How to Stop Perplexity Training on Your Data
By default, Perplexity uses your search data to improve its AI models. This guide shows step by step how to turn that off, and explains what the opt-out does and does not cover.
What this is about
On the Free, Perplexity Pro and Perplexity Max plans, the AI data retentionsetting is enabled by default: your search data may then be used to train Perplexity’s models. The timing matters most here. According to Perplexity, an opt-out applies only to data collected after you opt out, and training data already collected cannot be deleted or removed. If you enter sensitive or personal data, decide early rather than leaving the default in place.
Step 1: Turn off AI data retention
- Sign in at perplexity.ai. Signed out there is no setting to change.
- Click your profile icon in the bottom left and open Account settings.
- Go to the Preferences page and find the AI preferences section.
- Switch the AI data retention toggle off. While it is on, your data is being collected for AI training.
The setting applies to your own account only, not to anyone else in your organisation.
Step 2: Incognito mode for especially sensitive research
In addition, you can run individual searches in Incognito mode: profile icon in the bottom left, then select Incognito. According to Perplexity, searches made in this mode are never stored. If you are not signed in, your threads are anonymous anyway.
Enterprise accounts
On Enterprise Pro and Enterprise Max, Perplexity states that your data is never used to train models, so no manual opt-out is needed there. Uploaded files are retained for 7 days only, and Perplexity says it holds Zero Data Retention and Zero Data Training agreements with the model providers it uses (including OpenAI and Anthropic). Note: if you later move back to a consumer plan, the default applies again and you have to opt out manually once more.
Why this matters for EU users (GDPR)
Perplexity inputs quickly contain personal data: names, contact details, customer and contract information. Once such data flows into the training of an AI model, it can practically no longer be retrieved in a targeted way. Perplexity says as much itself: training data already collected cannot be removed. That sits uneasily with core GDPR principles such as data minimisation (Art. 5 GDPR) and the right to erasure (Art. 17 GDPR). And if you enter third-party data in a professional context, such as customer or employee details, you remain responsible for it under data protection law. The training opt-out is therefore a sensible first step.
What the opt-out does not do
Important context: the opt-out only prevents use for AI training. Your inputs are still transmitted to Perplexity and processed there, among other things to operate the service, to meet legal obligations and to improve the product. You do not lose any features by opting out. Personal data you enter still leaves your area of responsibility.
This is exactly where AEGIS comes in: the browser extension detects personal data and pseudonymizes it before it reaches Perplexity, ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini. Training opt-out and pseudonymization complement each other. See how it works in the interactive AEGIS demo.
As of August 2026. Labels in the Perplexity interface may change; the current information in the Perplexity Help Center prevails.