Research your Mac files with Perplexity Personal Computer

Personal Computer is part of the Perplexity Mac app, so one download covers it.

1. 1Go to perplexity.ai/personal-computer-setup and click Download.
2. 2Open the disk image and move Perplexity into your Applications folder.
3. 3Open Perplexity from Applications and sign in with your Pro or Max account.

You should see the Perplexity app open on your Mac, signed in to your account.

Computer needs these to click, type, see the screen and read your files.

1. 1When macOS asks, allow Accessibility so the agent can click and type.
2. 2Allow Screen & System Audio Recording and Full Disk Access when a task needs them.
3. 3To review them later, open Perplexity > Settings… > Permissions from the menu bar.

You should see Perplexity listed with each permission turned on.

Full Disk Access is the broadest macOS permission. Computer works freely only inside folders you pick, and may ask before it touches others.

Inside a folder you pick, Computer can read, search and write files without asking each time.

1. 1In Finder, make a folder named Research in Documents. Drop in the PDFs, notes and screenshots on your topic.
2. 2In Perplexity, open Folders, select Choose folder and pick Research.
3. 3You can add more folders for other tasks and remove them later.

You should see Research listed as a connected folder, ready for your next request.

One request pulls your mail, meetings and files together, so you don't search each app by hand.

1. 1Paste the prompt below into the request field. Put your subject in place of [YOUR TOPIC].
2. 2When macOS asks to let Perplexity control Mail or Calendar, allow it.
3. 3If Computer asks you to approve a step, read what it will do first, then approve.

Find everything about [YOUR TOPIC] from the past 7 days. Search my emails in Mail, my events in Calendar and the files in my Research folder. List each item with its date and where you found it. Then write a one-page briefing with 3 parts: what's new, open questions and next steps. Save it as a document named "[YOUR TOPIC] briefing" in my Research folder. Don't send, move or delete anything.

You should see Computer working through Mail, Calendar and your folder, then a briefing with a source for each point.

Each task uses your plan's included Computer use or credits. Your Usage page shows what's left.

Opening a few sources yourself catches anything Computer got wrong.

1. 1Open the finished task to see the briefing and the files it made.
2. 2Find generated files any time in Artifacts, or in your Research folder.
3. 3Open 2 or 3 of the emails and files it cites, and check that the dates match.

You should see a briefing document in your Research folder, with a date and a source for each item.

A paired phone lets you start work on your Mac while you're away and approve sensitive steps.

1. 1Install the Perplexity app on your iPhone and sign in with the same account.
2. 2On your Mac, check that the phone shows under Perplexity > Settings… > Devices.
3. 3From the phone, send a request that names the Mac, such as "run this on my Mac mini". You can also @mention the device.

You should see the task running on your Mac, with any approval requests showing on your phone.

A task started from your phone can only use the folders and apps connected on that Mac.