Subjects鈥?behavioural performance was significantly reduced in covert attention compared to overt attention. Correspondingly, attentional modulation of SSVEP amplitudes by overt attention was larger in magnitude than for covert attention. Overt attention also changed the topographical distribution of SSVEP amplitudes on the scalp. Stimuli elicited the largest amplitudes at central occipital electrodes when they were overtly attended and at contralateral parieto-occipital sites when they were covertly attended. Accordingly, source analysis revealed clear centrally located sources in early visual areas in overt attention, regardless of the attended visual hemifield. Taken together these results affirm that overt and covert attention have qualitatively and quantitatively different effects on SSVEP responses as well as on task performance. Moreover, our results suggest that navigating SSVEP-BCIs with overt attention is more reliable and highlight some of the challenges in developing BCIs for patients who have lost the ability to move their eyes.