Google Gemini App: How to Download on Windows, Mac, and Mobile
The Gemini app is available on Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac. Here is what you get for free, how desktop shortcuts work, and what paid plans include.
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The Gemini app is available across the platforms you work on: it replaces Google Assistant on Android, sits in the iOS App Store, runs in any browser at gemini.google.com, and as of September 10, 2026, offers a native Windows desktop client alongside the earlier Mac release. The base version is completely free. Here is where to download it, what features run without paying, what Google AI Pro adds, and how to manage your privacy settings.
At a Glance
For free, you get access to the Gemini 3.6 Flash model, limited access to 3.1 Pro, image generation, Deep Research, Gemini Live, and Canvas. Video generation and higher capacity require paid Google AI Plus or Pro plans. The desktop client requires Windows 10 or later, or an Apple Silicon Mac running macOS 15. If you only need quick answers, the web interface is sufficient; install the desktop client if you want quick global shortcuts, screen analysis, and voice mode.
Where to Download the Gemini App
Gemini is not an isolated application, but a single Google account accessed across multiple endpoints. Your conversation history syncs across all of them, so you can start a prompt on your phone and continue it on your computer.
- Android: Google Gemini on the Google Play Store (package
com.google.android.apps.bard). Once installed, it can take over the power button and corner-swipe gesture from Google Assistant. - iPhone and iPad: A dedicated Google Gemini app in the App Store, as well as an integrated tab inside the main Google app.
- Web browser: gemini.google.com in Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Opera, and Edge, requiring no local installation.
- Windows: Downloadable from gemini.google/desktop, compatible with Windows 10 and 11 on x64 and ARM64. Summon it with Alt + Space; it also docks in your system tray.
- Mac: Available from the same download page, requiring Apple Silicon and macOS Sequoia 15.0 or later. Option + Space opens a compact quick chat, while Option + Shift + Space launches the full window.
The Mac version currently carries additional capabilities: live screen sharing, automatic dictation formatting, and the Gemini Spark agent for organizing local folders. Google has stated these capabilities will roll out to Windows over time, without a committed release date.
Installation and Initial Setup
- Download the client directly from official app stores or gemini.google/desktop; avoid third-party installer mirrors on desktop.
- Sign in with your Google account. The Android app requires authentication; the web interface allows basic questions without signing in, but disables file uploads and image generation.
- Language: Gemini defaults to your primary Google account language, supporting over 80 languages worldwide. To change the language Gemini uses to respond, update your preferences at myaccount.google.com.
- Age requirements: Workspace and school accounts require the user to be at least 18 years old. Access for supervised accounts via Family Link must be enabled by a parent.
- On Android, you can choose whether Gemini replaces Google Assistant; you can revert this change at any time in the app settings. For complete removal instructions, read our guide on how to turn off Gemini.
Key Features in the App
- Gemini Live - Hands-free, real-time voice conversations with support for camera feeds and live phone screen sharing. We cover specific tier limits in our deep dive on Gemini Live.
- Camera and file uploads - Snap photos of receipts, upload contract PDFs, or capture screenshots; Gemini summarizes, translates, and parses the data.
- Google Workspace extensions - Deep integration with Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Maps, and YouTube: ask it to find invoices in your inbox or add events to your schedule. On desktop, Gemini can pull context from Docs, Drive, and Gmail without switching windows.
- Deep Research - Generates multi-source research reports on complex queries; accessible on the free plan with lower request limits.
- Images and video - Image generation is included for free; video generation (powered by Veo in Google Flow and Gemini Omni) requires an AI Plus tier or higher and age verification (18+).
- Gemini Spark - An agentic background assistant handling multi-step local tasks; designated by Google as a paid feature.
Free Tier vs. Google AI Plus, Pro, and Ultra
Google structures its Gemini capacity limits using tier multipliers relative to the free tier rather than fixed message caps.
| Plan | Access and Limits | Video and Flow | Cloud Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Gemini 3.6 Flash, capped access to 3.1 Pro, Deep Research, Live, Canvas, images | No video generation | 15 GB |
| Google AI Plus | 2x higher usage limits | Yes, 200 Flow credits | 400 GB |
| Google AI Pro | 4x higher usage limits, expanded Gemini 3 Pro and Deep Research, Gemini in Gmail and Docs | Yes, 1,000 Flow credits | 5 TB, YouTube Premium Lite |
| Google AI Ultra | Up to 20x higher limits than Pro, document analysis up to 1,500 pages | 10,000 or 25,000 Flow credits | From 20 TB, YouTube Premium |
To see what the Pro tier provides and how to utilize 5 TB of storage, read our guide to the Gemini Pro plan. We break down credit consumption in our Veo pricing overview, and provide broader model benchmarks in our Gemini comprehensive guide.
Privacy and Activity Settings
Your prompt history, uploaded files, images, and shared screen content are stored under Gemini Apps Activity. You can control this via the Keep Activity toggle in your app settings or at myactivity.google.com/product/gemini. According to Google privacy documentation:
- Auto-delete is set to 18 months by default; you can adjust it to 3 months, 36 months, or turn auto-deletion off entirely.
- If you turn activity tracking off, Google still retains prompt data for 72 hours to process and deliver responses.
- Saved interactions may be reviewed by human annotators to train future models. Prompts that undergo human review are decoupled from your account and stored separately for up to 3 years, remaining intact even if you wipe your Gemini activity log.
Never submit sensitive credentials, personal identification numbers, or confidential documents. Blur out sensitive details on screenshots before uploading them to the chat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gemini available on Windows?
Yes, Google launched the native Windows client on September 10, 2026. Available at gemini.google/desktop, it supports Windows 10 and 11 on x64 and ARM64 architecture, opening instantly via the Alt + Space shortcut.
Is the Gemini app free to use?
Yes. Downloading the app and using base features, including Gemini Live, Deep Research, and image generation, costs nothing. Higher capacity limits, Veo video generation, the Spark agent, and expanded cloud storage require a paid Google AI plan.
Does Gemini work offline?
No. The models run on Google server infrastructure and require an active internet connection. Certain Pixel phones carry the compressed Gemini Nano model locally for select system tasks, but that does not power the full standalone Gemini desktop or mobile app.
Can you use Gemini without a Google account?
On the web, you can submit basic text queries without logging in, but file uploads, image generation, and chat history retention are disabled. The Android and iOS apps require an active Google account.
Sources and Verification Date
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