Perplexity Computer can now run entirely on a Mac with Apple silicon. The AI model, the agent and the task execution all stay on the device, so private files and apps like Notes and Mail are processed locally.
Perplexity launched fully local Computer on Mac on Tuesday for Pro, Max and Enterprise subscribers. It follows Personal Computer for Mac in May and Hybrid Compute in September, which splits each task between cloud models and a local one.
Fully Local Mode Keeps Planning, Reasoning and File Work on the Mac
The Perplexity Mac app now offers two modes. Hybrid Compute starts in the cloud and pulls in local work on private files, while fully local mode starts on the Mac and keeps planning, reasoning and file processing there.
The local model is either Qwen 3.6 or PPLX Pro, a version of Qwen that Perplexity post-trained. Users also choose where each task runs, which Perplexity ties to how credits are spent.
A portfolio analysis built on private holdings and downloaded market data can run entirely on the Mac. A deal review that combines current market research with confidential financials can use Hybrid Compute instead.
Users can authorize Computer to escalate to the cloud for current information, browser use and connected apps, and the local orchestrator can then call one of 15+ frontier models for advanced reasoning. Code and tool execution run in isolated sandboxes with controlled access to files and connected apps.
Local Computer Reads Notes and Messages, Then Builds a Status Update
With permission, Computer works across local files and supported apps, including Notes, Messages, Mail and Numbers. In one example, it reads a project’s to-do list in Notes, checks a teammate’s budget request in Messages and pulls planned and actual spending from Excel.
From there it prepares a status update with open tasks and remaining budget and sends a meeting invitation to discuss next steps. The other sample workflows lean toward finance and client work:
- Portfolio review checks private holdings against investment guidelines and downloaded market data on a Mac mini, flags concentration risk and allocation drift, and updates an Excel workbook and Keynote deck for the analyst.
- Client proposal turns confidential discovery notes, a client brief and an internal rate sheet into a drafted scope, an Excel budget and a cover email in Outlook.
- Morning priorities reviews recent Messages and Mail, builds an action list in Notes, gathers relevant local documents and drafts follow-up replies for review.
The Mac mini with M6 Tops Out Below the Recommended 36GB
Local Computer runs in the Perplexity Mac app on supported Apple silicon Macs, including the new Mac mini with M6 and M5 Pro. Perplexity recommends 36GB of memory or more for running it locally.
That puts the Mac mini with M6 under the recommendation in every configuration. Apple lists it at 16GB of unified memory, configurable to 24GB or 32GB, while the Mac mini with M5 Pro starts at 24GB and can be configured with 48GB or 64GB.
Hybrid Compute asks for less, working on any Apple silicon Mac running macOS 15 or later with at least 24GB of unified memory. The 16GB Mac mini with M6 falls short of that minimum too, and since the lineup went back to soldered storage, the configuration is locked in at checkout.
Other local AI tools ask for similar hardware, with Junie Local running on M5 Macs with 64GB of RAM for free offline coding and GLM-5.3-Flash running locally on M5 Max and Ultra chips.
To set it up, download the latest Perplexity Mac app, follow the in-app instructions to download and set up a local model, then choose fully local when you start a task.
