# Gems (Gemini)

> Source: https://aiwiki.ai/wiki/gemini_gems
> Updated: 2026-06-27
> Categories: AI Tools & Products, Google
> From AI Wiki (https://aiwiki.ai), a free encyclopedia of artificial intelligence. Quote with attribution.

Gems are customizable versions of Google's [Gemini](/wiki/gemini) assistant that users configure with their own saved instructions, a name, and optional uploaded reference files so the assistant behaves as an on-demand expert on a chosen subject. Each Gem bundles a reusable persona that a person can return to without restating the same context every time, and the feature is broadly comparable to the custom GPTs that [OpenAI](/wiki/openai) offers in [ChatGPT](/wiki/chatgpt) [1][2]. Google introduced Gems for [Gemini Advanced](/wiki/gemini_advanced) subscribers on August 28, 2024, and extended the feature to free users during 2025 [1][9].

Google describes Gems as a feature that "lets you customize Gemini to create your own personal AI experts on any topic you want" [1]. A single user can keep several Gems, effectively assembling a small team of specialized assistants, each tuned for a different job such as coding help, writing feedback, or brainstorming, and Google positions them as a way to "save time on tedious, repetitive or difficult tasks" [1][3].

## What are Gemini Gems?

A Gem is a saved, reusable configuration of Gemini built around a set of custom instructions. Rather than re-explaining a recurring task at the start of every conversation, a user writes those directions once, gives the configuration a name, and that named Gem then carries the same behavior, tone, and goals into each new chat. Because a Gem is a wrapper around the underlying [large language model](/wiki/large_language_model) rather than a separate model, it inherits Gemini's general capabilities while layering on the user's specialization [2][6].

The feature lives inside the [Gemini app](/wiki/gemini_app) and is the rough equivalent of OpenAI's custom GPTs, the user-built chatbots that ChatGPT popularized. Press coverage at launch consistently framed Gems as Google's answer to that capability [3][5].

## Background

Gemini first previewed Gems at the Google I/O developer conference on May 14, 2024, where the company framed them as customized versions of Gemini that subscribers would soon be able to build [4]. In its initial pitch, Google described setting one up by describing the desired behavior in plain language, offering examples such as a "gym buddy," a "sous chef," a "coding partner," and a "creative writing guide." A typical instruction Google demonstrated was "you're my running coach, give me a daily running plan and be positive, upbeat and motivating," after which Gemini would refine those words into a working Gem with a single click [4].

The feature sat in preview through the northern summer of 2024 before reaching users. Press coverage at the time consistently described Gems as Google's answer to OpenAI's GPTs, the user-built chatbots that ChatGPT had popularized [3][5].

## How do Gems work?

A Gem is defined mainly by its instructions. Google's own how-to summarizes the process in three steps: "Simply write instructions for your Gem, give it a name, and then chat with it whenever you want" [1]. When a user types what they want, Gemini restructures the input into labeled sections such as Purpose and Goals along with Behaviors and Rules, the latter covering details like tone, sentence length, and whether the assistant should use emoji [6]. The user then names the Gem and saves it, after which it appears in a manager accessible from the Gemini side panel for quick reuse [6].

Saved Gems can draw on reference files. Google added file uploads in November 2024, allowing a creator to attach up to ten files to a Gem so its answers stay grounded in specific source material; the supported file types and sizes match Gemini's document upload feature, and creators can also reference content from Google Drive [7]. Because Gems run on top of Gemini, they inherit the model's connections to Google services, although they do not expose the external API connections or "actions" that some rival custom assistants allow [2].

## What premade Gems does Google offer?

Alongside custom creation, Google ships a set of ready-made Gems that double as templates a user can copy and modify. The five premade Gems that launched with the feature were [1][3][6]:

| Gem | Purpose |
| --- | --- |
| Learning coach | Breaks down complex topics into manageable explanations |
| Brainstormer | Generates ideas and creative inspiration |
| Career guide | Helps with professional development and career planning |
| Writing editor | Gives feedback on grammar, structure, and style |
| Coding partner | Assists with programming tasks |

Google's launch examples for these premade and custom Gems included using them to "think through a challenging project, brainstorm ideas for an upcoming event, or write the perfect caption for a social media post" [1].

For paid Google Workspace customers, Google later expanded the premade lineup with business-oriented Gems aimed at common workplace scenarios, including Marketing insights, Sales pitch ideator, Hiring consultant, Outreach specialist, Copy creator, and Sentiment analyzer [8].

## How do you create a custom Gem?

To build a custom Gem, a user opens the Gem manager in Gemini on the web and selects the option to create a new Gem [9]. From there they write the instructions, optionally attach reference files, give the Gem a name, and save it. Google designed the flow to be quick and forgiving, and commentators noted that Gems are generally faster to set up than custom GPTs even if they offer fewer advanced controls [2].

One practical limit has persisted across the rollout: new Gems can only be created from gemini.google.com on a computer. The mobile apps let people open and chat with existing Gems but not author new ones [9][10]. Creation is also restricted to users aged 18 and over [9].

## When were Gems released, and are they free?

Gems reached their first users on August 28, 2024, when Google rolled them out to [Gemini Advanced](/wiki/gemini_advanced), Gemini Business, and Gemini Enterprise subscribers across more than 150 countries and most supported languages, on both desktop and mobile [1][6]. The launch shipped on the same day as an upgrade to Google's Imagen 3 image model [1]. Google has since said Gems quickly became one of the most used Gemini Advanced features [8].

The feature then moved down to the free tier in 2025. Free access first appeared on the web around mid-March 2025, and on March 25, 2025, Google extended it to the Gemini apps for Android and iOS, letting users without a subscription access and use Gems [9][10]. On the free tier a Gem runs on Google's fast everyday model, while a paid plan runs the same Gem on more capable models, so the subscription tier changes the model behind a Gem and its usage limits rather than access to the feature itself [9]. Sharing followed later in the year: after a preview tied to education in mid-2025, Google launched Gem sharing for both personal and Workspace accounts on September 18, 2025, using Google Drive permissions so a Gem can be shared with Viewer or Editor access much like a Google Doc [11][12]. Google also surfaced Gems in the side panel of Workspace apps such as Docs, Gmail, Sheets, and Slides as part of its broader [Gemini for Workspace](/wiki/gemini_for_workspace) push [13].

| Milestone | Date | Audience |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Previewed at Google I/O | May 14, 2024 | Announced for Gemini Advanced |
| General rollout | August 28, 2024 | Advanced, Business, Enterprise (150+ countries) |
| File uploads added | November 2024 | Existing Gem creators |
| Free on web | Mid-March 2025 | All users (web) |
| Free on Android and iOS | March 25, 2025 | All users (mobile, access only) |
| Sharing launched | September 18, 2025 | Personal and Workspace accounts |

## How do Gems compare to custom GPTs?

Coverage of Gems repeatedly drew the comparison to OpenAI's custom GPTs, casting the feature as Google matching a capability ChatGPT users already had [2][3][5]. Reviewers credited Gems for a low-friction setup, observing that they are harder to misconfigure than GPTs, while noting trade-offs: at launch Gems lacked a dedicated knowledge-base upload comparable to GPTs and had no equivalent to GPT Actions for wiring in external APIs or third-party services [2]. The November 2024 addition of file uploads narrowed part of that gap, and the 2025 move to the free tier, together with sharing and Workspace side-panel access, broadened who could use the feature well beyond the original paying audience [7][9][11].

## References

1. [Google Gemini updates: Custom Gems and improved image generation with Imagen 3](https://blog.google/products/gemini/google-gemini-update-august-2024/), The Keyword (Google blog), August 28, 2024.
2. [What are Gemini Gems? And how to use them](https://zapier.com/blog/gemini-gems/), Zapier.
3. [Google rolling out Gems and Imagen 3, with people generation, to Gemini Advanced](https://9to5google.com/2024/08/28/gemini-advanced-gems-imagen-3/), 9to5Google, August 28, 2024.
4. [Google Gemini update: Access to 1.5 Pro and new features](https://blog.google/products/gemini/google-gemini-update-may-2024/), The Keyword (Google blog), May 14, 2024.
5. [Gemini will soon generate AI images of people again with the upgraded Imagen 3](https://www.engadget.com/ai/gemini-will-soon-generate-ai-images-of-people-again-with-the-upgraded-imagen-3-161429310.html), Engadget, August 28, 2024.
6. [Free Gemini users can now access Gems on Android, iOS](https://9to5google.com/2025/03/25/gemini-gems-free-mobile/), 9to5Google, March 25, 2025.
7. [Gemini Advanced now lets you add files to Gems](https://9to5google.com/2024/11/12/gemini-advanced-gems-files/), 9to5Google, November 12, 2024.
8. [New features in Gemini to deepen usage for organizations](https://workspace.google.com/blog/product-announcements/new-gemini-gems-deeper-knowledge-and-business-context), Google Workspace Blog.
9. [Geminis Gems are now available on the free tier](https://www.androidpolice.com/geminis-gems-are-now-available-on-the-free-tier/), Android Police, March 25, 2025.
10. [Another useful Gemini Advanced feature is now available for free](https://www.androidauthority.com/gemini-gems-free-3534726/), Android Authority, March 2025.
11. [Google now lets you share Gemini Gems](https://9to5google.com/2025/09/18/share-gemini-gems/), 9to5Google, September 18, 2025.
12. [Introducing Gems sharing in the Gemini app, including admin controls](https://workspaceupdates.googleblog.com/2025/09/gem-sharing-gemini-app-workspace.html), Google Workspace Updates, September 18, 2025.
13. [Gems are now available in the side panel of Google Workspace apps](https://workspaceupdates.googleblog.com/2025/07/gems-in-the-side-panel-of-google-workspace-apps.html), Google Workspace Updates, July 2025.