This article explains what Perplexity does and how to run your first searches, with example prompts and three tips to get more out of Perplexity.
What is Perplexity?
Perplexity answers your questions with cited sources. Ask in plain language, and it searches the web, summarizes what it finds, and shows you where each part of the answer came from. Use it to summarize content, explore a topic in depth, or draft something new.
Try a few examples
Select an example to open it in a new search:
What can I use Perplexity for?
Answering questions
Each question you ask starts a session. Follow-up questions stay in the same session, so you can refine an answer without starting over. See What is a Session? for how sessions work.
Exploring topics in depth
Pro Search provides a guided AI search experience, so you can explore a topic in depth and learn new things. See What is Pro Search? for more detail.
Organizing your research
Organize your sessions and files in Projects, grouped by topic. Invite members to collaborate or, for eligible organizations, share access within your organization. See What are Projects? for roles and limits.
Working with your files
Upload a file to a session, ask questions about it, and search the web in the same session.
What is Pro Search?
Pro Search is Perplexity’s in-depth search. Instead of a quick answer drawn from one or two sources, it synthesizes information from a wide set of high-quality sources and links directly to each one. It isn’t a separate toggle: when you use Search, Perplexity applies Pro Search automatically if your plan includes it. See What advanced AI models are included in my subscription? for the models available on your plan.
Basic answers compared with Pro Search
A basic search gives you a fast answer and is best for quick facts. Pro Search takes longer, draws on more sources, and is best for research, analysis, and complex questions where depth, accuracy, and source transparency matter most.