# 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. Source: https://plexiidesk.com/help/getting-started Section: Get started > Start here Plans: All plans Updated: 2026-10-10 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](https://plexiidesk.com/download) and follow [Install on a Mac](https://plexiidesk.com/help/install-mac) or [Install on Windows](https://plexiidesk.com/help/install-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. > **Note:** > If someone set up PlexiDesk for you, ask them whether you should use your own key. You do not need a key to use AI: once you are signed in, AI can run on AI credits on your PlexiDesk account instead. See [AI credits and where your AI runs](https://plexiidesk.com/help), and [Add your own API keys](https://plexiidesk.com/help/api-keys) to add or change a key later in **Settings > AI > AI · API keys**. ### 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](https://plexiidesk.com/help) and [Sync your work across devices](https://plexiidesk.com/help/accounts-and-sync). 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. > **Tip:** > With a desk open and nothing selected, press `S` to add a sticky note straight away. Other widgets have their own keys too: see [Add widgets with single keys](https://plexiidesk.com/help/quick-add-keys). Next, try [adding other widgets](https://plexiidesk.com/help/add-a-widget), [moving and zooming around the canvas](https://plexiidesk.com/help/canvas-navigation), or [the other ways to create a desk](https://plexiidesk.com/help/desk-create). ## 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](https://plexiidesk.com/help/side-menu) and [Desk, Office, People and Brain](https://plexiidesk.com/help/plexii-areas). - **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](https://plexiidesk.com/help/app-header). - **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](https://plexiidesk.com/help/ai-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](https://plexiidesk.com/help/app-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](https://plexiidesk.com/help). ## 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](https://plexiidesk.com/help/tours-and-onboarding). **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](https://plexiidesk.com/help/keyboard-shortcuts). ## Where to go next - [Find your way around PlexiDesk](https://plexiidesk.com/help/getting-around) - [Create a desk](https://plexiidesk.com/help/desk-create) - [Add a widget to a desk](https://plexiidesk.com/help/add-a-widget) - [Move around the canvas](https://plexiidesk.com/help/canvas-navigation) - [The Home dashboard](https://plexiidesk.com/help/home-dashboard) - [Keyboard shortcuts](https://plexiidesk.com/help/keyboard-shortcuts) - [Tours and the first-run welcome](https://plexiidesk.com/help/tours-and-onboarding)