AI WORLD HQHow to Use Perplexity Spaces to Organise Your Digital Research
Group your online searches, upload your own files, and keep all your project findings in one tidy, AI-powered folder.
Imagine having a personal research assistant who reads dozens of web pages for you, files them away in neat folders, and answers your questions based only on those sources. By the end of this guide, you will know how to use Perplexity Spaces to group your searches, upload files, and keep your projects beautifully organised. While it excels at information synthesis, remember Perplexity cannot make real-world decisions or take actions like sending emails on your behalf.
- Get a Perplexity account: You'll need either a free or paid (Pro) account. The core features of Spaces are available on the free plan, but Pro offers higher limits for file uploads and more advanced AI models.
- Access Perplexity: You can use Perplexity directly through your web browser (on a computer or tablet) or via its dedicated mobile app for phones.
- Choose a topic: Have a specific research project in mind. This could be anything from planning a family holiday, studying a complex topic for personal growth, or researching competitors for work.
- Time commitment: Expect to spend about 5-10 minutes following this guide, and then more time exploring your new Space.
Create your first Space
To keep your research from getting cluttered, you need to create a dedicated folder. In Perplexity, these folders are called Spaces (formerly known as Collections). Think of a Space as a digital ring-binder: instead of having fifty open browser tabs, you put all your notes and web searches inside this single, organised binder.
ACTION: Open Perplexity on your device and click to create a new Space. WHAT YOU SEE: Once logged in, you'll see a left-hand navigation panel. Look for "Library" or "Spaces", often with a plus icon (+) next to it, or a clear "New Space" button. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT: A new panel or pop-up window will appear, prompting you to name your Space and add a description. IF IT LOOKS DIFFERENT: If you don't see "Library" or "Spaces", look for a menu icon (three horizontal lines) which might reveal a sidebar with these options. Older versions might still use the term "Collections" instead of "Spaces". 💬 Example: Give your Space the name "Backyard Veggie Garden Plan" and a description like "Planning out my first home vegetable patch, focusing on organic methods." SUCCESS CHECK: You'll know it worked when the new Space appears in your list on the left-hand panel, ready for you to click into it.
Set the ground rules with instructions
One of the best features of a Space is the ability to give it "AI Instructions". This is a prompt (the plain-language instructions you write to tell the AI how to behave). By setting these instructions, you don't have to repeat yourself every time you ask a question inside this Space, ensuring consistent answers.
ACTION: Type your specific guidelines into the designated "AI Instructions" field within your new Space. WHAT YOU SEE: Inside your newly created Space, look for a section clearly labelled "AI Instructions" or "How should the AI respond?". This will typically be a text box where you can type. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT: As you type, the instructions are usually saved automatically, or you might see a "Save" button to confirm them. These instructions will then guide all future AI interactions within this particular Space. IF IT LOOKS DIFFERENT: The instructions might be found within a "Settings" or "Preferences" sub-menu for your Space, or you might need to toggle a switch to enable custom instructions first. 💬 Example: Type: "You are an expert horticulturalist helping a beginner. When I ask questions, please keep your answers simple, focus on organic methods, and always suggest plants that grow well in warm, coastal climates." SUCCESS CHECK: You'll know it worked when your instructions remain visible in the text box or a confirmation message appears, indicating they are now active for this Space.
Add your own sources
Sometimes the best information isn't on the public internet—it's sitting on your hard drive. You can upload files directly into your Space, which the AI will then use. A source is any document, web link, or file that you feed to the AI. Once uploaded, the AI will read these files and use them to answer your questions, effectively making them part of its knowledge base for this Space.
ACTION: Click the 'Add Files' or paperclip icon and select the documents you want to upload. WHAT YOU SEE: Within your active Space, look for an attachment icon (it usually looks like a paperclip), a button labelled "Add Files", or a section for "Sources" or "Uploads". WHAT HAPPENS NEXT: A file upload window from your computer or phone will open, allowing you to browse and select documents like PDFs, text files (.txt), or Word documents (.docx). IF IT LOOKS DIFFERENT: You might see a drag-and-drop area where you can simply pull files from your desktop. The number of files or their size may vary depending on your Perplexity plan, with Pro offering greater capacity. 💬 Example: Select a PDF file from your computer titled "Local Nursery Price List 2024.pdf" which contains prices for soil, plants, and fertilisers. SUCCESS CHECK: You'll know it worked when the uploaded file's name appears listed under "Sources" or "Files" within your Space, confirming it's ready for the AI to read.
Search and ask questions
Now that your Space is set up with custom instructions and potentially your own files, you can start searching. Every question you ask inside this Space will remember your instructions and look through any files you uploaded, providing highly relevant and focused answers.
ACTION: Type your question into the search bar at the top or bottom of your Space page and press Enter. WHAT YOU SEE: You'll see a prominent search bar (often labelled "Ask anything" or similar) within the main area of your active Space. Your custom instructions and uploaded files will be visible, indicating the AI's current context. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT: Perplexity will process your query, referring to both its general web knowledge, your specific AI Instructions, and the content of your uploaded files. It will then generate a detailed answer, typically citing its sources. IF IT LOOKS DIFFERENT: The search bar might be located at the very bottom of the screen on some mobile devices, or simply be a large text input field. If the answer misses the point, try rephrasing with more detail or reminding the AI of its instructions. 💬 Example: Type: "What are the best vegetables to plant this month for a warm, coastal climate, and what organic soil mix do you recommend from the price list I uploaded?" SUCCESS CHECK: You'll know it worked when Perplexity displays a detailed answer directly below your question, citing sources from both the web and your uploaded files (clearly indicating if information came from your documents).
- Searching in the wrong place: It's easy to accidentally type your query into the main Perplexity home page search bar instead of inside your specific Space. If you do this, the AI won't use your uploaded files or custom instructions.
- The fix: Always ensure you have clicked into your desired Space first, so its name is clearly visible at the top of the screen before typing your question.
- Writing overly complex instructions: If you give the AI twenty different, potentially conflicting rules to follow, it might get confused or prioritise some rules over others, leading to inconsistent answers.
- The fix: Keep your AI instructions simple, focused, and direct. Start with two or three clear guidelines, test them, and refine them only if necessary.
- Expecting the AI to 'know' everything: While powerful, Perplexity relies on the information it has access to (the internet, your uploaded files). It can't magically infer specific details not provided.
- The fix: Be explicit in your questions, especially when referring to uploaded files. Ask questions that the AI can answer using the context you've given it. If you need specific data, ensure that data is in an uploaded document.
Let's get you set up in the next two minutes:
- Open Perplexity and click on Library on the left-hand navigation panel.
- Create a Space called Weekend Getaways.
- Inside that Space, type this first question into the search bar: "What are three quiet, nature-focused weekend destinations within a two-hour drive of my current location?"
✦ Original step-by-step guide by AI World Co.'s AI editorial team. Written in plain language, reviewed for accuracy.
← Back to all stories