Perplexity Browser MCP

Search Perplexity through your browser account from a CLI or MCP client. Returns the completed answer, source links, and thread URL. No API key required.

Install

Requires Node.js 22+ and a local desktop browser session. Works with Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Codex, and other stdio MCP clients. Chromium supports macOS, Linux, and Windows; Arc and Safari support macOS only.

# Only needed when using Chromium:
npx -y [email protected] install chromium
npx -y [email protected] perplexity-browser --connect

On macOS, the default --browser=auto uses your default Arc or Safari browser and its existing login. An unsupported default browser requires an explicit --browser choice. Linux, Windows, and --headless default to Chromium.

Sign in in the dedicated browser window when prompted. Chromium keeps your login in ~/.perplexity-browser-mcp/profile. Set PERPLEXITY_PROFILE_DIR to an absolute path to override it. Existing checkout .perplexity-profile/ directories are reused. For Arc on macOS, use --browser=arc and enable Allow JavaScript from Apple Events in Arc. For Safari on macOS, use --browser=safari and enable Allow JavaScript from Apple Events in Safari's Developer settings (setup). Both native adapters reuse your browser login; no Chromium download is needed when using Arc or Safari.

Claude Code

claude mcp add --transport stdio --scope user perplexity -- npx -y [email protected]

Codex

codex mcp add perplexity -- npx -y [email protected]

Or add this to ~/.codex/config.toml:

[mcp_servers.perplexity]
command = "npx"
args = ["-y", "[email protected]"]
startup_timeout_sec = 60
tool_timeout_sec = 120

Claude Desktop

Merge this into claude_desktop_config.json (Settings > Developer > Edit Config), then restart Claude Desktop:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "perplexity": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "[email protected]"]
    }
  }
}

Append --browser=safari or --browser=arc to the command or args to use a native macOS browser. On Windows, use cmd with arguments ["/c", "npx", "-y", "[email protected]"] if the client cannot launch npx directly. Use an absolute path to npx if it is not on the client's PATH.

Call search with {"query":"Your question"}. The MCP enters the prompt in Perplexity’s homepage textbox and clicks Submit; it does not use query URLs. Reuse the connection for follow-ups, then call web_close. Use a 120-second tool timeout where supported. Each query starts a new Perplexity thread; contextual follow-ups are unsupported. Include any needed context in the next query. This is a local browser integration; it requires access to your desktop and is not a hosted remote MCP endpoint. Use one local user and Perplexity account. See session ownership and limits and service restrictions before use.

Setup references: Claude MCP documentation and Codex MCP documentation.

CLI

npx -y [email protected] perplexity-browser --search "Your question"

Architecture

Diagram source · Usage & internals

Development

git clone https://git.xsooi.com/xs1128/perplexity.git
cd perplexity
npm ci
npx playwright install chromium
npm test
npm pack

Contributing · Publishing · Repository · MIT license

Registry identity: io.github.xs1128/perplexity-browser-mcp. Browser login data stays on your machine. Search questions are sent to Perplexity; answers and source links are returned to your MCP client. Optional browser-planning tools can also send target-page snapshots to Perplexity.

Independent project; not affiliated with Perplexity. Website changes can affect compatibility.