Turn the Assistant on or off
Toggle whether the Comet Assistant can use your browser history, navigate the web and interact with sites.
Settings›Privacy and security›Comet Assistant
Short answer
Local by default; shared only when you ask, and you can limit it
According to Perplexity, Comet stores your browsing data on your device. When you use the Comet Assistant it sends minimal context, such as your current tab and relevant history, to complete the task. The Assistant never gets your passwords or payment data, personal queries are deleted after 30 days, and you can block sites, pause the Assistant or use Incognito.
Data map
What Comet stores and what it shares
| Data | Where it lives | Details | Your control |
|---|---|---|---|
| Browsing history and cookies | On your device | Stored locally by default. Relevant history can be shared with Perplexity when you ask the Assistant to complete a task. | Clear browsing data; Incognito |
| Passwords | Never accessed by Assistant | Stored on your device. Perplexity says Comet never has access to your passwords for AI tasks. | Password manager settings |
| Payment cards | Never accessed by Assistant | Stored on your device. Not available to the Assistant. | Payment settings |
| Current tab | Sent when you ask | Your open tab can be sent to Perplexity to answer your question or complete a task. | Block sites; pause Assistant |
| Your questions to the Assistant | Perplexity servers | Personal queries are deleted from Perplexity’s databases after 30 days, according to Perplexity. | Delete threads; data request |
| Synced account activity | Depends on settings | If you sync Comet with your Perplexity account, browsing history and usage may be recorded, depending on your settings. | Settings › Privacy and security |
| Gmail, Calendar and other services | Only with your approval | Comet asks for approval before accessing another service. | Revoke in your Google account |
| Camera, mic, location (per site) | Asked per site | Like other Chromium browsers, websites must ask before using these. | Site settings |
Based on Perplexity’s Comet help center, Privacy Snapshot announcement and privacy notice, checked 6 October 2026.
Diagram
How your data flows in Comet
Controls
Comet’s privacy controls
Most live in Settings › Privacy and security. Exact labels can change between versions.
Block sites from AI
Add sites Comet must not use for AI actions or context, such as your bank, health portal or work admin.
Settings›Privacy and security›Blocked sites
Pause anytime
Pause the Assistant’s access whenever you want a private session without turning it off for good.
Incognito mode
Incognito prevents the Assistant from indexing your browsing activity.
Ad and tracker blocking
Tune how aggressively Comet blocks ads and third-party trackers.
Settings›Privacy and security
Privacy Snapshot
A homepage widget (added October 2025) that shows how Comet is protecting you, with one-click access to these settings.
Site permissions (camera, microphone, location)
Like other Chromium-based browsers, Comet asks before a website can use your camera, microphone, location or notifications. Review or reset these under Settings › Privacy and security › Site settings. On phones, also check the app’s permissions in your iPhone or Android settings.
Step by step
Set up Comet for privacy in 6 steps
Open Privacy and security
In Comet, open the menu (three dots) › Settings › Privacy and security, or click the Privacy Snapshot widget on the home page.
- Bookmark this page in Comet so it’s easy to return to.
Decide what the Assistant can use
Review the Comet Assistant toggle. Keep it on for help with pages, or turn it off if you only want a normal browser.
- You can pause it later instead of switching it off.
Block sensitive sites
Add your bank, health, government and work admin sites to the blocked list so the Assistant never uses them.
- Block before you start using agent tasks.
Use Incognito for private browsing
Open an Incognito window for searches you don’t want the Assistant to index.
- Incognito doesn’t hide you from websites or your network.
Review connectors
Only connect Gmail or Calendar if you’ll use them, and check what you’re approving.
- Revoke access any time at Google’s third-party access page.
Check your account data settings
In your Perplexity account settings, review sync, history and data-use options, and delete threads you don’t need.
- Read Perplexity’s privacy notice for the full picture.
Both sides
The privacy concerns, fairly
What Perplexity says
Browsing data is stored locally by default; only minimal context is sent when needed; the Assistant never sees passwords or payment data; personal queries are deleted after 30 days; and you can block sites, pause access or use Incognito.
What critics say
Privacy company Proton (August 2025) argued that AI browsers collect large amounts of personal data and that Comet’s terms allow using it to improve services by default. It quoted Perplexity’s CEO:
“We plan to use all the context to build a better user profile and … show some ads there.”
Perplexity added more privacy controls later in 2025, including Privacy Snapshot in October.
Our take: Comet gives you meaningful controls, but an AI browser is only as private as your settings. Review them, block sensitive sites, and recheck after major updates. Security risks like prompt injection are covered in our Comet review.
Your rights
How to delete your Comet data
Clear browsing data
In Comet’s settings, clear history, cookies and cached files, or press Ctrl + Shift + Delete (Cmd + Shift + Delete on Mac).
Delete Assistant threads
Remove conversations from your Perplexity Library that you don’t want kept.
Disconnect services
Remove Comet’s access to Gmail or Calendar from your Google account’s third-party access page.
Request deletion
Use Perplexity’s data request form or email support@perplexity.ai.
Delete your account
See our delete Perplexity account guide.
Uninstall Comet
Clear your data first, then remove the app. See the download guide.
Comet privacy checkup
FAQ
Comet privacy questions
What data does Comet collect?
By default, browsing data like visited sites and cookies is stored locally on your device. When you use the Comet Assistant, minimal context, such as your current tab and relevant browsing history, is sent to Perplexity to complete the request. If you sync Comet with your Perplexity account, browsing history and usage may be recorded depending on your settings.
Can Comet see my passwords or credit cards?
Perplexity says Comet never gives the Assistant access to your passwords or payment data. They stay stored on your device.
How long does Perplexity keep my Comet questions?
Perplexity says personal queries are automatically deleted from its databases after 30 days.
How do I stop the Comet Assistant seeing a website?
Go to Settings › Privacy and security and add the site to the blocked list. Comet won’t use it for AI actions or context.
Does Incognito mode hide me from the Assistant?
Yes. Incognito prevents the Assistant from indexing your browsing activity. It doesn’t hide your activity from websites, your employer or your internet provider.
Does Comet read my Gmail?
Only if you connect it. Comet asks for approval before accessing services like Gmail, and Perplexity says it doesn’t use the content of emails to train AI models.
Will Comet show ads based on my browsing?
Comet doesn’t currently show ads. Privacy groups like Proton have raised concerns because Perplexity’s CEO has talked about using browsing context for ads in future. Review the privacy notice and your settings, and revisit them after updates.
How do I delete my Comet data?
Clear browsing data in Comet’s settings, delete threads from your Perplexity Library, and for a full deletion request use Perplexity’s data request form or email support@perplexity.ai.
Sources
- Comet Help Center: Control what Comet Assistant can use
- Perplexity: Introducing Privacy Snapshot, 31 Oct 2025
- Perplexity Privacy Notice
- Proton: AI browsers are coming for your clicks, and your privacy, 14 Aug 2025
More about Comet
Take control
Open Comet’s privacy settings now
Menu › Settings › Privacy and security. Block your sensitive sites first; it takes two minutes.