A Gem is a custom Gemini with a saved name and instructions, so you do not have to explain the same request from scratch each time. However, Google's help page says that from November 2026, Gems go away on personal Google accounts and move to skills. Check that before you invest in a new one.
Check this first: ending on personal accounts
Google's Gemini Apps help page has a notice to the effect that "from November 2026, Gems will move to skills on personal Google accounts." This guide was written on October 30, 2026. I could not confirm on that page what skills look like after the move or how the contents of an existing Gem carry over.
The help page says terms may differ for work or school accounts. You need to check with your own account which applies to you. If you are on a personal account, save your instruction text somewhere else. You can reuse it after the move.
What a Gem is and how to make one
The help page describes a Gem as a "Gemini you can save and customize." You set a name and instructions, and when you chat with that Gem, it answers according to the instructions. You need to be signed in, and a personal account must be 13 or older (or the equivalent age in your country).
The steps on desktop are as follows. On gemini.google.com, click Gems in the sidebar, click to create a new Gem, and enter a name and instructions. If needed, add files under Knowledge and save. The first time, you may go through a setup walkthrough first.
If you are stuck on the instructions, the "rewrite instructions with Gemini" option can give you a more detailed draft. You can also enter a test prompt to preview before saving.
Knowledge files, editing, and sharing
- You can upload files from your device or add them from Google Drive. To use Drive files, you need to turn on Keep Activity and connect Google Workspace to the Gemini app. If you edit the original in Drive, the Gem uses the latest version.
- You can also add NotebookLM notebooks from the upload menu.
- There is a "turn off knowledge citations" option that disables citations of knowledge files. Supported file formats and size limits are on a separate help page, which I did not check this time.
- To use a Gem, choose it under "My Gems" in the sidebar Gems section and type your question. To edit, open it from the same list, change the instructions or files, and submit. Delete it from the options menu.
- You can share a Gem or a conversation that used a Gem. A Gem someone else shares does not appear under "My Gems" until you open and try it.
- A Gem created on the web also appears in the Gemini mobile app and in the Google Workspace side panel.
Limits, and how it differs from ChatGPT Projects
The help page lists two limits. You cannot use Gems in Gemini Live, and among the premade Gems, Learning coach does not support language learning. Also, a Gem can be deleted if a terms violation is suspected.
Compared with ChatGPT Projects, a project is a workspace that keeps related conversations, files, and instructions in one place. When you start a new conversation in a project, it uses the shared files and instructions. A Gem, by the help page's description, is closer to a "role" made of a name, instructions, and knowledge files. I could not confirm on that page how conversation history is grouped inside a Gem.
In short, a Gem fits when you call on the same role repeatedly, and a project fits when you build up conversations and materials around one topic. Keep in mind, though, that Gems on personal accounts are scheduled to end soon.
Real examples
You want to organize your weekly meeting notes in the same format every time.
Name: Meeting notes. Instructions: "Organize the input notes into three sections: decisions, to-dos (owner and due date), and open items. Do not fill in gaps with guesses. If something is missing, write None."
After saving, call it from "My Gems" and paste in your notes, and it tries to organize them into the three-section template you set. You still need to check the result, and missing information such as an owner has to be filled in by you.
You want to make a Gem that polishes writing using a document of internal terminology rules.
Add the glossary document from Drive under Knowledge, and write "prefer the spellings in the glossary" in the instructions
When you edit the glossary in Drive, the Gem uses the latest version. If the citation marks bother you, you can turn knowledge citations off. Connecting Drive requires the Keep Activity setting.
Common mistakes and when not to use it
- There is a notice that Gems on personal accounts go away and move to skills from November 2026. Back up the instructions you worked hard on.
- Do not upload sensitive documents as knowledge files. If you share a Gem, check whether the contents could be visible to others. I did not confirm the details of how sharing scope works this time.
- Rather than writing long instructions, it is better to state just three things clearly: the role, the format, and what not to do. Test with the preview before saving.
- You cannot use Gems in Gemini Live. That means you cannot call one in a voice conversation.
- Adding instructions does not make the facts or numbers a Gem gives you accurate. Verify important content yourself.
FAQ
Can I create a Gem for free?
Availability by plan is not stated on the page I checked, so I cannot say. Check whether the Gems menu appears in your own account.
Can I use a Gem I made on the web on my phone?
According to the help page, a Gem created on the web also appears in the Gemini mobile app and the Workspace side panel.
Can I still use Gems after November 2026?
There is a notice that on personal accounts Gems go away and move to skills. I could not confirm how the move works in detail. For work or school accounts, the page says only that terms may differ.
Checked against the official docs on 2026-10-30. Sources: Gemini Apps Help: Create and use Gems, ChatGPT Projects (for comparison). How we write