# Task link widget

> Put a card for another desk on this one, with its rooms and due date, to open it in one click or start five focused minutes on it.

Source: https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-task-link
Section: Widgets > Desk layout
Plans: All plans
Updated: 2026-10-15

A Task link is a small card on your desk that stands for another desk. It shows that desk's name, the rooms it sits in and when it is due, with two buttons: **Open** takes you there, and **5 min** starts a five-minute focus session on it.

Use it to keep related work within reach: the follow-up desk beside a meeting's notes, each stage of a project on an overview desk, or the desk you keep putting off, with a quick way to make a start.

## Before you start

- The Task link widget is on every plan.
- You need at least one other desk. A Task link cannot point at the desk it is on.

## Add a Task link

1. Open the desk you want it on.
2. Click **Add widget** in the centre of the header.
3. In the **Desk layout** column, click **Task link**.

Other ways to add one:

- **Right-click an empty part of the desk** and choose **Add object** > **Advanced** > **Task link**. It appears where you clicked.
- **Press `⌘` `K`** on a Mac or `Ctrl` `K` on Windows, type *task link* and choose **Add Task link**.

## Choose the desk it points at

A new Task link asks **Which desk should this point at?** and lists your desks.

1. To narrow the list, type part of the desk's name in **Search desks…**.
2. Click the desk.

The card changes to show that desk. The list shows up to 50 desks at a time, so for a long list, search. If nothing matches, it says **No desk matches that.** If you have no other desks, it says **No desks yet.**

## What the card shows

- **The desk's name,** with an icon for where it stands: a tick while it is open, a play symbol while it is in progress. A desk marked done is struck through.
- **The rooms it sits in,** from the outermost room in, when the desk is inside a room.
- **When it is due,** if it has a due date: **due today**, **due tomorrow**, **due in** and the number of days (such as **due in 3d**), or how many days late (such as **2d late**). The label turns amber when the desk is due within a day, and red once it is late.

The card grows to fit what it shows.

## Open the desk

Click **Open**, or click the desk's name. The desk opens.

## Start five minutes on it

Click **5 min**. PlexiDesk:

1. Starts a five-minute focus session on that desk.
2. Marks the desk as in progress, if it was open.
3. Opens the desk, so you can start straight away.

**5 min** is greyed out when the desk is done. See [Start a focus session](https://plexiidesk.com/help/focus-session).

## When the desk is no longer there

If the desk a Task link points at is deleted or moved out of your workspace, the card says **Referenced desk was deleted or moved.**

1. Click **Point it somewhere else**.
2. The desk list comes back. Choose another desk.

Or remove the widget with **Remove** (the cross) in its title bar.

## Tips

- **Build an overview desk.** One Task link per stage of a project, in order, makes a simple map you can open from.
- **Pair it with a Portal.** A [Portal](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-portal) shows another desk live. A Task link is smaller, shows the due date and gives you the **5 min** button.
- **Use 5 min on the desk you are avoiding.** Five minutes is often enough to get going. See [When a desk is hard to start](https://plexiidesk.com/help/focus-hard-to-start).

## Common questions

**The desk I want is not in the list.** The list does not include the desk you are on. Type part of the name in **Search desks…**, since only the first 50 matches are shown.

**Can I change which desk it points at?** Not while the desk is still there. Add a new Task link and choose the other desk, then remove the old one.

**What is the difference between a Task link and a Portal?** A Task link is a card with the desk's name, rooms, due date and buttons to open it or start five minutes on it. A Portal shows a live miniature of the desk, and can feed the whole desk to a Desk agent. See [Portal widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-portal).

## Related tasks

- [Desk layout widgets](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widgets-desk-layout)
- [Portal widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-portal)
- [Start a focus session](https://plexiidesk.com/help/focus-session)
- [Related desks and changes since your last visit](https://plexiidesk.com/help/desk-related-desks)
- [Add a widget to a desk](https://plexiidesk.com/help/add-a-widget)