The app can work directly with files and folders on your computer. You decide which folders it can use.
Choose and manage folders
Choose a focused project folder or another location containing the files you want Perplexity to use.
To select a folder from the request input, open the folder picker in the request field. From there you can choose a recently used folder or add another folder.
Removing a folder from the current request only deselects it for that request — it may still appear in your list of recent folders. To fully remove the app's access to a folder, go to Settings:
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Mac: Settings → Permissions
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Windows: Settings → Devices → Local file system access
Within the selected folder, Perplexity can find, read, create, and change files without requesting access each time. Access outside that folder may require a separate prompt. Sensitive actions may still require approval.
The app may also ask you to add a folder when a request needs local files.
Find and understand files
Examples:
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"What's clogging up my Downloads? Show me the biggest junk files."
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"Find all Excel files on my Desktop modified in the last week and give me a one-line summary of each."
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"Find every file larger than 100 MB across my Desktop, Downloads, and Documents, sort by age, and recommend which to archive or delete."
Organize and clean up files
Examples:
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"Move all screenshots from my Downloads into a new Screenshots folder on my Desktop."
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"Find duplicate PDFs in Downloads, keep the newest copy of each, and move the others into a folder called Possible duplicates."
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"Find files in Downloads that have not been opened in a year and suggest which ones I can remove."
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"Delete the files in Possible duplicates after I approve the list."
Before asking Perplexity to move or remove many files, carefully review the approval prompt. It states whether the deletion is permanent — deleting local files does not always send them to Trash and may not be recoverable. Back up anything important before approving.
Create and edit files
Examples:
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"Write me a packing checklist for a 4-day trip to Sacramento, CA, and save it as a Word document on my Desktop."
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"Create an Excel inventory of the PDFs in this folder with columns for filename, date, and a one-line summary."
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"Update the budget spreadsheet in this folder with a new column showing the difference between planned and actual spending."
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"Turn the meeting notes in this folder into a Markdown project brief and save it beside the originals."
Include the file type and destination when they matter.