How to Disable Source Previews in Perplexity Answers

When you search on Perplexity, the answer often includes a preview of each source below the response. These previews show a snippet of the linked page, which can clutter the screen and slow down your reading. The cause is a default setting that enables source previews for all users. This article explains how to turn off source previews in Perplexity for a cleaner, faster experience.

What Are Source Previews in Perplexity?

Source previews are small cards that appear below each cited source in a Perplexity answer. Each card shows the page title, a brief excerpt, and the domain name. The purpose is to let you quickly scan the original content without clicking the link.

By default, Perplexity shows these previews for every source in the answer. This can be helpful when you want to verify information quickly. But if you prefer a minimal interface or need to read answers without visual clutter, you can disable them.

The feature is controlled by a single toggle in the user settings. No browser extensions or third-party tools are required. The setting applies immediately and persists across sessions.

Steps to Disable Source Previews in Perplexity

1. Open Perplexity and sign in
   Go to perplexity.ai in your browser. Sign in with your Google, Apple, or email account. You can do this on a computer or mobile device.
2. Open the Settings menu
   Click your profile picture or initials in the top-right corner. From the dropdown menu, select Settings.
3. Navigate to the Display section
   In the left sidebar of the Settings page, click Display. This section controls how answers appear on screen.
4. Toggle off Source Previews
   Find the Source Previews option. Click the toggle switch to turn it off. The switch changes from blue to gray.
5. Test the change
   Go back to the search page and run a query. The answer now shows only the source links without preview cards. If previews still appear, refresh the page.

Using the Keyboard Shortcut to Toggle Source Previews

For faster access, Perplexity includes a keyboard shortcut. Press Ctrl+Shift+P on Windows or Cmd+Shift+P on Mac to toggle source previews on or off. The shortcut works on any Perplexity page, including search results. You do not need to open Settings.

Disabling Source Previews on Mobile

The Perplexity mobile app for iOS and Android also supports this setting. Open the app, tap your profile icon, then tap Settings. Under Display, toggle off Source Previews. The change takes effect immediately for all future answers.

What Happens After You Disable Source Previews

After turning off source previews, each source in the answer appears as a simple numbered link. The link text is the page title. Clicking the link opens the source in a new tab as usual.

The answer text itself does not change. You still see the same response with citations. Only the preview cards below the sources are removed. The answer loads slightly faster because the browser does not fetch preview data for each source.

You can re-enable source previews at any time by following the same steps or using the keyboard shortcut. The setting syncs across devices if you are signed in with the same account.

Common Issues and Things to Avoid

Source Previews Still Appear After Toggling Off

If previews remain visible, refresh the page or close and reopen the browser tab. The setting may not apply to cached pages. Also check that you are signed into the correct account. If you use Perplexity without an account, the setting is not saved.

Keyboard Shortcut Does Not Work

The shortcut Ctrl+Shift+P may conflict with browser extensions or operating system shortcuts. Try pressing the keys one at a time. If it still does not work, use the Settings method instead. Some browsers block certain key combinations for security.

Accidentally Disabling Other Display Settings

The Display settings page also includes options for Dark Mode, Font Size, and Line Spacing. Be careful not to change these unless you intend to. To reset all display settings to default, scroll to the bottom of the Display page and click Reset to Defaults.

Perplexity Free vs Pro: Source Preview Behavior

Item	Perplexity Free	Perplexity Pro
Source previews default	On	On
Ability to disable previews	Yes	Yes
Setting persistence	Per account	Per account
Keyboard shortcut	Ctrl+Shift+P	Ctrl+Shift+P
Mobile support	Yes	Yes

Both tiers offer the same control over source previews. No Pro subscription is required to disable them. The setting works identically on all platforms.

Conclusion

You can now disable source previews in Perplexity using the Settings menu or the Ctrl+Shift+P shortcut. This removes visual clutter and speeds up page loading. For a cleaner reading experience, try combining this with Dark Mode in Settings > Display. If you ever need previews back, toggle the setting on again in seconds.