How to Use Perplexity: A Beginner's Guide to the AI Answer Engine

The short version

Perplexity is built for questions you’d normally type into a search engine, but it answers in sentences and shows its sources. Each answer comes with numbered citations, so you can see which page each claim came from. Your job is to ask clearly and check the sources that matter.

Step by step

1. Open it

Go to perplexity.ai in your browser, or install the Perplexity app on iPhone or Android. Sign in with your email, Google or Apple account. Perplexity’s Help Center says sessions you start while signed out disappear after 14 days, so sign in if you want to keep them.

2. Ask a clear question

Type your question in the box and press Enter. A full sentence with context works better than one word:

What permits do I need to sell homemade baked goods at a farmers market in Ohio?

3. Read the citations

Each part of the answer has a small number. Hover over or select it to see the source, and open the ones you’ll rely on. See check Perplexity’s sources.

4. Follow up in the same session

Perplexity calls a conversation a session. Follow-up questions keep the context, so you can say “What about Kentucky?” without repeating everything. Your sessions are saved in History, and they’re private unless you select Share.

5. Attach a file

Select + Attach or drag a file into the box, then ask about it. Perplexity can search the web in the same session. See upload files to Perplexity.

6. Go deeper when you need to

For a full report instead of a quick answer, open the Search menu and choose Deep Research. For ongoing work, keep your sessions and files together in a Project.

Prompts to copy

A quick fact:

What is the current federal minimum wage in the US, and which states set a higher one?
Cite the official sources.

A decision:

I'm choosing between [option A] and [option B] for [situation].
Compare them in a table: cost, pros, cons, who each one suits. Use recent sources.

A summary of a page:

Summarize the main points of this article in five bullets: [paste link]

Example

You ask: “Is it cheaper to run a heat pump or a gas furnace in Minnesota?”

A good result: a short answer that explains it depends on electricity and gas prices, with numbered citations to an energy agency, a utility and a research group. You open the government source to check the figures, then follow up: “Use Minneapolis prices and a 2,000 square foot house.”

Mistakes to avoid

• One-word searches. “Taxes” gets a general answer; your actual question gets a useful one.
• Not opening sources. A citation shows where a claim came from, not that the claim is right.
• Starting a new session for every follow-up. You lose the context Perplexity already has.
• Pasting private details. See keep your data private in Perplexity.

When not to use it

For medical, legal or financial decisions, use Perplexity to understand the topic and prepare questions, then confirm with a professional or the original source.

Related: write better Perplexity prompts and use Perplexity for free.