Perplexity Setup
User Guide
Connect Descrybe Legal Engine to Perplexity
Add Descrybe as a custom MCP connector in Perplexity
This guide explains how to add Descrybe Legal Engine to Perplexity as a custom MCP connector, authorize your Descrybe account, and start a Perplexity chat that can use Descrybe legal research tools.
Overview
How Perplexity connects to Descrybe
Descrybe Legal Engine can be added to Perplexity as a custom MCP connector. Once it is connected, you can ask legal research questions in Perplexity while giving Perplexity access to Descrybe legal research tools and source-law results.
This is useful when you like working in Perplexity but want Descrybe available for legal research tasks such as case-law search, citation lookup, quote verification, treatment checks, citing authorities, and source review.
Before you start
- You need an active Descrybe subscription with Legal Engine or Platform access.
- You need Perplexity access with custom connectors enabled.
- Sign in to Descrybe in the same browser before you start the Perplexity setup flow.
- Perplexity labels may change over time. Look for the same general path: Settings or Customize, then Connectors, then Add Custom Connector.
Quick setup
This short video shows the setup flow from adding Descrybe Legal Engine as a custom connector to starting a legal research chat in Perplexity.
- 1
Sign in to Descrybe
Open Descrybe in your browser, sign in, and confirm your subscription is active.
- 2
Open Perplexity connectors
Open Perplexity, then go to Customize or Settings and open Connectors.
- 3
Add a custom connector
Click Add Custom Connector.
- 4
Name the connector
Use the name Descrybe Legal Engine.
- 5
Enter the MCP server URL
Use exactly this URL: https://mcp.descrybe.com/mcp
- 6
Leave the transport on Streamable HTTP
If Perplexity shows Advanced settings, leave the transport on Streamable HTTP. In the tested setup flow, Client ID and Client Secret were left blank.
- 7
Review the custom connector notice
Perplexity may ask you to acknowledge that custom connectors can introduce risks. Continue only if you recognize the connector and trust the source.
- 8
Add and authorize Descrybe
Add the connector, open the Descrybe Legal Engine connector tile, and follow the prompt to authorize your Descrybe account.
Use Descrybe Legal Engine in Perplexity
For best results, start a new Perplexity chat after connecting Descrybe Legal Engine. Select Descrybe Legal Engine at the start of the chat, before your first message, by typing @ and choosing Descrybe Legal Engine from the connector menu.
Try a discovery prompt first
@Descrybe Legal Engine What legal research tools are available through Descrybe Legal Engine?
Starting this way makes it easier to confirm that Perplexity is using Descrybe tools instead of answering from general model context alone.
Example Perplexity prompts
Legal research prompts
- @Descrybe Legal Engine Find Massachusetts cases about employment retaliation and include Descrybe links for the cases you find.
- @Descrybe Legal Engine Find cases discussing whether temporal proximity can support a retaliation claim under Massachusetts law.
- @Descrybe Legal Engine Look up [citation] and summarize the case details I should verify.
- @Descrybe Legal Engine Check whether [case name or citation] still appears to be good law and find later cases that discuss it.
- @Descrybe Legal Engine Verify this quote from [case citation]: "[quote]."
Ask for Descrybe links when you want to open cases directly. Use those links and the cited authorities as a research starting point, then review important sources before relying on the answer in legal work.
Troubleshooting
You do not see Add Custom Connector
Make sure custom connectors are enabled for your Perplexity account or workspace. If the setting is under a different menu, try Settings > Connectors, and try the Perplexity web app if the desktop app looks different.
Descrybe does not appear after you add it
Refresh the Connectors page, check the Available tab, search for Descrybe, and confirm that the MCP server URL was entered exactly as https://mcp.descrybe.com/mcp.
Perplexity says you are not subscribed
Open Descrybe in the same browser, sign in again, and confirm your subscription is active. Then refresh Perplexity and try the authorization step again.
The connector is connected but Perplexity is not using it
Start a new chat and select Descrybe Legal Engine before your first message. You can also write: Use Descrybe Legal Engine to answer this.
You see general AI answers instead of legal research results
Make the prompt more explicit. Instead of asking generally about a topic, ask Descrybe to find cases, check a citation, verify a quote, review treatment, or include Descrybe links.
An authorization URL mentions Claude
You may see a Descrybe handoff URL that includes a Claude-related provider label. That can happen during the shared authorization flow and does not necessarily mean the Perplexity setup is wrong.
FAQ
What is the MCP server URL?
Use https://mcp.descrybe.com/mcp.
Do I need a Descrybe subscription?
Yes. You need an active Descrybe Legal Engine or Platform subscription before Perplexity can use Descrybe tools.
Do I need a paid Perplexity plan?
You need Perplexity access with custom connectors enabled.
Do I need a Client ID or Client Secret?
In the tested setup flow, Client ID and Client Secret were left blank. Use a client credential only if your Perplexity workspace or setup screen specifically requires one.
Does Descrybe Legal Engine replace source review?
No. Descrybe helps Perplexity work with legal research tools and source-law results, but you should still inspect important sources and apply your own legal judgment before relying on the output.
Contact Descrybe support if your account should have access but Perplexity cannot connect.