Perplexity Space Custom Prompt Not Applied: Fix

You set a custom prompt for a Perplexity Space, but the assistant ignores it and answers as if no prompt exists. This issue often occurs when the Space is not saved correctly, the prompt conflicts with other Space settings, or the browser cache holds an older version of the Space configuration. This article explains the root causes of this behavior and provides step-by-step fixes to ensure your custom prompt is applied every time.

Why Perplexity Space Ignores Your Custom Prompt

A Perplexity Space custom prompt is a set of instructions you define to guide how the assistant responds within that Space. When the prompt is not applied, the root cause is almost always one of three scenarios.

First, the prompt was not saved after being entered. Perplexity Spaces require explicit confirmation to store changes. If you close the Space editor without clicking the Save button, the prompt is discarded and the Space reverts to its default behavior.

Second, the Space uses a conflicting setting such as a focus mode or source filter that overrides the custom prompt. For example, setting the focus to Academic forces the assistant to prioritize scholarly sources, which may ignore prompt instructions about tone or format.

Third, the browser has cached an older version of the Space configuration. Even if you saved the prompt, the browser may load the previous version from its cache, making it appear that the prompt was not applied.

Steps to Force Perplexity to Apply Your Custom Prompt

1. Open the Space and edit the prompt
   Go to perplexity.ai and log in. Click Spaces in the left sidebar. Select the Space where the prompt is not applied. Click the Edit button (pencil icon) in the top-right corner of the Space page.
2. Locate the Custom Prompt field
   In the Space editor, scroll to the Custom Prompt section. This is a text box labeled “Custom Prompt.” Delete any existing text and type your prompt exactly as you want it. Be specific: include instructions about tone, format, sources, and any constraints.
3. Save the Space explicitly
   Click the Save button at the bottom of the editor. Do not close the tab until you see a confirmation message that says “Space saved successfully.” If you do not see this message, repeat the save process.
4. Hard refresh the browser
   After saving, press Ctrl + Shift + R on Windows or Cmd + Shift + R on Mac. This forces the browser to fetch the latest version of the Space from Perplexity servers instead of loading a cached copy.
5. Test the prompt with a sample query
   Type a question that directly tests your prompt. For example, if your prompt says “Answer in one sentence,” ask “What is the capital of France?” The assistant should reply with a single sentence. If it does not, the prompt may still not be applied.
6. Check Space visibility and permissions
   In the Space editor, verify the Visibility setting. If the Space is set to Public, anyone with the link can query it, but only the owner can edit the prompt. If you are not the owner or if the Space was shared to you with edit permissions, ask the owner to update the prompt. Set visibility to Private to avoid accidental changes by collaborators.
7. Disable conflicting focus modes
   In the Space editor, check the Focus setting. If it is set to any option other than “All,” the assistant may ignore parts of your prompt. Set Focus to All and save again. Test the prompt after this change.

If Perplexity Still Has Issues After the Main Fix

Custom Prompt Works on One Device but Not Another

This indicates a browser cache problem on the second device. Open the Space on that device and perform a hard refresh using Ctrl + Shift + R or Cmd + Shift + R. If the issue persists, clear the entire browser cache for the last hour in Chrome or Edge settings: Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data > Cached images and files > Last hour.

Prompt Appears Saved but Assistant Still Ignores It

The prompt may contain ambiguous or contradictory instructions. For example, telling the assistant to “be concise” while also asking it to “list all details” can confuse the model. Rewrite the prompt to be unambiguous. Use one directive per sentence. Avoid negative phrasing like “do not use bullet points” because some models respond better to positive instructions such as “write in paragraph form only.”

Space Resets to Default After Closing the Browser

This happens when you are not logged in to Perplexity or when your session token expires. Ensure you are signed in with the same account that created the Space. If you use multiple Perplexity accounts, switch to the correct one before opening the Space. Check your login status by clicking your avatar in the top-right corner.

Perplexity Space Free vs Pro: Custom Prompt Capabilities

Item	Free Plan	Pro Plan
Custom prompt support	Yes, up to 500 characters	Yes, up to 2000 characters
Focus mode override	Cannot override focus mode if set at Space level	Can set focus to All and prompt overrides focus
Number of Spaces	Up to 3 Spaces	Unlimited Spaces
Prompt saved across sessions	Yes, but may reset after 30 days of inactivity	Persistent for the entire subscription period

If you are on the Free plan and the prompt still does not apply after following all steps, consider upgrading to Pro. The Pro plan offers longer prompts and better persistence. It also gives you the ability to set focus to All, which eliminates one common cause of prompt conflicts.

You can now diagnose and fix the custom prompt issue in your Perplexity Space. Start by saving the prompt explicitly, then hard refresh the browser. If the problem continues, check visibility settings and disable conflicting focus modes. An advanced tip is to use the Pro plan’s longer prompt limit to write more precise instructions that leave no room for misinterpretation.