Summary
Perplexity says Computer can now run its model, planning and task execution on supported Apple silicon Macs. Users can choose a fully local workflow or authorize cloud access for tasks that need current information or more advanced reasoning.
Perplexity announced on October 20, 2026, that its Computer feature can run fully on supported Apple silicon Macs. In this mode, the model, task planning and execution stay on the Mac, allowing the software to work with local files and supported apps without sending personal data to the cloud, provided the task remains local.
What runs locally—and what can use the cloud
Perplexity’s Mac app now offers a choice between Hybrid Compute and running Computer locally. Hybrid Compute combines cloud-based research and reasoning with local processing of private information. The fully local option starts on the Mac and keeps planning, reasoning and file processing there.
The local model choices are Qwen 3.6 and PPLX Pro, which Perplexity describes as a post-trained version of Qwen. The company says Computer can plan work, use tools and carry out multi-step tasks using the Mac’s processing power. Users first download and set up a local model in the app, then choose the fully local option for a task.
The local mode is not the only available route for every task. Users can authorize Computer to escalate to the cloud for current information, browser use or connected apps. Perplexity says the local orchestrator can also call on one of more than 15 frontier models for advanced reasoning. That distinction matters for tasks involving sensitive local material alongside information that needs to be fetched or processed remotely: the user can choose whether to keep a task local or allow cloud assistance.
Working with files and Mac apps
When granted permission, Computer can work across local files and supported apps including Notes, Messages, Mail and Numbers. Perplexity describes workflows such as reviewing requests in Messages and Mail, consulting local documents, then preparing an action list in Notes. These are examples of the kinds of multi-step work the feature is designed to handle, rather than a guarantee that every task or app interaction will work identically.
Perplexity says code and tool execution run in isolated sandbox environments with controlled access to files and connected apps. A sandbox separates an application’s execution from the wider system and can restrict what it is allowed to access; here, the company says those controls apply to local workflows and persist in its cloud version as well.
Local Computer is available in the Perplexity Mac app to Pro, Max and Enterprise subscribers on supported Apple silicon Macs. Perplexity recommends 36 GB or more of memory for running it locally. The feature builds on the company’s earlier Mac offerings: Personal Computer for working with local files and apps, followed by Hybrid Compute, which combines local handling of private information with cloud reasoning.