# Create new widget

> Start a blank document, spreadsheet or deck, or set up a new desk, with one click from your Home dashboard.

Source: https://plexiidesk.com/help/home-widget-create-new
Section: Home dashboard > Home widgets
Plans: All plans
Updated: 2026-10-10

The **Create new** widget puts four buttons on your Home dashboard: **Document**, **Spreadsheet**, **Deck** and **Desk**. Use it when you want to start something fresh straight from Home, without opening Office or the side menu first.

## Before you start

- The widget is available on every plan.
- You can add it to **Home**, **Office Home**, **People Home** or **Brain Home**. Each dashboard keeps its own layout, so add it to each one where you want it. See [Desk, Office, People and Brain: the four areas](https://plexiidesk.com/help/plexii-areas).
- Each dashboard can have one Create new widget.
- Your dashboard layout is saved on this computer.

## Add the widget to your dashboard

1. Open your Home dashboard and click **Customize** at the top right.
2. Click **Add widget**. The widget gallery opens.
3. Click **Actions** to narrow the list, or type "create" in **Search widgets**.
4. Click **Create new**. A live preview shows the widget at its first size, **Small**.
5. To see it at **Medium**, click the arrow to the right of the preview or the second dot under it.
6. Click **Add widget**. The widget is added at the end of your board and glows for a moment so you can spot it.
7. Drag it to where you want it, then click **Done**.



For more on arranging your board, see [Customize your Home dashboard](https://plexiidesk.com/help/home-customize).

## What each button does

| Button | What happens |
| --- | --- |
| **Document** | Creates a blank document called "Untitled document" and opens it in PlexiiDocs. |
| **Spreadsheet** | Creates a blank spreadsheet called "Untitled sheet" and opens it in PlexiiSheets. |
| **Deck** | Creates a blank deck called "Untitled deck" and opens it in PlexiiSlides. |
| **Desk** | On Home, opens the **New Desk** window so you can name the desk and set it up. On Office Home, People Home and Brain Home, it creates a desk called "New desk" and opens it straight away. |

## Start a document, spreadsheet or deck

1. Click **Document**, **Spreadsheet** or **Deck**.
2. The new file opens in its editor, ready to type in.
3. To name it, click the name at the top of the editor and type. It starts as "Untitled document", "Untitled sheet" or "Untitled deck".

For everything else in the editor, see [The editor header, saving and the File menu](https://plexiidesk.com/help).

The file is kept with your other Office files, so you can find it again from Office. See [Find, star and pin your Office files](https://plexiidesk.com/help).

> **Note:**
> The buttons always start a blank file. To start from a template, or to make a diagram, design or artwork, see [Create a document, sheet, deck, diagram, design or artwork](https://plexiidesk.com/help).

## Set up a new desk

On your Home dashboard in the Desk area:

1. Click **Desk**. The **New Desk** window opens, with the current date and time filled in as the name.
2. Type a name, and choose a template, a room and any other details you want.
3. Click **Create Desk**. Your new desk opens.

Everything in the window is explained in [Create a desk](https://plexiidesk.com/help/desk-create).

On **Office Home**, **People Home** and **Brain Home**, clicking **Desk** skips the window. It makes a desk called "New desk" at the top level, outside any room, and opens it. To rename it or move it into a room, see [Rename a desk and move it to a room](https://plexiidesk.com/help/desk-rename-move).

## Change the size or remove the widget

1. Click **Customize** at the top of the dashboard.
2. To switch between **Small** and **Medium**, click the size button at the top-right corner of the widget. It shows the current size.
3. To take the widget off the board, click the **×** at its top-right corner.
4. Click **Done**.

Medium gives the same four buttons more room.

## Good ways to use it

- Put it on **Office Home** if you start most of your work as documents, spreadsheets and decks.
- Keep it on **Home** if you often start a new desk and want to set its name, room and template as you go.
- Pair it with the [New desk widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/home-widget-new-desk) when you sometimes want a desk with no questions asked.

> **Tip:**
> When you click **Set up with Plexii** on Office Home, the suggested layout can include Create new. See [Set up a dashboard with Plexii](https://plexiidesk.com/help/home-setup-wizard).

## Common questions

### I clicked Desk but no window appeared

The **New Desk** window opens from the side menu. If you have minimised the side menu, click **Expand menu** at the top of the narrow menu and the window appears.

### Nothing happens when I click a button in the widget

While you are customising the dashboard, widgets do not respond to clicks, so you can move them safely. Click **Done** first.

### Why can't I add a second Create new widget?

Each dashboard can have one. In the widget gallery it shows **Already on your home** once it is on the board. You can add another one to a different dashboard, such as Office Home.

### Is this the same as Create in Quick actions?

Both make a blank document. **Create** in the [Quick actions widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/home-widget-quick-actions) only makes documents, while Create new also makes spreadsheets, decks and desks.

## Related tasks

- [The Home dashboard](https://plexiidesk.com/help/home-dashboard)
- [Customize your Home dashboard](https://plexiidesk.com/help/home-customize)
- [Create a document, sheet, deck, diagram, design or artwork](https://plexiidesk.com/help)
- [Create a desk](https://plexiidesk.com/help/desk-create)
- [New desk widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/home-widget-new-desk)