Bye 3.5 Sonnet How to Use Claude 3.7 Sonnet on Perplexity AI

Key takeaways:

• Claude 3.7 Sonnet is a hybrid model that switches modes based on your question
• You need Perplexity Pro to use Claude 3.7 Sonnet right now
• Switching models is done from the settings, not the dropdown menu

So, Anthropic just dropped the new Claude 3.7 Sonnet model, and yeah, it’s already live on Perplexity AI. If you’ve been using Claude 3.5 Sonnet, you probably want to know what’s different and how you can actually use this upgrade. The interface isn’t exactly obvious, and it’s not in the usual dropdown. Don’t worry, I’ll walk you through the steps and share what’s cool (and what’s still missing) with this model.

Claude 3.7 Sonnet is a Hybrid Model That Adjusts to Your Query

Claude 3.7 Sonnet is not just a regular upgrade. It’s a hybrid—meaning, it acts like a standard AI model for simple stuff, but if you throw a complex problem at it, it’ll switch to a reasoning mode. This is kinda like what OpenAI does with its O3 and what DeepSeek does with its reasoning models. The switch happens automatically, so you don’t have to pick which mode you want. If you’re asking something basic, it’ll answer fast. If you’re asking something that needs more thinking, it’ll take its time and use the bigger brain.

Anthropic also launched Claude Code, but honestly, it’s more like a coding chatbot than a full-blown code editor. If you want to mess with it, signups are full at the moment, so you’ll have to wait.

Benchmarks Show Claude 3.7 Sonnet Competes With the Best

The benchmarks for Claude 3.7 Sonnet put it right up there with OpenAI’s O3 and DeepSeek’s R1. It’s strong in software engineering and agentic behavior. The scores are close, but Claude 3.7 Sonnet is definitely in the top tier.

Using Claude 3.7 Sonnet on Perplexity AI Is Not Obvious

Now, here’s where things get a little weird. If you try to switch models the old way—using the dropdown menu before you search—you won’t see Claude 3.7 Sonnet listed. That’s because Perplexity hasn’t updated the UI yet, or maybe it’s because the model is hybrid and doesn’t fit the old menu system.

You Need Perplexity Pro to Use Claude 3.7 Sonnet

You can only use Claude 3.7 Sonnet if you’re a Perplexity Pro subscriber. If you’re not, you’re stuck with the default models. If you are Pro, here’s how you do it:

• Click on the gear icon (settings)
• Go to the Perplexity Pro section
• Change your model to Claude 3.7 Sonnet

That’s it. Once you do this, your searches will use Claude 3.7 Sonnet. If you want to compare, you can always switch back to another model.

What’s Different When You Use Claude 3.7 Sonnet

When you ask a question, the model will decide if it needs to use reasoning mode. For simple questions, it’ll answer fast. For more complicated stuff, it might take longer, but you’ll get a deeper answer (at least in theory).

One thing I noticed: right now, you don’t see the step-by-step chain of thought that you get with DeepSeek R1 or when you use Deep Research on Perplexity. Even if you ask something complex, you won’t see the AI walking through its logic in detail. That feature might come later.

How to Rewrite Answers With Claude 3.7 Sonnet

If you already have a thread or answer in Perplexity, you can hit the Rewrite button and pick Claude 3.7 Sonnet. This lets you see how the new model handles the same question compared to the old one.

What’s Still Missing and What to Expect Next

Honestly, it feels like Perplexity is still rolling out all the features for Claude 3.7 Sonnet. The UI doesn’t show it in the dropdown, and the reasoning steps aren’t visible yet. I’m guessing more updates are coming soon.

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FAQs

How do I access Claude 3.7 Sonnet on Perplexity AI?

You need a Perplexity Pro subscription, then switch the model from the settings menu.

Why isn’t Claude 3.7 Sonnet in the dropdown menu?

The model is hybrid and the UI hasn’t been updated yet, so you have to change it from settings.

What’s the difference between Claude 3.5 Sonnet and 3.7 Sonnet?

Claude 3.7 Sonnet switches between standard and reasoning modes automatically, giving you better answers for complex questions.

Can I use Claude 3.7 Sonnet for coding?

Yes, it’s good at software engineering tasks, but for a coding-focused experience, you might want to try Claude Code when it’s available.

Will Perplexity add more features for Claude 3.7 Sonnet?

Most likely. Expect updates soon that make the model easier to access and show more of its reasoning steps.