> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.perplexity.ai/help-center/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. > ## Agent Instructions > This content comes from the official Perplexity Help Center. Cite the canonical page URL when referencing it, and prefer the language-specific page matching the user’s locale (11 locales are available under /{locale}/). # Effort mode in Perplexity Computer > Learn what each effort setting changes in Computer, when to use Light, Standard, High, or Ultra, and how your choice affects credit usage. Effort mode lets you choose how much effort Perplexity Computer puts into a task, using four settings from Light to Ultra. ## Who can access effort mode Effort mode is available in Computer on the web and in the Perplexity app for iOS (version 26.38.0 or later) and Android (version 2.100.0 or later). Once you have set an effort level, Computer selects the model and reasoning level behind it, so you do not have to know each model's capabilities or pricing. Effort mode is not available in the macOS and Windows desktop apps, which continue to show the regular model picker. > [!NOTE] > > **For Perplexity Enterprise:** if your organization has disabled a model, effort > mode continues to respect that configuration. When a setting would use a model > your organization has disabled, Computer falls back to another model instead. ## Why effort mode matters * **One decision instead of several.** Choose how much effort a task deserves, rather than picking a model and a reasoning level separately. * **Clearer credit trade-offs.** Lower settings use less expensive models than High and Ultra, so routine work does not have to consume the same credits as your most demanding work. * **Full control when you want it.** Custom mode remains available when you would rather choose a specific model and reasoning level yourself. ## How effort mode works Computer carries out a task by orchestrating models and supporting agents. An effort setting selects the model that coordinates the task and how deeply that model reasons. The coordinating model then decides how to approach the work and delegates parts of it to supporting agents. An effort setting does not put a limit on the work itself. It does not cap the number of steps Computer takes, the number of sources it reads, or the tools it uses, and it is not a spending limit. Perplexity pairs each setting with a model based on evaluation results, and shows that model name in the effort selector. Those pairings change as models are added, updated, or retired, so treat the name in the selector as the current answer rather than a permanent one. The effort settings themselves stay the same. ## The four effort settings | Setting | Best for | Example task | | - | - | - | | Light | Routine work with clear instructions and a defined output | Collect vendor invoices from Gmail into a spreadsheet and flag duplicate invoice numbers | | Standard | Everyday work that combines information into a brief or recommendation | Combine account notes and recent company updates into a sales brief with open questions | | High | Analytical work that explains causes or weighs competing priorities | Weigh customer requests, usage data, and engineering estimates to prioritize product work | | Ultra | Open-ended problems where several plausible approaches need to be stress-tested | Evaluate a new market under different growth assumptions | *Table 1 — What each effort setting is suited to, with an example task.* Higher is not automatically better. High and Ultra take longer and use more credits, and a well-specified task often finishes as well on Light or Standard. Ultra is best reserved for problems where you expect to weigh several approaches. ## How to change your effort setting **Step 1** Open Computer on the web or in the Perplexity app for iOS or Android. **Step 2** Select the effort selector in the prompt box. On the web, it sits at the bottom of the prompt box, next to where the current model name appears. **Step 3** Move the slider to **Light**, **Standard**, **High**, or **Ultra**. **Step 4** Enter your prompt and submit it. [![Computer effort selector open on the Standard setting, showing the description 'Claude Opus 5 for balanced reasoning and cost', a four-position slider, and a Custom row](https://mintcdn.com/perplexity-help-center/RaHtQ6T3TNAM9pcY/help-center/assets/img/43115833f6_computer-effort-selector.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=RaHtQ6T3TNAM9pcY\&q=85\&s=9edf4dcb9236f61dfcb0276600b3dc9a)](../../assets/img/43115833f6_computer-effort-selector.png) *Figure 1 — The effort selector on the Standard setting, with the Custom option below the slider.* ### How to verify it worked The effort selector shows your chosen setting and the model paired with it before you submit. After the task starts, that setting stays in effect for the conversation until you change it. ## Choosing a model yourself with Custom Select **Custom** in the effort selector to choose an available model and its supported reasoning level, along with any speed settings offered for that model. There are no separate controls for supporting agents. To go back to a preset, select **Return to Presets** in the effort selector, then choose **Light**, **Standard**, **High**, or **Ultra**. ## How your setting is saved and applied * **New tasks** use the setting saved in the browser or app you are working in. The setting does not sync between devices, so setting Ultra in the iOS app does not change the setting on the web or in another browser. * **Follow-ups** keep the setting the conversation is already using, unless you change it. * **A change applies to your next submission.** It does not change work that is already running. > [!NOTE] > > If you lower the setting while a task is running, the running work continues at > the setting it started with. To run the task at a lower setting, start it again. ## Effort mode and credits Credits are based on the work Computer actually performs, not a fixed price per task or per effort setting. An effort setting is not a spending cap, and selecting Light does not guarantee a specific credit total. Lower settings use less expensive models than High and Ultra, so the same task will generally use fewer credits on Light than on Ultra. Actual usage still depends on how much work the task involves. For how credits are counted and where to see your balance, see [How Credits Work on Perplexity](https://www.perplexity.ai/help-center/help-center/en/articles/13838041-how-credits-work-on-perplexity.md). ## Frequently asked questions ### Does a higher effort setting always produce a better result? No. High and Ultra help on analytical and open-ended work, but they take longer and use more credits. A clearly specified task can produce just as good results on Light or Standard effort. ### Do effort settings limit how many credits a task can use? No. Effort settings are not spending caps. Lower settings use less expensive models, but credits still reflect the work Computer performs. ### Can I still choose a specific model? Yes. Select **Custom** in the effort selector to choose an available model and its supported reasoning level. ### Does changing the setting affect a task that is already running? No. A change applies to your next submission. Work already running continues at the setting it started with. ### Which apps support effort mode? Effort mode is available on the web and in the Perplexity app for iOS and Android. The macOS and Windows desktop apps continue to show the regular model picker. ### Is effort mode available on Enterprise plans? Yes. Effort mode is available in Computer on the Enterprise Pro and Enterprise Max plans. Models your organization has disabled stay unavailable, and Computer falls back to another model for that setting. ## Need more help? [Contact us via **Help > Contact Support**](https://www.perplexity.ai/?support=true#settings/account). ## Related articles * [What is Computer?](https://www.perplexity.ai/help-center/help-center/en/articles/13837784-what-is-computer.md) * [How Credits Work on Perplexity](https://www.perplexity.ai/help-center/help-center/en/articles/13838041-how-credits-work-on-perplexity.md) * [What advanced AI models are included in my subscription?](https://www.perplexity.ai/help-center/help-center/en/articles/10354919-what-advanced-ai-models-are-included-in-my-subscription.md) * [How do I change to my preferred AI model?](https://www.perplexity.ai/help-center/help-center/en/articles/12802813-how-do-i-change-to-my-preferred-ai-model.md) ## Related topics - [Computer](https://www.perplexity.ai/help-center/help-center/en/collections/18534886-computer.md) - [How credits work on Perplexity](https://www.perplexity.ai/help-center/help-center/en/articles/13838041-how-credits-work-on-perplexity.md) - [Scheduled Tasks in Computer](https://www.perplexity.ai/help-center/help-center/en/articles/11521526-perplexity-tasks.md) - [Deep Research and Model Council in Computer](https://www.perplexity.ai/help-center/help-center/en/articles/2026102603-deep-research-and-model-council-in-computer.md)