Perplexity is more than just a search engine—it's an AI-powered research assistant that combines real-time web browsing with large language models to deliver fast, trusted answers. But when you're juggling long-term projects, recurring questions, or team collaboration, a single thread isn’t enough. That’s where Spaces come in.
Perplexity Spaces let you group related Threads, files, and instructions into organized workspaces tailored to a specific topic or project. Whether you're studying for exams, writing a report, or collaborating with teammates, Spaces give you structure, memory, and powerful research tools.
What You’ll Learn in This Guide
What Perplexity Spaces are and how they evolved from Collections
How to create, organize, and manage Spaces
How to upload files and links, and manage sources
The difference between file upload and file search
How to invite collaborators and share your Space
Real-world use cases to inspire your workflow
New features in 2025 and pro tips to stay organized
What Are Perplexity Spaces?
Perplexity Spaces are customizable AI research hubs.
Each Space is a container for your Threads, files, and optional instructions. Think of them like project folders powered by AI, where you can:
Group related searches and responses together
Upload documents (PDFs, Word, Excel, CSV) up to 25MB each
Add custom instructions that apply to every thread in the Space
Search across the web, your uploaded files, or both
Invite others to collaborate and contribute
Originally called "Collections," Spaces now offer a far more powerful, flexible, and collaborative way to manage information.
When to Use Perplexity Spaces
Long-Term Projects & Ongoing Workflows - Keep all your notes, questions, summaries, and files for a topic in one searchable Space. Whether you're studying for an exam or exploring a business idea, Spaces help you build knowledge over time without losing context. They're also perfect for long-form or multi-turn projects—like brainstorming with AI, writing reports, or iterating on content—where you need consistency, memory, and a dedicated environment.
Repetitive Tasks - Save time by using Custom Instructions—automate tone, formatting, or structure for every thread in the Space without rewriting the same prompt.
Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing - Share Spaces with up to 5 collaborators (Pro) or unlimited (Enterprise). Invite teammates to contribute threads or explore existing ones with full access to shared files.
How to Use Spaces
Step 1 - Create a Space
On the Website:
Go to perplexity.ai
Click Spaces in the left panel
Click Create a Space
Fill out the following fields:
Title (e.g., "Startup Marketing Plan")
Description (optional but helpful)
Custom Instructions (e.g., "Always summarize key takeaways in bullet points")
Click to enlarge
On Mobile:
Tap the Spaces icon in the app
Tap + to create a new one and enter the same details above
Step 2 - Starting a Thread in a Space
Each Space has its own query box—just like the main Perplexity screen, but scoped to your project.
Before submitting a query, choose your sources:
Web = Searches the internet only
Files = Searches only the uploaded files in this Space
Links = Uses any attached or saved URLs in the Space
Web + Files + Links = A powerful combo for broad and deep insights
Click to enlarge
If you uncheck all external sources, you’ll engage with the AI model alone, using only its built-in knowledge.
Step 3 - Uploading Files to Your Space
Perplexity Pro and Enterprise users can upload up to 50 files per Space. These are stored persistently and available to all collaborators.
To upload:
Open the Space. In the Files box (right-hand side), click the '+' icon to add files
You have the option to upload local files or connect to a file service through connectors
Perplexity provides a host of connectors to help bring in data from external sources, allowing for persistent context and data for your long-form work with Spaces.
Note: PNG and JPEG files cannot be uploaded to a Space but can be temporarily attached to a Thread.
Step 4 - Sharing and Collaborating
Invite others to your Space for true teamwork:
Open the Space and click + Invite (top-left corner)
Add their email address
Click to enlarge
Pro users can invite up to 5 collaborators per Space; Enterprise Pro allows unlimited.
Real-World Use Cases
Content Repurposing
Space: Blog to LinkedIn Converter
Instructions: "Write in a professional, engaging tone. Limit to 300 words, use 1 CTA."
Academic Study Aid
Space: Chemistry Final Prep
Instructions: "Summarize chapters, generate flashcards, and quiz questions."
Product Research Hub
Space: LLM Comparison Matrix
Instructions: "Keep scorecards on model speed, accuracy, and cost from sourced benchmarks."
R1 Model Integration: Smarter logic and reasoning with DeepSeek
YouTube Search: Supports video content in responses
Better Custom Instructions: More control over tone, style, and structure
Pro Tips
Customize Smartly: Specific instructions = more relevant answers
Organize Threads: Pin key responses, archive what's done
Combine Sources: Use Web + Files + Links for robust results
Use Attachments for Ad-hoc Tasks: Great for temporary file analysis
Wrapping Up
Perplexity Spaces are more than folders. They’re your co-pilot for organized thinking.
Whether you’re researching, creating, or collaborating, Spaces keep your work grounded, searchable, and adaptive. Build once, reuse often, and let Perplexity scale your brainpower.
Ready to try it? Start your first Space today.
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