How to Set a Default Focus Mode in Perplexity Settings

Perplexity offers several Focus modes that limit search results to specific sources such as academic papers, YouTube videos, or social media posts. By default, Perplexity uses the All search mode, which pulls from the entire web. If you often need results from a single source like Reddit or Wolfram Alpha, switching modes manually each time becomes tedious. This article explains how to set a default Focus mode in Perplexity settings so every new search starts with your preferred source.

What Is a Default Focus Mode in Perplexity?

Perplexity Focus modes restrict search results to a specific source category. For example, Academic mode returns only peer-reviewed papers, while Video mode returns only YouTube transcripts. When you set a default Focus mode, every new thread you open automatically uses that mode. You can still change the mode for a specific thread using the dropdown next to the search bar. This feature saves time if you consistently need results from one source, such as a researcher who always starts with Academic mode or a developer who prefers Wolfram Alpha for calculations.

Steps to Set a Default Focus Mode in Perplexity Settings

The default Focus mode is configured in your account settings. The option appears only for Pro subscribers. Free users must select the Focus mode manually in each thread.

1. Open Perplexity Settings
   Click your profile icon in the top-right corner of the Perplexity web app or desktop client. From the dropdown menu, select Settings.
2. Navigate to the Focus Mode section
   In the Settings page, scroll down to the section labeled Focus Mode. This section is located below the Account and Subscription sections.
3. Select your preferred default mode
   Click the dropdown menu under Default Focus Mode. Choose one of the following options:

   – All (default, no restriction)
   – Academic
   – Writing
   – Math
   – Video
   – Social
   – Reddit
   – Wolfram Alpha
   – YouTube
   – News
   – Wikipedia

   The setting saves automatically after you select an option.

4. Verify the new default
   Close the Settings page and open a new thread. The Focus mode dropdown near the search bar should display your chosen mode instead of All.

Common Issues and Things to Avoid

Default Focus Mode Option Not Showing

If you do not see the Focus Mode section in Settings, your account is on the free plan. The default Focus mode is a Pro-only feature. Upgrade to Perplexity Pro to access this setting. Free users can still select a Focus mode manually at the start of each thread.

Focus Mode Resets to All After Logout

The default Focus mode is stored in your account profile, not in a browser cookie. If the setting resets after you log out and log back in, clear your browser cache and cookies, then set the default again. If the problem persists, contact Perplexity support.

Changing Focus Mode in an Existing Thread

Setting a default Focus mode affects only new threads. Existing threads retain their original Focus mode. To change the mode in an active thread, click the Focus mode dropdown next to the search bar and select a different source. This change applies only to that thread and does not alter the default setting.

Focus Mode Not Available in Mobile App

The default Focus mode setting is currently available only in the Perplexity web app and desktop client. Mobile app users must select the Focus mode manually for each thread. Perplexity may add this setting to mobile in a future update.

Perplexity Free vs Pro: Focus Mode Features

Item	Free Plan	Pro Plan
Focus mode selection per thread	Yes	Yes
Default Focus mode in Settings	No	Yes
Number of Pro searches per day	Limited	Unlimited
Access to GPT-4 and Claude models	No	Yes

Now you can set a default Focus mode in Perplexity to streamline your searches. If you often use Academic mode for research, set it as your default and save one click per thread. Pro users can also explore the Writing mode for grammar and style queries or the Wolfram Alpha mode for mathematical calculations. Remember that the default applies only to new threads, so you still have full control over individual searches.