Here’s how to use Gemini on Android: open the Gemini app (preinstalled on most new phones, or free on the Play Store), sign in with your Google account, and accept when it offers to replace Google Assistant. Then press and hold the power or side button, or say “Hey Google”, to open Gemini over any app, and type, talk, tap Live for a spoken conversation, or tap Ask about screen.
On a Samsung Galaxy, set the button under Settings → Advanced features → Side button → Press and hold → Digital assistant.
We use Gemini on a Samsung Galaxy, so the Galaxy steps are the ones we use ourselves. Steps for other Android phones come from Google’s Gemini Apps Help pages. Menu names can differ slightly by phone and software version.
What you need before you start
- An Android phone or tablet in a country and language where the Gemini app is available.
- A personal Google account (work and school accounts can use Gemini only if their organization allows it, and some assistant features are missing).
- The latest versions of the Google app and the Gemini app from the Play Store.
- An internet connection. Almost everything Gemini does runs in Google’s cloud.
Gemini is free. At the time of writing (October 2026), Google’s paid plans in the US are Google AI Plus at $4.99 a month (2x the free usage), Google AI Pro at $19.99 (4x) and Google AI Ultra from $99.99. The free plan includes Gemini Live, image generation and editing, Deep Research and Gems, with usage limits that refresh every few hours.
How to set up Gemini on your Android phone
- Open the Gemini app. If it isn’t on your phone, install Google Gemini from the Play Store and check that the developer is Google LLC.
- Sign in with your Google account and read the privacy notice.
- If Google asks whether to switch from Google Assistant, tap to use Gemini. Gemini then takes over “Hey Google” and the button shortcuts that used to open Assistant.
- Check the default assistant: Settings → Apps → Default apps → Digital assistant app should show Google. On a Galaxy the path is Settings → Apps → Choose default apps → Digital assistant app.
Open Gemini with the side button on a Samsung Galaxy
- Open Settings → Advanced features → Side button.
- Under Press and hold, choose Digital assistant.
- Tap the settings icon next to it and make sure Google is selected.
- Press and hold the side button anywhere. Gemini opens as a panel over the app you’re in.
On other Android phones, Google lists three touch shortcuts: press and hold the power button, touch and hold Home, or swipe up from a bottom corner of the screen. Which one works depends on your phone.
How to use Gemini on Android with your voice
- In the Gemini app, tap your profile picture → Settings → Talk to Gemini hands-free.
- Turn on “Hey Google” and follow the steps to set up Voice Match.
- Say “Hey Google” followed by your question. To start a back-and-forth conversation, say “Hey Google, let’s talk Live”.
Use Gemini on the lock screen
By default Gemini asks you to unlock for most requests. In the Gemini app’s settings, Gemini on lock screen → Use Gemini without unlocking lets it answer general questions and control smart home devices while the phone is locked. It still asks you to unlock for personal content such as your calendar or messages. Leave this off if other people can pick up your phone.
Four ways to ask Gemini something
- Type: open the app or the overlay and type, like a chat app.
- Talk: tap the microphone. It listens for up to 5 minutes, so you can think out loud, then tap Send.
- Live: tap Live for a spoken conversation you can interrupt. In Live you can turn on the camera to show Gemini something, or share your screen (notifications for Gemini Live must be on).
- Show it something: attach a photo or file with +, or open Gemini over any app and tap Ask about screen. For that, Settings → Screen context needs “use text from screen” and “use screenshot” switched on.
10 everyday uses worth trying
These are the uses we think most people will get value from. Each one includes a prompt you can copy.
- Ask about your screen: open Gemini over an article or a long chat and say “Summarize this in five bullet points.”
- Get the key points of a video: while watching YouTube, open Gemini and tap Ask about this video, then ask “What are the steps shown here?” On a Galaxy, Samsung says Gemini can save them straight into Samsung Notes.
- Draft a reply: “Text Sam that I’ll be 15 minutes late.” Gemini can draft and send through Messages or WhatsApp if you allow those connected apps. Check the text before you tap Send.
- Identify a plant or object: go Live, turn on the camera and ask “What plant is this, and is it safe for cats?” Double-check anything safety-related.
- Translate a sign or menu: take a photo and ask “Translate this and tell me which dishes are vegetarian.”
- Set reminders, alarms and timers: “Remind me to take the bins out at 8 pm.”
- Plan a route with stops: “Find a coffee shop on my way to the airport that opens before 6 am.” It uses Google Maps.
- Find an email: “Find the email with my flight confirmation.” This needs the Gmail connected app turned on.
- Edit a photo: attach a photo and ask “Remove the person in the background” or “Make the sky less grey.” Edited images are AI-generated, so don’t pass them off as real.
- Explain a bill or letter: photograph it and ask “Explain this in plain English and list anything I need to do.” Cover account numbers and your address first.
Can you switch back to Google Assistant?
At the time of writing, Google’s help pages still show a way back. In the Gemini app, tap your profile picture → Switch to Google Assistant → Google Assistant, then confirm with Switch. Your Gemini activity isn’t deleted when you switch. Smart speakers, displays, TVs and cars keep using Google Assistant either way.
What Gemini on Android still does badly
- It makes mistakes. Google warns that Gemini can be inaccurate, so check facts, dates, prices and anything medical or legal.
- Actions need checking. When it sends messages or adds events, read what it’s about to do before you confirm.
- Some features are limited. “Hey Google” isn’t available in every language, Gems can’t be used in Live, and Live isn’t in the Gemini web app.
- It needs a connection. With no signal, most requests fail.
Privacy settings to check
If you’re 18 or over, Keep Activity is on by default. That saves your chats to your Google account and lets Google use them to improve its AI, including review by human reviewers. To turn it off in the app, tap your profile picture → Gemini Apps Activity → Turn off. Google still keeps chats for up to 72 hours to run the service.
Our AI privacy settings guide explains every option. On a Galaxy, Samsung’s own AI tools have separate switches: see how to turn off Galaxy AI features. To see how Gemini compares with the alternatives, read ChatGPT vs Gemini vs Claude vs Copilot, and find more phone guides in our Android hub.
FAQ
Is Gemini free on Android?
Yes. The Gemini app and its core features, including Gemini Live, are free with usage limits. At the time of writing, Google AI Plus ($4.99 a month), Pro ($19.99) and Ultra (from $99.99) raise those limits and add extras in the US.
How do I use Gemini on a Samsung phone?
Gemini comes preinstalled on recent Galaxy phones. Set it to open with the side button in Settings → Advanced features → Side button → Press and hold → Digital assistant, then press and hold the button from any screen.
Can I go back to Google Assistant?
At the time of writing, yes: in the Gemini app, tap your profile picture, then Switch to Google Assistant. Google’s help pages describe this option, but it may not stay available forever.
Does Gemini work offline?
Mostly no. Gemini needs an internet connection for almost everything, so without a signal most requests will fail.
Can Gemini edit photos on Android?
Yes. Attach a photo in the Gemini app and describe the change you want. Image editing is included on the free plan, with limits.
Sources
- Get started with the Gemini mobile app (Android) — Google Gemini Apps Help
- Talk naturally with Gemini Live — Google Gemini Apps Help
- How your Gemini mobile app can help when your phone is locked — Google Gemini Apps Help
- How to use Gemini on your Galaxy phone or tablet — Samsung US Support
- Google AI plans and pricing — Google
- Manage and delete your activity in Gemini Apps — Google Gemini Apps Help
