While Perplexity AI is already transforming how we get answers, most users are barely scratching the surface of its capabilities.
Prepare to unlock five powerful, underused features that will revolutionize your research, organization, and content creation.
Audio Podcast (3 minutes)
What is Perplexity AI?
Perplexity AI is a powerful AI search assistant that combines web search with AI synthesis to provide direct answers to your questions. Unlike traditional search engines that give you a list of links, Perplexity searches the web, reads the most relevant sources, and presents clear answers with citations.
While many users have discovered this helpful tool, most are only using its basic features. In this interactive guide, we'll explore five powerful features that can transform how you research, organize information, and create content.
Perplexity AI's intuitive interface combines search capabilities with AI-powered answers
Feature #1: Focus Mode
Target Your Sources with Precision
Focus Mode allows you to control where Perplexity pulls information from, dramatically changing the quality and perspective of the answers you receive.
Perplexity's Focus Mode interface showing different source options
Available Focus Options:
Web Focus (Default)
Searches across the entire internet for the most relevant information.
Academic Focus
Prioritizes scholarly sources, research papers, and academic journals.
Social Focus
Sources information from social media, forums, and discussion boards.
Video Focus
Analyzes content from video platforms like YouTube.
Writing Focus
Optimized for content creation, coding, and creative tasks.
Math Focus
Powered by Wolfram Alpha for mathematical computations and analysis.
How To Use Focus Mode:
Real-World Example:
Question: "What are the benefits of cold showers?"
With Academic Focus: Scientifically-backed information from research papers on improved circulation, reduced inflammation, and potential immune system benefits.
With Social Focus: Personal experiences from Reddit users about how cold showers affected their energy levels, mood, and daily routines.
Pro Tip:
Combine Focus Mode with specific questions to get incredibly precise information. For example, "What are the latest research studies on intermittent fasting for women over 40?" with Academic Focus will provide scholarly information on that specific topic.
Feature #2: Spaces
Create Custom Research Environments
Spaces are like intelligent folders that keep your research organized by topic. But they're much more powerful than simple folders because you can add custom instructions that Perplexity will follow every time you start a new conversation in that space.
Creating and using Spaces in Perplexity AI
Setting Up a Space with Custom Instructions:
Real-World Example: YouTube Research Space
Custom Instructions for YouTube Research Space:
- A one-sentence overview
- Key features and capabilities
- Comparison to similar tools
- What makes it unique or disruptive
- 3 potential video title ideas
- Real-world user experiences and reactions"
Advanced Tip: Team Collaboration
Spaces can be shared with up to five team members, making them perfect for collaborative research. Everyone can contribute to the same Space, seeing each other's threads and building on previous conversations.
This is invaluable for:
- Marketing teams researching competitors
- Students working on group projects
- Researchers collaborating on a paper
- Content teams developing articles on related topics
Pro Tip:
You can upload reference files to your Space that Perplexity will use across all conversations in that Space. This eliminates the need to repeatedly upload the same documents for related queries.
Feature #3: Deep Research Mode
Your Personal Research Assistant
Deep Research Mode transforms Perplexity into a comprehensive research assistant that conducts multi-step research on complex topics, creating detailed reports with extensive citations.
Perplexity's Deep Research Mode in action
Official introduction to Perplexity Deep Research feature
How Deep Research Mode Works:
Perplexity analyzes your query and develops a research strategy.
It conducts multiple searches on different aspects of your topic.
The information is synthesized into a comprehensive report.
The final output includes sections, subsections, and extensive citations.
Using Deep Research Mode:
Example Output Structure:
Query: "How does retrieval augmented generation work and what are its limitations?"
Deep Research Output:
- Introduction to retrieval augmented generation (RAG)
- The four key stages of RAG systems
- Seven common limitations and failure points
- Operational challenges in implementing RAG
- Conclusion with future directions
- Comprehensive citations for all sources
Best Practices for Deep Research Queries:
- Be specific about what you want to learn
- Include multiple aspects in your question
- Ask for comparisons or limitations
- Request examples or applications
- Consider adding a time frame if relevant
Pro Tip:
Instead of asking "Tell me about NFTs," try "What are the environmental impacts, investment risks, and future potential of NFTs in the art market over the next five years?" The more specific your query, the more valuable your research report will be.
Feature #4: Pages
Transform Your Research into Shareable Documents
Pages transform your Perplexity conversations into polished, shareable web documents. Instead of copying and pasting text or taking screenshots, Pages creates a clean, professional-looking web page with proper formatting, sections, and citations.
Perplexity Pages interface showing the conversion of a conversation to a formatted web page
Comprehensive tutorial on using Perplexity Pages effectively
Creating a Page from a Conversation:
Customizing Your Pages:
Pages aren't just static copies of your conversation. You can:
- Add a hero image at the top
- Insert images for each section
- Rearrange sections by dragging and dropping
- Edit text directly
- Add or remove content as needed
Creating Pages from Scratch:
Real-World Applications:
Pages are perfect for:
Creating research summaries for team members
Developing shareable guides on complex topics
Compiling information for presentations or articles
Building reading lists or resource collections
Pro Tip:
Use Deep Research mode first to generate comprehensive content, then convert it to a Page and customize with your branding and additional insights. This workflow can generate professional-looking documents in minutes rather than hours.
Feature #5: File Uploads
Interact With Your Documents
File uploads allow you to analyze documents directly within Perplexity. Instead of manually searching through long PDFs or text files, you can ask specific questions and get direct answers from your documents.
Uploading and analyzing documents in Perplexity
How File Uploads Work:
File uploads enable you to:
- Ask questions about the content of your documents
- Extract specific information without manual searching
- Compare document content with web information
- Analyze complex PDFs, reports, or papers
Types of Files Supported:
Word
Excel
Text
CSV
How To Use File Uploads:
Real-World Example:
Scenario: You've downloaded a 50-page race guide for an upcoming marathon
Without Perplexity: You'd need to manually scroll through all 50 pages to find specific information
With Perplexity: Upload the PDF and ask questions like "What is the total elevation gain?" or "How many aid stations are there?"
Result: Perplexity provides direct answers and shows you where in the document it found the information
Use Cases Across Industries:
Legal
Analyze contracts and legal documents for specific clauses
Academic
Extract key findings from research papers
Business
Review financial reports for specific metrics
Healthcare
Understand complex medical documentation
Technical
Parse documentation for specific code examples
Education
Analyze textbooks and course materials
Pro Tips:
- Ask specific questions rather than general ones
- Request information from multiple documents at once
- Compare document content with the latest web information
- Ask for summaries of specific sections rather than entire documents
- Use follow-up questions to dig deeper into the content
Bonus Features: The Hidden Power Tools
Incognito Mode
Create anonymous threads that don't appear in your history and expire after 24 hours.
Perfect for sensitive research topics or one-off questions you don't need to save.
Model Switching
Choose different AI models for your queries, including GPT-4o, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, and Mistral Large.
Different models excel at different types of tasks.
Pro Search
Get more in-depth answers by pulling from more sources and conducting more thorough research.
Free users get three Pro Searches per day.
Putting It All Together: Advanced Workflows
The real power of Perplexity comes when you combine these features into customized workflows.
Workflow for Content Creators
Research Phase
Use Deep Research mode with Academic focus to gather comprehensive information on your topic
Organization Phase
Create a Space with custom instructions for content formatting
Document Phase
Upload style guides or brand guidelines as reference files
Development Phase
Use Writing focus to generate content ideas and outlines
Production Phase
Convert your research into a Page for easy sharing with teammates
Workflow for Students
Topic Exploration
Use standard search with Web focus to get a broad overview
Literature Review
Switch to Academic focus to find scholarly sources
Document Analysis
Upload course materials and related papers
Synthesis
Use Deep Research to integrate all information
Presentation
Create a Page with the final research for easy sharing with professors
Perplexity AI vs. Alternative Tools
| Feature | Perplexity | ChatGPT | Google Search |
|---|---|---|---|
| Real-time Information | Yes | Knowledge cutoff | Yes |
| Source Citations | Always | Sometimes | Links only |
| Focus Mode | Yes | No | Limited filters |
| Deep Research | Yes | Paid feature | No |
| Document Analysis | Yes | Yes | No |
When to Choose Perplexity
- When you need direct answers with sources
- For research requiring integration of multiple perspectives
- When organizing information by project or topic
- For creating shareable research documents quickly
- When you need to analyze documents and web information together
Conclusion
Perplexity AI is revolutionizing how we find and process information online, but most users are only scratching the surface of what's possible with this powerful tool.
By mastering these five powerful features:
Focus Mode
Target specific sources
Spaces
Organize research projects
Deep Research
Comprehensive analysis
Pages
Shareable documentation
File Uploads
Document interaction
...you'll transform your productivity and discover insights that would otherwise remain hidden.
The future of AI-powered research isn't just about finding answers—it's about asking better questions, organizing information intelligently, and sharing knowledge effectively. Perplexity gives you all these capabilities in one powerful tool.
Which feature will you try first?
Key Takeaways:
- Use Focus Mode to target specific types of sources
- Create Spaces with custom instructions for recurring research needs
- Try Deep Research for comprehensive analysis of complex topics
- Convert important research to Pages for easy sharing
- Upload documents to ask specific questions about their content
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Perplexity AI and how does it differ from traditional search engines?
Perplexity AI is an AI-powered search assistant that provides direct answers with citations by synthesizing information from web sources, unlike traditional search engines that primarily list links.
How does Focus Mode enhance research in Perplexity AI?
Focus Mode allows users to select specific source types, such as academic or social, to tailor search results, improving the precision and relevance of the information retrieved.
What are Spaces, and how can they be used for team collaboration?
Spaces are customizable research folders where users can set specific instructions for Perplexity, shareable with up to five team members for collaborative research on projects like marketing or academic papers.
How does Deep Research Mode assist with complex queries?
Deep Research Mode conducts multi-step research, creating detailed reports with citations by analyzing complex topics through planning, research, synthesis, and finalization phases.
What are the benefits of using Perplexity Pages?
Pages convert research conversations into formatted, shareable web documents with customizable sections and images, ideal for creating professional summaries or guides.
How can File Uploads improve document analysis?
File Uploads enable users to analyze documents like PDFs or Word files by asking specific questions, extracting information, and comparing content with web data, streamlining research across industries.
What are some advanced workflows that combine Perplexity’s features?
Advanced workflows, like those for content creators or students, combine Deep Research, Spaces, File Uploads, and Pages to streamline research, organization, and sharing, such as using Academic Focus for literature reviews and Pages for presentations.
