Gemini

What Is It, In Plain Words?

Gemini is Google's AI assistant. You ask it something in ordinary words, by typing or speaking, and it answers in a few seconds. If you already have a Gmail address, you already have what you need to use it.

On many Android phones, Gemini has replaced the old Google Assistant, so you may have it already. Like other chatbots, it's good at explaining and writing, and it can get facts wrong.

What You Can Use It For

• Quick answers. "How long should I boil an egg for a soft yolk?" It answers straight away, and you can ask why.
• Emails. "Help me reply politely to this email declining the invitation." You can then paste the reply into Gmail.
• Photos. In the phone app, take a picture of a plant, a label or a sign and ask, "What is this?" or "What does this say?"

Getting Started Step By Step

On A Computer

1. Open your web browser and go to gemini.google.com.
2. Click Sign in and use your Google account (the same one as Gmail or YouTube). If you don't have one, there's a Create account option.
3. You'll see a greeting and a box at the bottom that says something like "Ask Gemini". That's where you type.
4. Type your first question and press Enter.
5. Ask a follow-up such as "make it shorter" and it carries on from where you were.

On A Phone Or Tablet

1. On Android, Gemini may already be installed. Look for the Gemini app, or press and hold the power button or say "Hey Google".
2. On iPhone or iPad, open the App Store and search for Google Gemini, made by Google. Tap Get.
3. Open it and sign in with your Google account.
4. Type in the box at the bottom, or tap the microphone to talk.

Things To Try Typing

Copy any of these, or change the details to suit you.

What It Costs

Prices checked 16 October 2026 on the official Gemini subscriptions page. Prices can change, so check there before you pay.

For most beginners, the free version is plenty. Only pay if you keep running into the limits.

Privacy And Safety

• What it keeps. With Keep Activity switched on, Gemini saves your chats in Gemini Apps Activity for 18 months by default. Google uses them to improve its AI, and trained reviewers read some of them. Reviewed chats are kept for up to three years, even if you delete them.
• How to turn that off. Go to Gemini Apps Activity (or Settings, then Activity, in Gemini) and turn off Keep Activity. You can also change auto-delete to 3 months, or delete past chats.
• Temporary chats. These aren't used to train Google's AI. Google still keeps them for 72 hours so it can reply and check for misuse.
• Never type passwords, PINs, bank or card numbers, your National Insurance number (UK) or Social Security number (USA).
• Check important answers about health, money or the law with your doctor, pharmacist, bank or a qualified adviser.

Good Points And Watch-Outs

Good Points

• No new account needed if you already use Gmail or YouTube.
• Works well with your phone's camera for reading labels and naming things.
• You can talk instead of typing: tap the microphone, or use Gemini Live for a spoken conversation.
• Text size: on a computer, hold Ctrl (or Cmd on a Mac) and press +. On a phone, it follows your text size setting.

Watch-Outs

• It can be wrong and sound sure. Check anything important.
• On Android, it may switch on in place of the old Google Assistant, and some familiar voice commands may behave differently.
• Search results and Gemini answers can look alike. Read the source links when they're shown.
• Paid plans renew automatically until you cancel.

Similar Tools

• ChatGPT: the best-known chatbot, with a simple app and voice mode.
• Microsoft Copilot: built into Windows and the Edge browser.
• Claude: good at reading long documents and writing carefully.

Common Questions

Is Gemini free?

Yes. Gemini is free with a Google account. Paid Google AI plans give you more use, but you don't need one to start.

Is Gemini the same as Google Assistant?

On many Android phones, Gemini has replaced Google Assistant. It can do most of the same jobs and also hold a proper conversation.

Can I stop Google keeping my Gemini chats?

Yes. In Gemini, go to Settings, then Activity, and turn off Keep Activity. You can also delete past chats there.

Do I need an Android phone?

No. Gemini works on any computer at gemini.google.com and there's an app for iPhone and iPad too.