How to Use Google Gemini AI: Everything You Need to Know

Google Gemini is Google‘s flagship AI assistant, and it has quietly become one of the most capable AI tools available today. If you already use Gmail, Google Docs, or Google Drive, Gemini integrates directly into the tools you work with every day. That tight connection to the Google ecosystem is what sets it apart from competitors like ChatGPT and Claude.

But Gemini is more than just a chatbot bolted onto Google apps. It handles text, images, audio, video, and code in a single conversation. It can analyze your documents in Google Drive, draft emails in Gmail, create presentations in Slides, and help you write formulas in Sheets, all without leaving those applications.

This guide covers everything from signing up to advanced features like Gems, Deep Research, multimodal input, and the Google Workspace AI integration.

What Is Google Gemini?

Gemini is Google’s AI assistant powered by their Gemini family of large language models. It replaced Google Bard in February 2024 and has evolved significantly since then.

The name “Gemini” refers to both the AI models (Gemini Flash, Gemini Pro, etc.) and the consumer-facing assistant product. For this guide, we are focused on the assistant product, which is what you interact with at gemini.google.com or through Google apps.

What Makes Gemini Different

• Deep Google integration — Works inside Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and other Google Workspace apps
• Multimodal from the ground up — Handles text, images, audio, video, and code natively
• Extensions — Connects to Google services like Maps, YouTube, Hotels, and Flights
• Real-time information — Access to Google Search for current data
• Generous free tier — Meaningful functionality without paying anything

Gemini Plans and Pricing (2026)

Google restructured its AI offerings in 2025, introducing clearer tiers:

Plan	Price	Model Access	Storage	Key Features
Free	$0	Gemini 3 Flash	15 GB	Basic AI, daily limits
Google AI Pro	$19.99/mo	Gemini 3.1 Pro	2 TB	Deep Research, Workspace AI
Google AI Ultra	$249.99/mo	Highest model access	30 TB	Gemini Agent, Deep Think, Jules
Enterprise	~$30/user/mo	Custom	Custom	Compliance, admin, support

The free tier is surprisingly capable for everyday tasks. Google AI Pro is the plan most individuals and small teams should consider if they want the full experience. Google AI Ultra is aimed at power users, researchers, and developers who need the highest available model access and computing resources.

College students can get the AI Pro plan free for one year, which is a meaningful perk if you are in school.

Getting Started with Gemini

Step 1: Access Gemini

There are several ways to start using Gemini:

Web app: Go to gemini.google.com and sign in with your Google account

Mobile app: Download the Gemini app for Android or iOS

Google Search: Gemini appears in search results with AI-generated summaries

Google Workspace: Access Gemini within Gmail, Docs, Sheets, and Slides (requires AI Pro or Enterprise)

!Screenshot placeholder: Gemini web interface at gemini.google.com showing the main chat window

Step 2: Start a Conversation

Using Gemini feels natural. Just type or speak your request:

Help me plan a 7-day trip to Portugal for two people in October, budget around $3000 excluding flights.

Gemini responds with a structured itinerary. From there, you can ask follow-up questions, adjust the plan, or ask it to focus on specific aspects like restaurants or museums.

Step 3: Try Different Input Types

Gemini is multimodal, meaning it can process more than just text. Try these:

• Upload an image and ask Gemini to describe it, extract text, or answer questions about it
• Share a link to a YouTube video and ask for a summary
• Upload a document (PDF, spreadsheet, or presentation) for analysis
• Speak your request using voice input on mobile

Core Features: What Gemini Can Do

Text Generation and Conversation

At its core, Gemini is a conversational AI that can:

• Answer questions on virtually any topic
• Write and edit content (emails, essays, social media posts, marketing copy)
• Summarize long documents or articles
• Translate between languages
• Brainstorm ideas and provide creative suggestions
• Explain complex topics in simple language

Image Understanding

Upload an image and Gemini can:

• Describe what it sees in detail
• Extract text from photos of documents, signs, or handwritten notes
• Identify objects, plants, animals, landmarks
• Analyze charts, graphs, and diagrams
• Suggest edits or improvements to photos
• Help with homework by analyzing math problems from a photo

How to use it:

Click the image upload button in the chat interface

Select an image from your device or drag and drop it

Add a text prompt explaining what you want: “What kind of plant is this?” or “Extract all the text from this receipt”

!Screenshot placeholder: Gemini analyzing an uploaded image of a plant and identifying the species

Image Generation

Gemini can generate images from text descriptions, powered by Google’s Imagen model.

Create an image of a cozy reading nook with a window seat, bookshelves, warm lighting, and a cat sleeping on a cushion

Image generation is available on all plans, though paid plans offer higher quality and more generations per day.

Code Generation and Debugging

Gemini handles coding tasks across many programming languages:

Write a Python function that takes a CSV file path and returns a dictionary where keys are column names and values are lists of unique entries in each column. Include error handling for missing files and malformed CSV data.

Gemini generates the code, explains how it works, and can debug errors if you paste them back into the conversation.

Supported languages include: Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, Java, C++, Go, Rust, Ruby, Swift, Kotlin, PHP, SQL, HTML/CSS, and many more.

Deep Research

Deep Research is one of Gemini’s standout features, available on AI Pro and AI Ultra plans. It goes far beyond a simple web search.

How Deep Research works:

You ask a complex question that requires multiple sources

Gemini creates a research plan and shows you which topics it will investigate

It browses dozens of sources across the web

It compiles a comprehensive report with citations and source links

Example:

Research the current state of solid-state battery technology. Cover the main companies working on it, their progress toward commercialization, estimated timelines, and the key technical challenges that remain.

Gemini will spend several minutes gathering information and then deliver a detailed, structured report with references. This replaces hours of manual research.

!Screenshot placeholder: Gemini Deep Research output showing a structured report with sections and citations

Extensions

Extensions connect Gemini to Google’s services, letting it take actions and pull real-time data.

Available extensions:

Extension	What It Does
Google Search	Accesses current web information
Google Maps	Finds locations, directions, nearby places
YouTube	Searches and summarizes videos
Google Flights	Looks up flight options and prices
Google Hotels	Searches for hotel availability and rates
Google Workspace	Accesses your Gmail, Drive, and Docs

How to enable extensions:

Open Gemini settings

Go to Extensions

Toggle on the extensions you want

Example with extensions:

Find me the cheapest round-trip flights from San Francisco to Tokyo in October, and suggest three well-reviewed hotels near Shinjuku Station under $150 per night.

Gemini uses the Flights and Hotels extensions to pull live data and present options directly in the conversation.

Using Gemini in Google Workspace

This is where Gemini truly differentiates itself from competitors. If you are on an AI Pro plan or higher, Gemini integrates directly into Google Workspace apps.

Gemini in Gmail

What it can do:

• Draft entire emails from a brief description
• Summarize long email threads
• Suggest replies with context-aware tone matching
• Extract action items from emails
• Help you write formal or casual responses

How to use it:

Open Gmail

Click “Help me write” when composing a new email

Describe what you want: “Write a polite follow-up to the client about the project timeline we discussed last week”

Gemini generates a draft that you can edit, refine, or send

!Screenshot placeholder: Gmail compose window with Gemini’s “Help me write” feature showing a draft email

Gemini in Google Docs

What it can do:

• Generate first drafts from a prompt
• Rewrite, shorten, or expand selected text
• Change the tone (formal, casual, professional)
• Summarize documents
• Generate outlines for longer pieces

How to use it:

Open a Google Doc

Type @ and select Gemini from the dropdown, or click the Gemini icon in the sidebar

Tell it what you need: “Write an executive summary of this document” or “Rewrite this paragraph to be more concise”

Gemini in Google Sheets

What it can do:

• Generate formulas from plain language descriptions
• Create templates and tables
• Analyze data and identify trends
• Generate charts based on your data
• Help organize and clean data

Example:

Create a formula that calculates the running total of column B, but only for rows where column A says "Completed"

Gemini translates your description into the correct Sheets formula and inserts it for you.

Gemini in Google Slides

What it can do:

• Generate slide content from a topic or outline
• Create speaker notes
• Suggest slide layouts and designs
• Generate images for slides
• Help structure presentations logically

How to use it:

Open Google Slides

Click the Gemini icon in the sidebar

Describe your presentation: “Create a 10-slide presentation about our Q4 marketing results, including sections on social media performance, email campaigns, and paid advertising”

Gems: Custom AI Assistants

Gems are Gemini’s version of custom assistants. You can create specialized Gems for specific tasks or roles, and they persist across conversations.

How to Create a Gem

Open Gemini

Click on “Gem manager” in the sidebar

Click “New Gem”

Give it a name and write instructions describing its role, expertise, and how it should respond

Save and start using it

!Screenshot placeholder: Gemini Gem creation interface showing the configuration options

Gem Examples

Gem Name	Instructions	Use Case
Email Polisher	“You are a professional email editor. Rewrite emails to be clear, concise, and appropriately formal. Fix grammar errors. Keep the original meaning intact.”	Cleaning up rough email drafts
Study Buddy	“You are a patient tutor. Explain concepts using simple language and analogies. After explaining, ask a follow-up question to test understanding.”	Studying for exams
Code Reviewer	“You are a senior software engineer. Review code for bugs, performance issues, and best practices. Provide specific line-by-line feedback.”	Code review assistance
Meeting Prep	“You are an executive assistant. Given a meeting topic and attendee list, prepare an agenda, key talking points, and potential questions to anticipate.”	Meeting preparation

Gems are available on AI Pro and AI Ultra plans.

Gemini for Coding

Gemini has strong coding capabilities that extend beyond the basic chatbot interface.

Gemini in the IDE

Through Google’s Gemini Code Assist, you can use Gemini directly in your code editor:

• VS Code — Gemini Code Assist extension
• JetBrains IDEs — Plugin available for IntelliJ, PyCharm, etc.
• Cloud Shell Editor — Built into Google Cloud

What Gemini Code Assist Does

• Code completion — Suggests the next lines of code as you type
• Code generation — Creates functions, classes, or entire files from descriptions
• Code explanation — Explains what unfamiliar code does
• Bug detection — Identifies potential issues in your code
• Test generation — Creates unit tests for your functions
• Documentation — Generates docstrings and comments

Gemini CLI

For developers who prefer the command line, Gemini CLI provides AI assistance directly in your terminal. With AI Ultra, you get the highest usage limits for both Gemini CLI and Gemini Code Assist.

Multimodal Capabilities

One of Gemini’s strengths is working with multiple types of content simultaneously.

Text + Image

Upload a photo of a math problem and ask Gemini to solve it step by step. Or upload a screenshot of an error message and ask for debugging help.

Text + Video

Share a YouTube link and ask Gemini to:

• Summarize the video content
• Extract key timestamps
• Answer specific questions about what was discussed
• Create written notes from the video

Text + Audio

On the mobile app, use voice input combined with other media. For example, take a photo of a restaurant menu in a foreign language and ask Gemini to translate it while explaining the dishes.

Text + Documents

Upload a PDF report and ask cross-referencing questions:

Based on this quarterly report, what were our top 3 revenue drivers, and how do they compare to the same quarter last year?

Advanced Tips for Getting More Out of Gemini

1. Use Google Drive as Your Knowledge Base

If you are on an AI Pro plan, Gemini can access your Google Drive. This means you can ask questions about documents you have stored without uploading them manually:

Search my Google Drive for the project proposal we created last month and summarize the key deliverables and timelines.

2. Chain Tasks Together

Instead of using Gemini for single questions, chain related tasks:

1. Summarize the email thread from the marketing team about the Q1 campaign
Based on that summary, draft a response agreeing to the timeline but suggesting we increase the social media budget by 15%
Create a follow-up task list with deadlines for my team

3. Use Gemini for Translation with Context

Gemini handles translation better when you provide context:

Translate this email into Japanese. The recipient is a senior executive at a partner company. Use formal business Japanese (keigo) and maintain the professional tone.

4. Leverage the 1 Million Token Context Window

AI Pro users get a context window of 1 million tokens, equivalent to roughly 1,500 pages of text. This means you can upload entire books, lengthy reports, or massive codebases and ask detailed questions about them.

5. Use Gemini as a Thinking Partner

Ask Gemini to challenge your thinking:

I'm considering launching a subscription box service for artisanal coffee. Play devil's advocate and give me the top 5 reasons this could fail, along with what I should do to mitigate each risk.

Google Gemini vs. ChatGPT vs. Claude: Quick Comparison

Feature	Google Gemini	ChatGPT	Claude
Free tier	Yes (daily limits)	Yes (10 msgs/5 hrs)	Yes (limited)
Standard paid plan	$19.99/mo	$20/mo	$20/mo
Workspace integration	Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides	Limited plugins	None
Image generation	Yes (Imagen)	Yes (DALL-E / GPT Image)	No
Image understanding	Yes	Yes	Yes
Code execution	Via extensions	Code Interpreter	Artifacts
Web access	Google Search integration	Web browsing	Web search
Custom assistants	Gems	Custom GPTs	Projects
Mobile app	Yes	Yes	Yes

Each tool has its strengths. Gemini wins on Google ecosystem integration, ChatGPT leads in plugin and tool variety, and Claude excels at nuanced writing and long-context analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Google Gemini free?

Yes, Google offers a free tier that gives you access to Gemini 3 Flash for everyday tasks. You get 15 GB of storage and can use the AI for basic conversations, image analysis, and limited image generation. The free tier has daily usage limits but does not expire and does not require a credit card.

What is the difference between Google AI Pro and Google AI Ultra?

Google AI Pro ($19.99/month) gives you access to Gemini 3.1 Pro, Deep Research, 2 TB of cloud storage, and AI integration across Google Workspace apps. Google AI Ultra ($249.99/month) provides the highest model access including Gemini Agent and Deep Think, 30 TB of storage, the highest usage limits for coding tools, and family sharing for up to five people.

Can Gemini access my Google Drive and Gmail?

Yes, but only if you explicitly enable the Google Workspace extension in Gemini settings and you are on an AI Pro plan or higher. You maintain control over what Gemini can access, and you can revoke access at any time through your Google account settings.

Is Gemini better than ChatGPT?

It depends on your workflow. If you live in the Google ecosystem (Gmail, Docs, Drive, Sheets), Gemini offers a significantly more integrated experience. ChatGPT tends to be stronger for creative writing, code generation, and its plugin ecosystem. Many people use both for different tasks.

Does Gemini remember previous conversations?

Gemini stores your conversation history and can reference previous chats within the same thread. For cross-conversation memory, Gemini uses your Google account context and extensions to maintain continuity. Gems also help maintain consistent behavior across separate conversations.

Wrapping Up

Google Gemini is at its best when you lean into the Google ecosystem. If Gmail, Docs, Sheets, and Drive are already part of your daily workflow, Gemini connects to all of them in ways that no competitor currently matches.

Start with the free tier to get a feel for how Gemini handles conversations, image analysis, and basic tasks. If you find yourself using it regularly, the AI Pro plan at $19.99 per month unlocks Deep Research, higher model access, Workspace integration, and Gems, which is where the real productivity gains live.

The most practical thing you can do right now is open gemini.google.com, upload a document you are working on, and ask Gemini a question about it. That first interaction usually shows people exactly how useful this tool can be in their day-to-day work.

You may also want to explore our roundup of DALL-E alternatives.