# Image widget

> Describe a picture in words and generate it on your desk, in a square, landscape or portrait shape, using your own OpenAI key.

Source: https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-image
Section: Widgets > Draw and diagram
Plans: All plans
Updated: 2026-10-15

The Image widget turns a written description into a picture. Type what you want to see, choose a shape and click **Generate**. The picture appears in the widget. Change the words and generate again until it is right, then place the result on the desk as a picture of its own.

Use it for a cover image for a plan, an illustration for a presentation, a mood picture for a project, or a quick visual to explain an idea.

## Before you start

- The Image widget is on every plan.
- **It needs your own OpenAI API key.** Pictures are generated with OpenAI on your OpenAI account, not with PlexiDesk credits. Add the key in Settings > **AI**, under **AI · API keys**, in the **OpenAI API key** row. See [Add your own API keys](https://plexiidesk.com/help/api-keys).
- You need to be online while a picture is generated.

## Add an Image widget

1. Open the desk you want it on.
2. Click **Add widget** in the centre of the header.
3. In the **Draw & diagram** column, click **Image**.

Other ways to add one:

- **Right-click an empty part of the desk** and choose **Add object** > **Tools** > **Image**. It appears where you clicked.
- **Press `⌘` `K`** on a Mac or `Ctrl` `K` on Windows and choose **Add Image**.

A new Image widget is headed **Generate an image** and says **Describe an image and it will appear here.**

## Generate a picture

1. Click in the box near the bottom of the widget and describe the picture.
2. Choose a shape:

   | Shape | Size in pixels |
   | --- | --- |
   | **Square** | 1024 × 1024. New widgets start here. |
   | **Landscape** | 1536 × 1024 |
   | **Portrait** | 1024 × 1536 |

3. Click **Generate**, or press `⌘` `Enter` on a Mac or `Ctrl` `Enter` on Windows.

The button says **Generating…** while the picture is made, which can take a little while. Then the picture fills the widget.

### Try again

Edit the description, or choose another shape, and click **Regenerate**. The new picture replaces the one in the widget. To keep a picture before you try again, add it to the desk first, as below.

## Put the picture on the desk

Click **Add to desk**. The picture is placed to the right of the Image widget as a widget of its own, named after the start of your description. The Image widget keeps the picture too, so you can carry on generating from it.

The placed picture is an ordinary file widget. See [File or link widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-file-or-link).

Each picture you generate is saved as a picture file on this computer, named after the start of your description.

## Write a good description

- **Say what is in the picture first,** then the setting, then the style. For example: *A small wooden boat on a still lake at dawn, mist on the water, soft watercolour style.*
- **Name the style** you want: photograph, watercolour, flat illustration, pencil sketch, 3D render.
- **Give the light and the mood:** golden hour, overcast, bright studio light, calm, busy.
- **Choose the shape to suit where it will go.** Landscape for a slide or a banner, Portrait for a poster or a phone screen.
- **Change one thing at a time** between tries, so you can see what each change does.

## Publishing a live view

When you publish a live view of a desk, the picture in an Image widget is published with it. See [Publish a live view of a desk](https://plexiidesk.com/help/share-live-web-view).

## Common questions

**It says to add my OpenAI API key.** The widget needs your own OpenAI key. Add it in Settings > **AI**, under **AI · API keys**. See [Add your own API keys](https://plexiidesk.com/help/api-keys).

**It says my OpenAI key was rejected.** The key is not valid any more, or was copied incompletely. Copy it again from your OpenAI account and paste it into the **OpenAI API key** row.

**Generate is greyed out.** The description box is empty. Type a description first.

**It says it could not reach the image service.** Check your internet connection and try again.

**Does generating use my PlexiDesk credits?** No. The Image widget always uses your own OpenAI key, and OpenAI charges your OpenAI account.

**Can I generate pictures in a design?** Yes. The Design widget has an image generator of its own, which uses the same OpenAI key. See [Design widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-design).

## Related tasks

- [Draw & diagram widgets](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widgets-draw-and-diagram)
- [Add your own API keys](https://plexiidesk.com/help/api-keys)
- [Design widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-design)
- [File or link widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-file-or-link)
- [Gallery widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-gallery)