# Profiles

## Overview

A profile is a reusable, versioned configuration that you save and manage.
It bundles the settings that shape a run, including the model or model fallback chain, system instructions, reasoning effort, tools, Skills, managed connectors, and the agent loop step budget, under a single ID.
Select a profile by ID instead of repeating the full configuration in every request.

A profile is the counterpart to a [preset](/guides/agent-api-presets) that you control.
A preset is a configuration that Perplexity maintains and tunes.
A profile is a configuration that you define and version.

|               | Preset                                                                                      | Profile                                       |
| ------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------- |
| Owner         | Perplexity                                                                                  | You                                           |
| Referenced by | Name, for example `preset="low"`                                                            | ID, for example `profile_8Qw3x7tJm2N6pR4`     |
| Versioning    | Not versioned; the name always resolves to the latest Perplexity-recommended configuration. | Versioned; pin a version or track the latest. |
| Best for      | Perplexity-optimized defaults for a use case.                                               | A configuration you standardize and control.  |

:::callout{intent="note"}
If you already use a [preset](/guides/agent-api-presets), a profile is how you save and version that setup.
Start from a preset's [current values](/guides/agent-api-presets#current-preset-values), then manage them as a profile so every request references one ID.
A request uses either a preset or a profile, not both.
:::

## Add a profile

1. Open [Profiles in the API Portal](https://console.perplexity.ai/project/profiles).
2. Select **Create profile**.
3. Set the model, instructions, tools, Skills, and managed connectors the profile should use, then save it.
4. Copy the profile ID.
5. Add a `profile` entry to the Agent API request. Set `type` to `"custom"` and `id` to the profile ID, and do not set `preset` in the same request.

The run uses the profile's model, instructions, tools, Skills, managed connectors, and other settings, so you do not repeat them.
The following request runs a profile.
Replace `profile_YOUR_PROFILE_ID` with the ID that you copied.

:::code-group
```python Python theme={null}
from perplexity import Perplexity

client = Perplexity()

response = client.responses.create(
    profile={
        "type": "custom",
        "id": "profile_YOUR_PROFILE_ID",
    },
    input="Summarize this week's most important AI research.",
)

print(response.output_text)
```

```typescript Typescript theme={null}
import Perplexity from '@perplexity-ai/perplexity_ai';

const client = new Perplexity();

const response = await client.responses.create({
  profile: {
    type: 'custom',
    id: 'profile_YOUR_PROFILE_ID',
  },
  input: "Summarize this week's most important AI research.",
});

console.log(response.output_text);
```

```bash cURL theme={null}
curl https://api.perplexity.ai/v1/agent \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $PERPLEXITY_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "profile": {
      "type": "custom",
      "id": "profile_YOUR_PROFILE_ID"
    },
    "input": "Summarize this weeks most important AI research."
  }' | jq
```
:::

## Override profile settings

A profile supplies the defaults for a run.
Any parameter you set on the request overrides the profile's value for that field, so you can reuse one profile and adjust a single setting per request.
For example, pass `model` to run the profile's configuration with a different model, while keeping its instructions, tools, and other settings.

`tools` are the exception: they merge per tool instead of replacing the whole set.
Listing one tool overrides only that tool's options and leaves the profile's other tools enabled.

## Profile parameters

| Field     | Type   | Required | Description                                                                |
| --------- | ------ | -------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `type`    | string | Yes      | Must be `"custom"`.                                                        |
| `id`      | string | Yes      | The profile ID. 1 to 128 characters.                                       |
| `version` | string | No       | The version to bind to, or `"latest"`. Omit to bind to the latest version. |

## Versioning

Each version of a profile is immutable: editing a profile creates a new version instead of changing an existing one.
A request pinned to a specific version always runs the exact same configuration, so only `"latest"` picks up new versions.
The version is resolved when the request is admitted, so a change made while a request is in flight does not affect that run.

Pin production traffic to a specific version:

:::code-group
```python Python theme={null}
from perplexity import Perplexity

client = Perplexity()

response = client.responses.create(
    profile={
        "type": "custom",
        "id": "profile_YOUR_PROFILE_ID",
        "version": "3",
    },
    input="Summarize this week's most important AI research.",
)

print(response.output_text)
```

```typescript Typescript theme={null}
import Perplexity from '@perplexity-ai/perplexity_ai';

const client = new Perplexity();

const response = await client.responses.create({
  profile: {
    type: 'custom',
    id: 'profile_YOUR_PROFILE_ID',
    version: '3',
  },
  input: "Summarize this week's most important AI research.",
});

console.log(response.output_text);
```

```bash cURL theme={null}
curl https://api.perplexity.ai/v1/agent \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $PERPLEXITY_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "profile": {
      "type": "custom",
      "id": "profile_YOUR_PROFILE_ID",
      "version": "3"
    },
    "input": "Summarize this weeks most important AI research."
  }' | jq
```
:::

With `"latest"`, a version uploaded by any Admin immediately changes what your production requests run.
View version history and download any version in the [API Portal](https://console.perplexity.ai/project/profiles).

## Error handling

A profile problem fails the request with a `4xx` status before the run starts, so handle it like any other request error.
The cases you may see:

- **The profile names a model you cannot use.** The request fails with `model "<model>" is not supported`. Edit the profile to use a supported model.
- **The profile ID is wrong, or you cannot access it.** The request fails with `The requested profile does not exist or is not accessible.` Check the ID.
- **The `version` is not valid.** Use a version that exists, or `"latest"`.

Manage your profiles in [Profiles in the API Portal](https://console.perplexity.ai/project/profiles). If a problem persists, contact api@perplexity.ai.

## Next steps

::::card-grid
:::card{title="Presets" href="/guides/agent-api-presets" icon="sliders"}
Use a Perplexity-managed configuration by name.
:::

:::card{title="Model fallback" href="/guides/agent-api-model-fallback" icon="arrow-right-arrow-left"}
Set a fallback chain so a run continues when a model is unavailable.
:::
::::

## Related pages

- [Agent API Models](./agent-api-models.md)
- [Presets](./agent-api-presets.md)
- [Model Fallback](./agent-api-model-fallback.md)

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