How to Use Perplexity Deep Research for In-Depth Reports

The short version

Search gives you an answer; Deep Research gives you a report. It plans its own research, runs many searches, reads the sources and writes a structured report with citations. Use it for questions you’d otherwise spend an afternoon on.

Step by step

1. Pick a question worth it. A market, a big purchase, a policy change, a topic you need to learn fast. Not a quick fact.
2. Choose Deep Research. On the web, open the Search menu in the question box and choose Deep Research. In the app, switch the mode to deep research.
3. Write a focused request. Say what you want to learn, who it’s for, the time period and the format.
4. Attach your own files if useful. Deep Research can work with uploaded documents alongside web sources.
5. Answer its questions. For broad requests, Perplexity may ask clarifying questions before it starts.
6. Steer while it runs. You can add follow-up questions while research is still running and read key findings as they appear.
7. Check and export. Open the sources behind the main claims, then edit, share or export the report.

Prompts to copy

Market overview:

Research the market for [product/service] in [region] for a small business considering entering it.
Cover size and growth, main competitors and their prices, customer complaints, and regulations.
End with risks and the five facts I should verify myself.

Learn a topic fast:

I need to understand [topic] well enough to [explain it to my team / make a decision] by Friday.
Explain the basics, the current debates, and the best sources to read next. Use sources from [year] onward.

Combine your file with the web:

Based on the attached [report/proposal] and the latest public information,
what's missing, outdated or questionable in it? Cite the sources you used.

Example

You ask: “Research the four-day work week for a 25-person accounting firm in the US: results from trials, effects on client service, and how firms handled busy season.”

A good result: a report with sections on trial results, risks and practical setups, each with citations, plus a short list of open questions. You follow up: “Now a one-page summary for the partners.”

Mistakes to avoid

• Using it for quick facts. It’s slower and uses up a limited allowance.
• Vague requests. Perplexity’s own example of a weak prompt: “Tell me about fashion.”
• Skipping the sources. A long report with many citations still needs checking where it matters.
• Forgetting the date. Ask for recent sources if the topic moves fast.

When not to use it

Free accounts get 1 Deep Research query a month, and paid plans have monthly limits too. Save it for questions where depth matters. For legal, medical or financial decisions, treat the report as preparation for a conversation with a professional.

Related: research competitors with Perplexity and use Pro Search.