# Perplexity Search Images Scraper (`searchapi/perplexity-search-images-scraper`) Actor

Scrapes image results from Perplexity's image search. Extracts the canonical image schema: title, alt text, full image URL, thumbnail, dimensions, aspect ratio, format, source attribution, license, and citation context.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/searchapi/perplexity-search-images-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Search API](https://apify.com/searchapi) (community)
- **Categories:** Developer tools, Automation
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 0 monthly users, 93.1% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $1.99 / 1,000 perplexity search images scraper results

This Actor is paid per event and usage. You are charged both the fixed price for specific events and for Apify platform usage.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

## Perplexity Search Images Scraper

Scrapes image results from Perplexity's image search. Extracts the canonical image schema: title, alt text, full image URL, thumbnail, dimensions, aspect ratio, format, source attribution, license, and citation context.

### What this Actor collects

The Actor converts image results and media metadata into clean JSON records that can be downloaded, queried through the Apify API, or sent to downstream workflows.

- Uses the input limits and filters below to control the crawl.
- Stores source-backed fields defined by the 58-field dataset schema.
- Omits optional fields when the source does not expose a value instead of writing nulls or fabricated placeholders.

### Use cases

- Visual research
- Image-source discovery
- Media and asset enrichment

### Input

Provide input in JSON. Fields marked required must be supplied; source-specific alternatives and constraints are described in the field text.

| Field | Type | Required | Default | Description |
| --- | --- | :---: | --- | --- |
| `query` | string | Yes | `"northern lights photography"` | The image search query. Perplexity returns one set of images per query. |
| `maxItems` | integer | No | `50` | Maximum number of images to scrape. |
| `maxRequestRetries` | integer | No | `2` | Number of bounded retries when Perplexity does not render image results or a temporary scrape error occurs. |
| `queries` | array | No | `[]` | Optional array of additional image search queries. |
| `focusMode` | string | No | `"images"` | Perplexity's focus mode (search scope). 'images' targets image search specifically; 'web' may also include inline answer images. |
| `includeInlineAnswerImages` | boolean | No | `true` | When true, also captures images that appear inline within an AI answer (not just the image grid). Requires focus mode to be 'web' or 'academic'. |
| `language` | string | No | `"en-US"` | Language code for the answer locale (e.g. 'en-US', 'en-GB', 'de-DE', 'fr-FR'). |
| `proxyConfiguration` | object | No | `{"useApifyProxy":true}` | Proxy settings. Residential proxies are strongly recommended — Perplexity aggressively blocks datacenter IPs. |

#### Example input

```json
{
  "query": "Eiffel Tower Paris photos",
  "maxItems": 50,
  "language": "en-US",
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": false
  },
  "maxRequestRetries": 2,
  "focusMode": "images",
  "includeInlineAnswerImages": true
}
```

### Output

The default dataset contains one item per image result. The following are the most useful fields; availability can vary between image-grid and inline-answer sources.

| Field | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `position` | integer | Position |
| `title` | string | Title |
| `imageUrl` | string | Image URL |
| `thumbnailUrl` | string | Thumbnail URL |
| `sourceDomain` | string | Source Domain |
| `creator` | string | Creator |
| `license` | string | License |
| `width` | integer | Width |
| `height` | integer | Height |
| `fileFormat` | string | File Format |
| `aspectRatio` | number | Aspect Ratio |
| `citationIndex` | integer | Citation Index |
| `query` | string | Query |
| `scrapedAt` | string | Scraped At |
| `type` | string | Type |
| `url` | string | URL |

<details>
<summary>All 58 declared dataset fields</summary>

`position`, `title`, `imageUrl`, `thumbnailUrl`, `sourceDomain`, `creator`, `license`, `width`, `height`, `fileFormat`
`aspectRatio`, `citationIndex`, `query`, `scrapedAt`, `type`, `resultType`, `page`, `altText`, `alt`, `caption`
`url`, `link`, `thumbnail`, `previewImage`, `originalUrl`, `sourceUrl`, `hostPageUrl`, `pageUrl`, `source`, `sourceName`
`domain`, `hostPageDomain`, `favicon`, `creatorUrl`, `photographer`, `copyright`, `sizePixels`, `format`, `mimeType`, `fileSize`
`size`, `isAnimated`, `color`, `dominantColor`, `orientation`, `isAdult`, `isAd`, `isSponsored`, `isPrimary`, `inAnswerContext`
`tags`, `searchQuery`, `focusMode`, `searchUrl`, `searchEngine`, `country`, `language`, `searchMetadata`

</details>

#### Example dataset item

No static output record is embedded because the current local storage has no trustworthy item. Run the Actor with the example input to create source-backed output; the Actor does not fabricate a sample record.

### Related Actors

- [Perplexity Discover Scraper](https://apify.com/searchapi/perplexity-discover-scraper)
- [Perplexity Related Questions Scraper](https://apify.com/searchapi/perplexity-related-questions-scraper)
- [Perplexity Search Answers Scraper](https://apify.com/searchapi/perplexity-search-answers-scraper)

# Actor input Schema

## `query` (type: `string`):

The image search query. Perplexity returns one set of images per query.

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

Maximum number of images to scrape.

## `maxRequestRetries` (type: `integer`):

Number of bounded retries when Perplexity does not render image results or a temporary scrape error occurs.

## `queries` (type: `array`):

Optional array of additional image search queries.

## `focusMode` (type: `string`):

Perplexity's focus mode (search scope). 'images' targets image search specifically; 'web' may also include inline answer images.

## `includeInlineAnswerImages` (type: `boolean`):

When true, also captures images that appear inline within an AI answer (not just the image grid). Requires focus mode to be 'web' or 'academic'.

## `language` (type: `string`):

Language code for the answer locale (e.g. 'en-US', 'en-GB', 'de-DE', 'fr-FR').

## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`):

Proxy settings. Residential proxies are strongly recommended — Perplexity aggressively blocks datacenter IPs.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "query": "northern lights photography",
  "maxItems": 50,
  "maxRequestRetries": 2,
  "queries": [
    "Eiffel tower night",
    "Vintage cars 1950s"
  ],
  "focusMode": "images",
  "includeInlineAnswerImages": true,
  "language": "en-US",
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": true
  }
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

Image results from Perplexity's image search, conformant to the canonical images-vertical schema.

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "query": "northern lights photography",
    "maxItems": 50,
    "maxRequestRetries": 2,
    "queries": [],
    "focusMode": "images",
    "includeInlineAnswerImages": true,
    "language": "en-US",
    "proxyConfiguration": {
        "useApifyProxy": true
    }
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("searchapi/perplexity-search-images-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "query": "northern lights photography",
    "maxItems": 50,
    "maxRequestRetries": 2,
    "queries": [],
    "focusMode": "images",
    "includeInlineAnswerImages": True,
    "language": "en-US",
    "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": True },
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("searchapi/perplexity-search-images-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"])
for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "query": "northern lights photography",
  "maxItems": 50,
  "maxRequestRetries": 2,
  "queries": [],
  "focusMode": "images",
  "includeInlineAnswerImages": true,
  "language": "en-US",
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": true
  }
}' |
apify call searchapi/perplexity-search-images-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "mcp-remote",
                "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=searchapi/perplexity-search-images-scraper",
                "--header",
                "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR_API_TOKEN>"
            ]
        }
    }
}

```

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/RgEZiMb8MjT7n7KIc/builds/GCMhmKXP6bni72b8a/openapi.json