Use the Gemini app on Mac

You can interact with Gemini, Google's AI assistant, directly from your Mac desktop. The Gemini app provides quick access to AI features, allowing you to get help with writing, brainstorming, coding, and more, without needing to open a web browser.

What you need to use the Gemini app on Mac

A personal Google Account you manage on your own, or a work or school account that your administrator has enabled Gemini.
- If you’re using a work or school account, check if you have a plan or license that includes access to Gemini Apps.
A Mac running macOS Sequoia (15.0) or later with Apple Silicon, 8 GB of RAM or more, and at least 200 MB of available disk space for installation.
A stable internet connection is required to use Gemini's features.

Download and install the Gemini app on Mac

Follow these steps to download and install the Gemini app on your Mac:

Open your web browser and go to gemini.google/mac.
Click Download for Mac. The Gemini app installer file (.dmg) will download to your Downloads folder.
Once the download is complete, open the .dmg file.
In the window that appears, drag the Gemini icon to your Applications folder.
Open your Applications folder and double-click Gemini .
Sign in with your Google Account if prompted.

Tips:

For quick access, you can also use the keyboard shortcut Option + Space to bring up the Gemini chat window after the app is installed and running. You can customize this shortcut in the app's settings.
Some features may not work if your Gemini app on Mac is out of date. To check for updates, open the Gemini app on your Mac. At the top, click Gemini Check for Updates. If an update is available, click Install update.

What you can do with the Gemini app on Mac

The Gemini app for Mac brings the power of Google's AI directly to your desktop, making it easier to bring AI assistance throughout your day.

Here's what you can do with the Gemini app:

Get quick answers: Instantly ask questions and get information without opening a browser.
Draft content: Generate ideas, write emails, craft documents, or create engaging social media posts.
Summarize information: Quickly get the main points from long articles, web pages, or documents.
Brainstorm ideas: Use Gemini as a creative partner to explore new concepts and generate innovative solutions.
Get coding help: Write code, debug, or understand complex programming concepts in various languages.
Analyze images: Upload images and ask Gemini questions about them, or use them to spark new ideas.

Tip: To get more personalized responses, you can share your window with Gemini. In Gemini, click Add files and tools and then Share window .

Chat with Gemini on Mac with your voice

You can chat with Gemini using your voice in two ways:

Use the Mic to dictate a prompt to Gemini in the Gemini app.
Use Speak to Window to let Gemini help you work in your other apps.

Standard dictation:

When you know exactly what to say to Gemini, click the Mic to say your prompt. When you’re done, click Send to share your prompt with Gemini.

Speak to Window:

When you want to use Gemini to shape, edit, and create content in other apps, use Speak to Window mode. With Speak to Window, Gemini will refine and clean-up your audio, share context of the highlighted window and any highlighted content directly to Gemini, and add a response to the active window.

Use Speak to Window

Important: For now, Speak to Window is only available in English. Speak to Window is rolling out over time, so it may not be available to you yet.

When you use Speak to Window, Gemini uses intelligent context to help you work across your Mac. Gemini infers whether you want to add text to the active window or take action. For example, if you highlight meeting notes, Gemini includes that info to draft an email in your Gmail window. Or you can describe an image you want to create, and Gemini will add it where your cursor is.

To use Speak to Window, press and hold the fn key. Gemini will start working as you speak. When you release fn, your query is submitted.

Tip: You can also tap fn twice or open Gemini and click Speak to Window , then tap fn again to submit your query.

You can use Speak to Window to:

Dictate text: Speak naturally. Gemini will lightly clean up your words, like removing any “Um” sounds, and drop the text at your cursor.
Refine text: Highlight text in any app and tell Gemini how to change it, like shortening the text or changing the tone.
Summarize files: Highlight documents, PDFs, or images on your desktop and ask Gemini to extract key details.
Generate images: Describe a visual prompt by voice to generate and insert images directly into your workspace.
Work across multiple apps or windows: Select content in one window, start Speak to Window, then switch to another window. If you use multiple windows, Gemini will take action in the window that’s active when the response is ready.

Tips:

To stop a Speak to Window session, tap the ESC key or click Close .
To give Gemini specific context on text or an image, highlight it, then start Speak to Window. Deselect the info after starting Speak to Window so Gemini won’t replace it.

Choose how Gemini works with your speech

You can choose how Gemini uses what you say in Speak to Window. When the Use reasoning setting is on, Gemini will try to recognize whether you are giving Gemini instructions or want to dictate text. When Use reasoning is off, Gemini will write what you say and clean up the text, like removing any pauses or sounds, like “um.”

To turn Use reasoning off or on:

On your Mac, open Gemini .
At the top menu bar, click Gemini Settings Speak to Window .
Turn Use reasoning on or off .

Customize keyboard settings for Speak to Window

Use keyboard shortcuts to start Speak to Window across your Mac.

To customize Speak to Window keyboard shortcuts:

On your Mac, open Gemini .
At the top menu bar, click Gemini Settings Speak to Window .
Choose the type of keyboard shortcut you want to customize:
- Tap to speak keyboard shortcut
- Hold while speaking keyboard shortcut
At the right, choose which keyboard shortcut you want to use.