mac (Ctrl K on Windows) opens search and commands.
  • The PlexiDesk card, with buttons that take you straight in: Open my desk (your Home dashboard), New desk, Templates, All tasks and Calendar. Explore opens a page about PlexiDesk with an Open PlexiDesk button.
  • Tiles for the other Plexii apps, grouped by what they do. Click an app's tile to read about it, then choose Open and the app's name to go in.
  • Cards below the tiles: Upcoming, My tasks, Recent desks, Recent documents and Who's online. They fill in as you add work, and stay empty until you do.

On a new install, the welcome opens on top of the launcher.

The welcome, step by step

The welcome has four short steps and takes about a minute. Dots at the top show which step you are on. Press Esc at any point to close the welcome, or choose Skip for now on the first step. You can replay it later, as described under Common questions below.

  1. Welcome to PlexiDesk. Choose Get started.
  2. Turn on the AI helper (optional). This step adds your own Anthropic API key, which PlexiDesk uses for its AI features.
    • To get a key, choose Get a key from the Anthropic console. The page opens in your browser.
    • Paste the key into the box and choose Test & save. PlexiDesk saves the key and makes a small test call. When it works you see Key works and AI is on; choose Continue.
    • If the test shows a message instead, check that you pasted the whole key and try again.
    • To do this later, choose Skip, set up AI later.
  3. What is inside. A quick overview of what PlexiDesk can do. Choose Continue or Skip. For where each part of the app sits, see Where everything is, further down this page.
  4. A place to start. Choose one:
    • Create a starter workspace adds a small set of example work so your first desk is not empty, then opens it.
    • Start blank finishes the welcome and leaves your workspace empty.

What the starter workspace adds

Create a starter workspace makes:

  • A room called Getting started.
  • A desk in it called Your first focus session, with a short welcome note on its canvas. PlexiDesk opens this desk when the welcome finishes.
  • A second desk called Try Plexii — describe a workspace and let it build, for trying the assistant.

It is ordinary work in your workspace. Rename it, add to it, or delete it whenever you like.

Sign in or create an account

When the welcome finishes, the sign-in window opens.

  1. Choose Sign up to create an account, or Log in if you already have one.
  2. Fill in your details and choose Create account or Log in.

An account syncs your work across your computers, lets you receive things people share with you, and lets AI run on your account's AI credits. For the details, see Create an account and sign in Coming soon and Sync your work across devices.

Before you have an account, PlexiDesk counts how many times it has been opened:

  • For your first three launches you can choose Continue without account. The window asks again a week later.
  • From the fourth launch, PlexiDesk asks you to create an account or log in before you carry on.
  • Each launch counts once. Reloading the app while it is open does not use up a launch.

Make your first desk

  1. In the side menu on the left, choose New desk at the top.
  2. The New Desk window opens with a name already filled in: the current date and time. Type a name to replace it, or keep it.
  3. Press Enter, or choose Create Desk. Your new desk opens.
  4. Choose Add widget in the middle of the header bar, then choose Sticky in the Write & capture column. You can also type in the menu's search box and press Enter to add the first match.
  5. Click the sticky note and type.
  6. To move around the desk, press on an empty part of it and drag.
  7. To see the whole desk at once, choose the map button in the bottom-right corner of the desk. The minimap also appears for a moment whenever you move around.

Next, try adding other widgets, moving and zooming around the canvas, or the other ways to create a desk.

Where everything is

  • Side menu (left). New desk at the top, the workspace switcher for choosing an organisation, then four tabs for the areas of the app: Desk, Office, People and Brain. Under the tabs, the Desk area lists Home, Attention and Rooms. See The side menu and Desk, Office, People and Brain.
  • Header bar (top). Back and forward arrows on the left. With a desk open, Add widget sits in the middle. On the right are search (⌘ K or Ctrl K) and the gear that opens Settings. See The header bar.
  • Plexii. The round Plexii button at the bottom right opens the assistant. Click it to type, or hold it to talk. See Meet Plexii, your assistant.
  • Footer (bottom). Your PlexiDesk version (click it to check for updates), whether your work is synced or saved locally, Help & support (opens this help centre in your browser) and What's new. See The footer.
  • Calendar and Files are in the Office area: Office > Communicate > Calendar and Office > Apps > Files.
  • The Vault for passwords is in Settings > Data. See Store passwords in the Vault Coming soon.

Common questions

I skipped the welcome. Can I see it again? Yes. Press ⌘ K (Ctrl K on Windows), choose Take a tour, then Welcome to PlexiDesk. You can also open Settings > Data and choose Take a tour / replay onboarding under Help & support. See Tours and the first-run welcome.

I chose Start blank. Can I still get the starter workspace? Replay the welcome as above and choose Create a starter workspace on the last step. Each time you choose it, it adds a new Getting started room.

The Add widget button is not in the header. It appears when a desk is open. Open a desk from the side menu (Rooms, or New desk) and it shows in the middle of the header.

I pressed S and nothing happened. Single-key shortcuts work on an open desk when you are not typing or working inside a widget. Click an empty part of the desk first, then press the key.

Where are Calendar, Files and the Vault? Calendar is in Office > Communicate, beside Mail and Inbox. Files is in Office > Apps, beside Browser. The Vault is in Settings > Data.

Where can I see keyboard shortcuts? Press ⌘ / on a Mac (Ctrl / on Windows), or see Keyboard shortcuts.

Where to go next

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