How to Use Perplexity Spaces: A Simple Guide (2026)

Perplexity Spaces are named workspaces that keep everything about one topic in one place. If you are researching a thesis, tracking one client, or following a job search, a Space holds your threads, your files, and your instructions together, so every question you ask inside it uses that same context.

Last updated: November 2026

One thing to know before you start: Perplexity renamed Spaces to Projects (around August 2026). The help article now opens as “What are Projects?” If you open Perplexity today, you will see “Projects” in the left sidebar, not “Spaces.” The feature works the same way. This guide uses both names so you can follow it in the current interface.

What is a Perplexity Space?

A Space, now called a Project, is a named workspace for one topic. It holds your threads, uploaded files, and custom instructions. Every question you ask inside it uses that context.

That is the main difference from a normal chat. In a normal thread, you start fresh each time. You have to paste the same background again and again. In a Space, the background stays put. You ask a question, get an answer, come back two days later, and ask a follow-up. Perplexity still knows what the Space is about.

Good uses include a research project, a class, a job search, competitor tracking, and a client project. In short, any topic where you ask many related questions over days or weeks works well in a Space.

For example, a student researching a thesis can keep all her sources in one Space and ask questions about them for months. A freelancer tracking one client can keep that client’s briefs, notes, and past answers in one place, separate from other clients.

What changed when Spaces became Projects?

The name changed. The idea did not. Here is what changed and what did not.

What changed

The name in the interface changed from “Spaces” to “Projects.” The help article now opens as “What are Projects?” You will also see “New project” instead of “New Space” when you create one.

What did not change

A Project still holds your threads, files, and custom instructions for one topic. Files still stay in the Project until you delete them. Projects are still private by default. The limits are the same, and the way you ask questions inside a Project is the same.

Spaces launched in October 2024. Team sharing was added in April 2026. The rename came later, around August 2026. If you read an older guide that talks about Spaces, it is talking about the same feature you now see as Projects.

How to create a Perplexity Space (Project)

Creating a Space takes about a minute.

1. Open Perplexity and look at the left sidebar. Click Projects. If your account still shows the old name, click Spaces instead. It is the same place.
2. Click “New project.” A setup box will open.
3. Give it a title. Use a short, clear name for the topic, such as “Thesis research” or “Client — Green Bakery.” The title can be up to 50 characters.
4. Add an optional description. Write one or two lines about what this Project is for. The description can be up to 1,000 characters. This helps you find the right Project later, and it helps anyone you share it with understand the topic.
5. Pick an icon and a colour. This is optional, but it helps. When you have several Projects, a colour and icon make each one easy to spot at a glance.
6. Add instructions. This is the most useful step. Write up to 8,000 characters telling Perplexity how to work inside this Project. For example: “Give short answers. Use simple words. Always cite sources. Focus on UK law.” Perplexity will follow these instructions for every question inside this Project.
7. Save the Project. It is now ready. You can add files right away, or start asking questions and add files later.

Keep the title simple. You can change the title, description, icon, and instructions later.

How to add files to a Space

Files are what make a Space useful. You can upload files or folders, or add files from a connected source.

Supported formats include PDF, Word documents, plain text, and images. If you have a report as a PDF, a brief as a Word document, or notes as a text file, you can add them all to the same Project.

Files stay in the Project until you delete them. That is different from files attached to a one-off thread, which are temporary. In a Project, your files stay put, so you can ask questions about them days or weeks later without uploading them again.

There are limits, and they are the same on every plan:

• Up to 10,000 files per Project.
• Up to 5 GB in total per Project.
• Each file can be up to 100 MB.

For most people, these limits are far more than enough. A thesis with 200 PDFs, or a client project with briefs and reports, will fit with room to spare.

How to set custom instructions

Custom instructions tell Perplexity how to answer inside one Project. You can add up to 8,000 characters of instructions when you create the Project, and you can edit them later.

Good instructions are short and clear. Tell Perplexity the tone, the length, and the focus you want. Here are three examples:

• For a student: “Give short answers in simple words. Always show sources. Explain hard terms in plain English.”
• For a job search: “Help me prepare for interviews. Give short, direct answers. Point out skills from my CV that match each job.”
• For competitor tracking: “Summarise news in three bullet points. Focus on prices, new products, and new hires. Skip rumours.”

Do not write a long essay in the instructions box. A few clear lines work better than a wall of text.

How to ask questions inside a Space

Once your Project is set up, open it and ask your question in the chat box, just as you would in a normal thread. The difference is that Perplexity already knows the context: your instructions and your files.

Ask about your files directly. For example: “What does the report say about prices in chapter 3?” or “Summarise the three PDFs about solar panels.” Perplexity can use the files in the Project to answer.

Ask follow-up questions in the same thread when they belong together. Start a new thread inside the same Project when you move to a new part of the topic. Both threads stay in the Project, so nothing gets lost.

How to share a Perplexity Space (Project)

Projects are private by default. Only you can see them until you share them. They cannot be made publicly queryable, so strangers cannot search and find your Project.

You can invite people to work with you in a Project. The limit is up to 5 contributors. If the owner is in an organisation or is a verified student or educator, the limit rises to 9,999 contributors.

Sharing works well for a small team. A class group can share one Project for a joint assignment. Each person can add files and ask questions, and everyone sees the same threads.

Organisation-wide sharing is an Enterprise feature. That means sharing a Project with a whole company at once needs the Enterprise plan. For most people, inviting a few people is enough.

Before you share, check what is inside the Project. Files stay in the Project until deleted, so anything you added will be visible to the people you invite.

Do you need Perplexity Pro for Spaces?

You can use Spaces on the free plan, but Pro adds more room to work. Perplexity Pro costs $20 a month and adds unlimited Pro Search, file uploads, and persistent Spaces workspaces.

If you only need one or two Projects with a few files, the free plan may be enough. If you work in Projects every day, upload many files, and ask many questions, Pro is worth a look. Before you pay, check whether Perplexity AI is free and what the free plan covers, so you know what you get without paying.

One more thing to check before you rely on a Project for daily work: know how to fix Perplexity when it is not working, so a bad day does not stop your research. And if you ever decide Pro is not for you, here is how to cancel your Perplexity subscription.

Tips to get more from Perplexity Spaces

• One topic per Project. A Space for your thesis, another for your job search, another for each client. Mixed topics give mixed answers.
• Name Projects clearly. “Thesis — Chapter 2” is better than “Project 1.” You will thank yourself in three months.
• Write instructions first. Spend two minutes on instructions before you ask the first question. It saves time on every answer after that.
• Add files early. Upload your key sources when you create the Project, not after ten questions. The answers get better right away.
• Clean up old Projects. Delete files you no longer need. A tidy Project gives cleaner answers.
• Use threads inside the Project. Keep each thread on one sub-topic. It is easier to find an old answer later.

Frequently asked questions

Are Perplexity Spaces and Projects the same thing?

Yes. Perplexity renamed Spaces to Projects (around August 2026). The help article now opens as “What are Projects?” The feature works the same way: a named workspace for one topic, with threads, files, and custom instructions.

How do I create a Perplexity Space?

Click Projects in the left sidebar, then New project. Give it a title of up to 50 characters, an optional description of up to 1,000 characters, an icon and a colour. Then add instructions of up to 8,000 characters telling Perplexity how to work inside this Project.

What files can I add to a Space?

You can upload files or folders, or add files from a connected source. Supported formats include PDF, Word documents, plain text, and images. Files stay in the Project until you delete them. The limits are up to 10,000 files and 5 GB in total per Project, with each file up to 100 MB, the same on every plan.

Are Perplexity Spaces private?

Yes. Projects are private by default. They cannot be made publicly queryable. You can invite up to 5 contributors, or 9,999 if the owner is in an organisation or a verified student or educator. Organisation-wide sharing is an Enterprise feature.

Do I need Perplexity Pro to use Spaces?

No, you can use Spaces on the free plan. Perplexity Pro costs $20 a month and adds unlimited Pro Search, file uploads, and persistent Spaces workspaces. If you use Projects every day with many files, Pro gives you more room to work.