How to use Google Gemini: a beginner's guide

Gemini is Google's AI assistant. It used to be called Bard. If you already use Gmail, Google Docs, or an Android phone, Gemini is probably easier for you to start with than ChatGPT because it lives inside the apps you already use.

Where you can use Gemini

Unlike ChatGPT or Claude, which live on their own websites, Gemini shows up in many places:

• Gemini website at gemini.google.com (the main chat)
• Gemini app on iPhone (App Store) and Android (Play Store)
• Inside Gmail (look for the gem icon in the corner)
• Inside Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides (gem icon on the right side)
• Inside Google Search (the "AI Overview" at the top of search results)
• Android assistant (replaces Google Assistant on most Android phones)
• On the lock screen of newer Pixel phones

Step 1: Sign in

1. Open a web browser. Go to gemini.google.com.
2. If you are already signed into Google (Gmail open in another tab), Gemini signs you in automatically.
3. If not, sign in with your Google account.
4. Accept the terms.
5. You see a chat screen. Done.

Step 2: Ask your first question

Type in the chat box at the bottom. Press Enter.

Some first questions to try:

• What is the weather going to be like this weekend in Watsonville?
• Help me plan a birthday dinner for 6 adults, vegetarian friendly
• Explain what an ETF is to someone with no investing background
• I have a flight from SFO to Denver next Friday. Suggest things to do for a 4 hour layover
• Write me a polite voicemail script asking my doctor's office to refill a prescription

Gemini answers, then waits for follow-ups. Keep refining: "Make it shorter." "Sound more casual." "Skip the introduction." Iterating is how you get a great answer instead of a generic one.

Step 3: Use Gemini inside Gmail

If you have a paid Google Workspace plan (or Google AI Plus / AI Pro), Gemini lives inside Gmail.

1. Open Gmail.
2. Click Compose.
3. Look for the gem icon in the new email window (it says "Help me write").
4. Click it. Type a prompt like "polite request to reschedule our meeting from Wednesday to Thursday."
5. Gemini drafts the email. Click Recreate for variations, or Refine to change the tone.
6. Edit the draft however you like, then send.

Step 4: Use Gemini inside Google Docs

1. Open a Google Doc.
2. Click the gem icon on the right side of the page (or use the menu: Tools > Gemini).
3. Ask Gemini to do things based on your doc: "Summarize this." "Make this paragraph more concise." "Suggest a stronger ending."
4. Or click in the body of the doc, hit a slash key (/), and ask Gemini to write something fresh inline.

Step 5: Use Gemini in Google Search

When you search Google, you often see an "AI Overview" at the top of the results. That is Gemini summarizing what it thinks is the answer.

• It is fast.
• Sometimes wrong. Always check the source links it provides below the summary.
• To skip the AI summary, click the "Web" tab in Google to see classic search results only.

Step 6: Use Gemini on your phone

Android:

1. Open the Play Store.
2. Search for Gemini. Install.
3. Open the app, sign in with your Google account.
4. Hold the home button or say "Hey Google" to bring up Gemini hands-free (depending on your phone).

iPhone:

1. Open the App Store.
2. Search for Google Gemini. Install.
3. Open the app, sign in with your Google account.
4. Tap the microphone icon for voice questions.

Things Gemini does especially well

• Searching your own Gmail, Calendar, Drive, and Photos (with permission). "When is my next dentist appointment?" "Find that recipe I emailed myself last summer." "Show me photos of grandma from last Thanksgiving."
• Drafting Gmail replies directly inside Gmail.
• Generating images right in the chat ("create an image of a kitchen with terracotta tiles").
• Real-time information, since it can search Google directly.
• Voice conversations on Android, replacing the older Google Assistant.
• Translating with very natural results.

What Gemini struggles with

• Long, careful writing. Many people find ChatGPT or Claude produces nicer prose for letters and essays.
• Refusals that feel overcautious. Gemini sometimes refuses to answer simple questions it considers borderline.
• Inconsistency between the website, the app, and the version in Gmail. Features change often.

Free vs paid

• Free: Standard Gemini model. Web search. Image generation (limited). Good for everyday use.
• Google AI Plus ($20/month): Smarter Gemini model, more image generations, longer chats, access to Gemini in Gmail and Docs for personal accounts. Equivalent of ChatGPT Plus.
• Google AI Pro / Ultra (higher tiers): For heavy users; includes Google's newest experimental models.
• Google One AI Premium: Bundles AI features with extra storage. Worth it if you also need cloud storage.

5 things to try first

1. "Find that email about the car insurance renewal." (Lets Gemini search your Gmail.)
2. "What is on my calendar for tomorrow?"
3. "Summarize this article" (paste a link).
4. "Generate an image of a vintage VW bus parked on a beach at sunset."
5. "Draft a thank you email to the carpenter who finished my deck this week."

Privacy with Gemini

Gemini logs your conversations to your Google account by default. You can see and delete them at myactivity.google.com. Google says it does not use conversations from people on paid Workspace plans for training; the rules are different for free personal accounts. Even with privacy controls, do not paste in things like Social Security numbers, full account credentials, or anything you would not want stored in your Google account. See our AI privacy guide.

Gemini connections you can turn on (Extensions)

Gemini can plug into your Google services so it can act on real data. Open Gemini website > click the gear > Extensions:

• Gmail: "Find the email from Anthem about my dental visit."
• Calendar: "When am I free for lunch next week?"
• Drive: "Find that contract from last June."
• Maps: "Show me coffee shops within walking distance."
• YouTube: "Find a tutorial for changing a car battery."

You can turn these off any time. They are powerful but they do give Gemini broader access to your account.

If you mostly use Apple devices

Gemini works on iPhone and Mac (in a browser), but its best features assume you live in Google's world (Gmail, Google Docs, Android). Apple users often prefer ChatGPT or Claude because they fit equally well across both ecosystems.

Video walkthrough

Video by Think Tutorial on YouTube