Switch between specialized search modes for academic, social, video, and writing contexts
Perplexity's Focus Modes direct the search to specific types of sources — academic databases, Reddit discussions, YouTube videos, or Wolfram Alpha computations. This dramatically improves result quality for specialized query types where the generic web is a noisy, unreliable source.
Before searching, click the Focus mode selector below the search bar. Choose from Web, Academic, Writing, YouTube, Reddit, or Wolfram|Alpha.
The selected mode filters which sources Perplexity searches — Academic limits to journals and research databases, Reddit limits to community discussions, etc.
The response format adapts to the mode — academic results include journal references, Reddit results surface real user experiences, Wolfram gives numerical precision.
Start in Academic mode for the research foundation, then switch to Web for current news, then YouTube for explanatory video content — all in one research session.
Finding peer-reviewed research
Academic mode: What does the peer-reviewed literature say about the long-term effects of shift work on cardiovascular health? Include the most-cited studies from the last 5 years.
Getting real user experiences
Reddit mode: What are software engineers saying about their experience using Rust in production? Focus on real pain points and what they wish they'd known before adopting it.
Mathematical computation
Wolfram mode: Calculate the compound interest on $50,000 invested for 20 years at 7% annual return, compounded monthly. Show the year-by-year breakdown and total interest earned.
For any medical or health-related research question, always use Academic mode. The quality difference between academic sources and general web for health information is enormous.
Reddit mode surfaces what real users think — great for product research, career decisions, and understanding what people actually experience vs what marketing says.
"YouTube mode: Best tutorials for learning Kubernetes for someone with Docker experience" finds the actual recommended videos with summaries — no need to watch 15 to find the right one.
Research a major purchase: Academic mode for objective performance data, Reddit mode for real owner experiences, Web mode for current pricing, YouTube mode for video reviews.