How to Force Perplexity to Use Specific Source URLs

Perplexity AI searches the web to answer your questions. Sometimes it returns results from sources you did not want or it misses a website you know has the answer. You can force Perplexity to read only from specific URLs you provide. This article explains how to use the focus feature and direct URL prompts to control which sources Perplexity uses for its answers.

The method works by adding a source URL directly in your question or by setting the search focus to a specific domain. No special permissions or paid plans are needed. The feature is available in the free version of Perplexity as well as the Pro subscription.

This guide covers three techniques: using the @ symbol to attach a URL, using the Focus mode to limit results to a domain, and chaining multiple sources in one query. You will also learn what to do when Perplexity still returns unrelated sources.

How Perplexity Selects Sources and Why Forcing URLs Works

Perplexity uses a large language model combined with live web search to generate answers. Without any instructions, the model picks sources based on relevance, authority, and freshness. This works for general questions but fails when you need information from a specific website you trust or know contains the answer.

The @ symbol trick and the Focus mode override the default source selection. When you include @ followed by a URL in your query, Perplexity treats that URL as a mandatory source. The model must read and cite that page in its response. If the page does not contain the answer, Perplexity will say so rather than guessing from other sources.

The Focus mode with the Sources option works differently. It limits the search to a specific domain or a set of domains you define. Perplexity then searches only within those domains and generates answers from the results.

Steps to Force Perplexity to Use a Specific URL With the @ Symbol

1. Open Perplexity in your browser
   Go to perplexity.ai. You do not need to log in for this method to work, but logging in saves your search history.
2. Type your question
   Write a clear question about the topic you want information on. Keep it specific so the model can find the answer in the source.
3. Add the @ symbol and the full URL
   After your question, type a space, then @, then the complete URL including https://. For example: What are the system requirements for Windows 11 @https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-11-specifications
4. Press Enter to send the query
   Perplexity will process the query and read the page at the URL you provided. The answer will cite that source in the response.
5. Verify the source in the response
   Check the citations at the end of the answer. The URL you provided should appear as a numbered source. If it does not, the page may not contain relevant information.

Using Multiple URLs in One Query

1. Write your question
   Start with a clear question that covers the scope of the sources you want to use.
2. Add the first URL with @
   Type @ followed by the first URL.
3. Add OR and the second URL
   Type a space, then OR, then a space, then @ followed by the second URL. Example: Compare the features of Windows 11 Home and Pro @https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/compare-windows-11-home-vs-pro OR @https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-11-versions
4. Add more URLs as needed
   Repeat the OR @ pattern for each additional URL. Perplexity will search all the specified pages and combine the relevant information.

Steps to Force Perplexity to Use a Specific Domain With Focus Mode

1. Open Perplexity and start a new search
   Navigate to perplexity.ai. Click the search bar at the top of the page.
2. Click the Focus button
   Below the search bar, you will see a row of buttons labeled All, Web, Academic, Writing, Math, Video, and Sources. Click the Sources button. It looks like a globe with a chain link icon.
3. Enter the domain you want to force
   A text field appears. Type the domain name without http or www. For example: microsoft.com or support.microsoft.com. You can add multiple domains by separating them with commas.
4. Type your question
   Write your question in the search bar. Perplexity will only search within the domains you specified.
5. Press Enter to run the search
   The response will include citations from the domains you entered. If no results are found within those domains, Perplexity will display a message that no relevant sources were found.

Common Issues When Forcing Specific URLs

Perplexity Ignores the @ URL and Uses Other Sources

This happens when the URL you provided does not contain information relevant to your question. Perplexity falls back to its default search behavior. To fix this, make sure the URL directly addresses the topic you asked about. Test the URL by visiting it in your browser first.

The @ Symbol Does Not Work on Mobile or the App

The @ symbol method works in the web version of Perplexity. On the mobile app, the @ symbol may not trigger the source restriction. Use the Focus mode with Sources instead. Tap the Focus button, select Sources, and enter the domain manually.

Focus Mode Sources Do Not Appear in the Response

If you set a domain in Focus mode but the response cites sources outside that domain, you may have forgotten to click the Sources button before typing the query. Click the Sources button again and verify that the domain appears in the input field. Also check that the domain is spelled correctly.

Perplexity Returns No Results When Using Focus Mode

This occurs when the domain you specified does not contain pages that match your question. Try broadening the domain. For example, if you typed support.microsoft.com and got no results, try microsoft.com instead. You can also remove the Focus mode and use the @ symbol method with a specific page URL.

Perplexity Free vs Pro: Source Control Features

Item	Free Plan	Pro Plan
@ symbol URL forcing	Yes	Yes
Focus mode Sources	Yes	Yes
Maximum sources per query	5	10
File upload support	No	Yes (PDF, text, code)
Model selection	Perplexity default	GPT-4, Claude, Llama, etc

You can now force Perplexity to read from specific source URLs using the @ symbol or the Focus mode Sources option. Start by testing the @ symbol method with a single URL to see how the model responds. For searches across multiple pages, use the OR operator with @ URLs. If you need to restrict results to a whole domain, the Focus mode Sources option gives you more control. For advanced research, combine file uploads with source URLs in the Pro plan to get answers from your own documents and specific web pages at the same time.