# Turn Attention on or off

> Switch the Attention layer on to capture and file what needs you, and let Plexii suggest items. Switch it off and everything you captured is kept.

Source: https://plexiidesk.com/help/settings-ai-attention
Section: Focus and flow > Attention
Plans: All plans
Updated: 2026-10-15

The **Attention layer** switch decides whether Attention is working on this computer. While it is on, you can capture anything that needs you into Attention, Plexii can suggest items for you, and the shortcuts that send things to Attention appear across PlexiDesk. While it is off, none of that runs, and nothing new is filed into Attention.

Attention starts switched off. Turn it on the first time you want to use it.

## Before you start

- The switch is available on every plan.
- It belongs to this computer. If you use PlexiDesk on more than one computer, switch it on on each one.
- Turning it off never deletes anything. Every item you captured is kept, and shows again when you turn it back on.

## Turn Attention on

1. Click the gear at the right-hand end of the header. Its tooltip begins **Appearance settings**, and it opens **Settings**.
2. Click the **AI** tab.
3. Scroll down to the section headed **Attention**.
4. Tick the **Attention layer** checkbox.

The change takes effect straight away. There is no Save button and you do not need to restart.

To turn Attention off, untick **Attention layer**.

## What changes when it is on

| While it is on | Where to find it |
| --- | --- |
| **Capture from the command palette.** Type `@attention` in the command palette to open the Capture window, with or without your words. | `⌘` `K` on a Mac, `Ctrl` `K` on Windows. See [The command palette](https://plexiidesk.com/help/command-palette). |
| **@attention in Plexii and on Home.** Typing `@attention` in a message to Plexii, or in the Home bar, captures what you wrote instead of sending it as a question. | See [Capture something into Attention](https://plexiidesk.com/help/attention-capture). |
| **Add to Attention… on right-click menus.** Right-click a widget, selected text or several widgets to turn it into an item. | See [Right-click menus](https://plexiidesk.com/help/right-click-menus). |
| **A bell on each widget.** An outlined bell beside a widget's title adds it to Attention; a filled bell means it is already there. | See [The controls on every widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-title-bar). |
| **The Attention count in the header.** A bell with the number of items that need you. It hides when the number is zero. | See [Desk nudges, notifications and the Attention count](https://plexiidesk.com/help/attention-nudges). |
| **Plexii suggests items.** Plexii can suggest Attention items in a chat or from a meeting's wrap-up. You accept a suggestion before it is filed. | See [Meet Plexii, your assistant](https://plexiidesk.com/help/ai-assistant). |
| **Plexii tidies your captures.** When you capture something longer than a few words, Plexii offers a cleaner title and notes on the check step. | See [Check and file a captured item](https://plexiidesk.com/help/attention-file-an-item). |

## What happens when it is off

- The command palette's Attention row, the **Add to Attention…** row on widget right-click menus, the widget bells and the header count disappear.
- `@attention` is no longer special. In a message to Plexii it is sent as ordinary text.
- Plexii stops suggesting Attention items. In a meeting wrap-up, it suggests a desk for an action item instead.
- Nothing new can be filed into Attention. If you try, for example from the bell on a message, the Capture window shows a message saying work items are not enabled.
- What you already have stays. The **Attention** page in the side menu still opens and still lists your items, and tasks you add on a desk still appear there.

## Common questions

**I turned Attention off. Are my items gone?** No. Everything you captured is kept and shows again when you turn **Attention layer** back on.

**Filing says work items are not enabled.** The Attention layer is off on this computer. Turn it on in **Settings > AI > Attention** and file the item again.

**Filing says work items are personal-scope only.** Attention items belong to your **Personal** workspace. Switch to **Personal** in the workspace switcher at the top of the side menu, then capture again. See [The side menu](https://plexiidesk.com/help/side-menu).

**I switched it on at work but not at home.** The switch is kept on each computer separately. Turn it on on the other computer too.

**Does Attention use my AI credits?** Most of it does not. Capturing, filing, closing and filtering run on your computer. A capture uses AI only when Plexii needs it to work out which queue it belongs in, or to tidy a longer capture. See [AI settings](https://plexiidesk.com/help/settings-ai).

## Related tasks

- [Attention: everything that needs you](https://plexiidesk.com/help/attention-overview)
- [Capture something into Attention](https://plexiidesk.com/help/attention-capture)
- [Check and file a captured item](https://plexiidesk.com/help/attention-file-an-item)
- [AI settings](https://plexiidesk.com/help/settings-ai)
- [The command palette](https://plexiidesk.com/help/command-palette)