I spent dozens of hours testing every AI tool out there. Honestly, I thought nothing could beat ChatGPT until I tried Perplexity. It changed how I search for everything. I’m sitting here with my coffee, and I want to show you the shortcuts I found. This guide will help you get accurate answers faster than Google.
Table of Contents
1. Setting Up
Before you type a single question, you need to fix your settings. This makes the AI work for you, not the other way around.
- Look at the bottom left corner. Click on your Account Icon.
- Go to Preferences.
- Toggle on Dark Theme if you like a sleek look.
- Pro Tip: Under Model, I usually keep it on “Auto.” I found this is the best way to get fast results.
Note: Make sure to visit the Personalization tab. Tell the AI who you are! I told it to always be accurate and use “first principles reasoning.” This stops it from guessing when I ask a vague question.
2. Navigating the Perplexity Dashboard
The layout looks like other AI tools, but it has secret powers.
- Home: This is your main hub. You can see trending topics like sports or tech.
- Discover: This is like a personalized news feed. It learns what you like.
- Finance: This is a game-changer for stock lovers. You can see real-time prices and earnings calls.
3. How to Use Perplexity Deep Research
This is the feature that makes Perplexity special. Most AI just “chats,” but this tool actually does the work for you.
- Type your topic in the Search bar.
- Before you hit enter, toggle the Deep Research switch to ON.
- Choose your Sources. You can pick Academic for school work or Social for Reddit opinions.
- Click the Arrow to start.
Warning: Deep Research takes longer than a normal search. I made the mistake of closing the tab too early once. Click Notify Me so the AI pings you when it’s done!
4. Turning Research into Beautiful Pages
Once you have your data, you don’t have to leave it in a boring chat window.
- Find the three dots at the top of your chat.
- Click Convert to Page.
- Perplexity will build a professional-looking blog post or report for you.
- You can click Add Media to insert AI-generated paintings or photos.
5. Collaborating in Perplexity Spaces
If you are planning a trip or a work project, you need a Space. This is like a folder you can share with friends.
- Click Spaces in the left sidebar.
- Click Create New Space.
- Add Instructions. For example: “We are traveling to Barcelona. Keep the budget under $1,000.”
- Invite your friends using the Share link.
6. Common Pitfalls: What Usually Goes Wrong
Even though Perplexity is “pro” level, it isn’t perfect. Here is what I noticed:
- The Hallucination Trap: AI sometimes makes things up. Always check the Sources list at the top. If there is no link, be careful!
- Missing Data: If the AI says “No data available,” don’t panic. You just need to give it more info or add a link to a file using the Attach button.
- Model Confusion: If you switch to “GPT-4o” or “Claude,” it might act differently than the “Auto” mode. I found that “Auto” is usually more reliable for web searches.
Conclusion: Is Perplexity Better Than Google?
In my opinion? Yes. It saves me so much time because I don’t have to click ten different blue links. I get the answer, the sources, and a beautiful report all in one go.
Have you tried using the Deep Research mode yet? It’s honestly my favorite part. Let me know in the comments if you have any trouble setting up your Spaces!
FAQs
Is Perplexity AI actually free to use?
Yes! You can use the basic search for free without even making an account. However, I highly recommend signing up for a free account so it can save your “Threads” (your search history). If you want the super-powerful Deep Research mode I mentioned, there is a “Pro” subscription, but the free version is more than enough for most daily tasks.
How is this different from just using Google?
Google gives you a list of links, and you have to do the “detective work” by clicking each one to find the answer. Perplexity does the reading for you. It looks at those websites, summarizes the answer, and gives you citations (links) so you can double-check the facts. It’s like having a research assistant instead of just a library catalog.
Can I trust the information Perplexity gives me?
Most of the time, yes. Because Perplexity cites its sources, you can see exactly where the information came from. If it says a fact, it usually puts a little number next to it that links to the original website.
Can I upload my own files to Perplexity?
You definitely can! There is an Attach button (it looks like a paperclip) in the search bar. You can upload PDFs, text files, or even images. I use this when I have a long document that I’m too lazy to read—I just upload it and ask, “Give me a 3-bullet point summary of this.”