# Scratchpad widget

> Sketch freehand on a desk with a pen, an eraser, seven colours and three line widths. Click the scratchpad once, then draw.

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

The Scratchpad is a freehand drawing surface on your desk. Pick a colour and a line width, draw with your mouse, trackpad or pen, and rub out strokes with the eraser. Lines are smoothed as you draw and taper with the speed of your hand, like ink.

Use it for the quick sketch you would otherwise do on the back of an envelope: a rough layout, an arrow and a circle around the thing that matters, a doodle while you think, or a drawing to explain an idea to someone sharing the desk.

## Before you start

- The Scratchpad is on every plan.
- You need a desk open.
- A mouse, a trackpad or a pen and tablet all work.

## Add a Scratchpad

1. Open the desk you want it on.
2. Click **Add widget** in the middle of the header bar.
3. Click **Scratchpad**.

In the **Add widget** menu, **Scratchpad** is in the **Draw & diagram** column. You can also type *sketch* in **Search widgets…** and press `Enter` to add it.

Other ways to add one:

- **The command palette.** Press `⌘` `K` on a Mac or `Ctrl` `K` on Windows, type *add scratchpad* and press `Enter`.
- **Right-click the desk.** Right-click an empty part of the desk and choose **Add object** > **Advanced** > **Scratchpad**. It appears where you clicked.

## Draw

1. Click the scratchpad once to make it active. A small blue dot appears beside its name in the title bar.
2. Drag across the surface to draw. The pen starts in near-black at the middle width.
3. When you are finished, press `Esc` or click an empty part of the desk.

Every stroke is saved as soon as you lift the pen or let go of the mouse button.



## The toolbar

The toolbar runs along the top of the scratchpad. Rest the pointer on a control to see its tooltip.

| Control | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **Pen** | Draws. It is selected when you add a scratchpad. |
| **Eraser** | Removes whole strokes. Click a stroke, or drag across several. |
| Seven colour dots | Set the pen colour: near-black, red, blue, green, amber, violet and pink. Choosing a colour also switches back to the pen. |
| Three dots of different sizes | Set the line width: **3px**, **6px** or **12px**. |
| **Clear** | At the right end. Removes every stroke at once. |

## Erase

1. Click **Eraser**.
2. Click a stroke, or drag across the strokes you want gone. Each stroke you touch is removed whole, from end to end.
3. Click **Pen**, or click a colour, to draw again.

> **Note:**
> **Clear** removes the whole sketch straight away and does not ask first. To remove one or two strokes, use the **Eraser** instead.

## Give yourself more room

- Drag an edge or corner of the widget to make it bigger. Your strokes stay exactly where they are, and the new space is ready to draw on.
- Or use the plus button on the title bar, or **Expand** > **Larger on desk**, to grow it in steps.

See [The controls on every widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-title-bar).

## Good uses

- **Explain with a picture.** Sketch a layout, a route or a rough chart beside the notes it belongs to.
- **Mark up a desk.** Put a scratchpad next to a table or a document and circle, underline or arrow what matters.
- **Think on paper.** Keep one on a desk for doodling while you work through a problem.

For a neat diagram with boxes and arrows you can rearrange, use the [Diagram widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-diagram). For finished artwork with layers and export, use the [Artwork widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help).



## Share a sketch

When you publish a live view of a desk, people see a picture of your sketch. They cannot draw on it. A very large, detailed sketch may show as a placeholder instead. See [Publish a live view of a desk](https://plexiidesk.com/help/share-live-web-view).

## Common questions

**Nothing happens when I drag.** The scratchpad is not active yet. Click it once, check for the blue dot beside its name, then draw.

**My black lines are hard to see.** In a dark theme the drawing surface is dark too, so near-black ink barely shows. Choose one of the brighter colours.

**How do I remove the last stroke?** Click **Eraser** and touch that stroke. Only the strokes you touch are removed.

## Related tasks

- [Draw & diagram widgets](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widgets-draw-and-diagram)
- [Diagram widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-diagram)
- [Shape widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-shape)
- [Artwork widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help)
- [Add a widget to a desk](https://plexiidesk.com/help/add-a-widget)

More about this widget