Let it ask you first
For anything important, end with this line.
"Ask me 3 questions before you start."
Guide 3 · Google Gemini
Gemini, set up safely and used well
A one-page starter for first-time users. Nine setup steps, a map of the screen on desktop and phone, a simple way to ask better questions, and the habits that make it useful alongside Gmail and Drive.
Level EntryTime about 9 minWorks on Web · Android · iPhone · Windows and Mac app · Gmail and Docs on paid plansLast checked 12 Oct 2026
Download the printable PDFThe screen, mapped
- 1.Left rail. New chat, search, Gems and apps. Hover or click the rail to expand it. On a phone, tap Menu (two lines) at top left. Gems become skills on personal accounts from November 2026 and convert automatically.
- 2.Settings & help. The gear at the bottom of the left rail. On a phone, tap your profile picture.
- 3.Model picker. Inside the message box at the right: tap the model name. Leave it on the default while you learn.
- 4.Profile picture. Switch accounts, and the quickest route to your Google Account security.
- 5.Add files. Add a photo, file or Drive document, or choose Deep Research (18 or over).
- 6.Microphone. Dictate your question. On a phone, the separate Live button starts a spoken conversation. Live is not on the web.
Temporary chat sits next to New chat (on a phone, open Menu first). If you cannot see it, update the app.
Nine steps before your first real question
0 of 9 done
- 01Install
- Desktop
- Go to gemini.google.com.
- Phone
- Android: Google Play (Android 9 or later). iPhone: App Store. Check the publisher is Google.
Gemini is part of your Google account, so there is no separate sign-up. If you already use Gmail, you already have access. You must be 13 or over; younger children need a parent's approval through Family Link.
- 02Account
- Both
- Tap your profile picture to check which account is signed in before your first chat.
Chats and settings follow the account. Keep personal use on your personal Gmail. A work account may be managed by your employer, with different rules.
- 03Security
- Both
- myaccount.google.com › Security & sign-in › How you sign in to Google › 2-Step Verification
Gemini is only as secure as your Google account. Two-step verification, ideally with a passkey or phone prompt, stops most account takeovers.
- 04Privacy
- Desktop
- Settings & help › Activity. Near the top, click On, then Turn off or Turn off and delete activity.
- Phone
- Profile picture › Gemini Apps Activity (on some phones, Menu first), tap On, then Turn off.
Keep Activity is on by default if you are 18 or over. With it on, a subset of chats may be read by human reviewers (disconnected from your account), and reviewed chats are kept for up to three years even if you delete your activity. With it off, chats are held for 72 hours, are not used to improve Google's AI models, and connected apps such as Gmail and Drive stop working in Gemini. If you keep it on, change auto-delete from the default 18 months to 3 months.
- 05Personalise
- Desktop
- Settings & help › Personal Intelligence › Instructions for Gemini › Add
- Phone
- Profile picture › Personal Intelligence › Instructions for Gemini
Add your role, your city and how you like answers. Example: "I run a small landscaping business in Adelaide. Use Australian English. Keep answers short."
- 06Memory
- Desktop
- Settings & help › Personal Intelligence › Memory
- Phone
- Profile picture › Personal Intelligence › Memory
Memory lets Gemini draw on your earlier conversations. It works only for personal accounts aged 18 or over, and only while Keep Activity is on. Turn it off if you would rather each chat start clean.
- 07Privacy
- Desktop
- Next to New chat, click Temporary chat before you type.
- Phone
- Tap Menu at the top, then Temporary chat next to New chat.
Temporary chats are not saved to your activity, are not used to personalise Gemini and are not used to train Google's models. Google holds them for up to 72 hours, then deletes them.
- 08Habit
- Both
- See the list at the end of this sheet. Remove names and numbers before you paste, or describe the situation instead.
Treat anything you type as something that could be stored. Privacy settings reduce risk; they do not remove it.
- 09Plans
- Both
- Free is generous. Paid tiers are Google AI Plus, Google AI Pro and Google AI Ultra; compare at one.google.com/ai.
Most beginners never need to pay. Upgrade when you want the stronger models daily, higher limits or more storage across Gmail, Drive and Photos, not before.
The three-part question
Who it's for
Your role, the reader, the situation.
What you need
The task, plus the facts it needs to do it well.
How you want it
Length, format, tone, Australian English.
Weak prompt
help with a complaint letter
Strong prompt
I'm a tenant in Melbourne and my rental agent has ignored three repair requests for a broken hot water system since 20 September. Write a formal letter asking for repair within 7 days and noting I may contact Consumer Affairs Victoria. Firm but polite, under 250 words, Australian English.
Nine habits that make it far more useful
Reply, don't restart
Keep shaping the same answer in the same chat.
"Shorter." "Plainer." "Make it a table."
Ask for options
Choosing between drafts is faster than fixing one.
"Give me 3 versions: formal, warm, brief."
Use it inside Gmail
With a paid Google AI plan, click <b>Ask Gemini</b> at the top right of Gmail to summarise a thread or draft a reply. Free personal accounts in Australia do not get this yet.
"Summarise this thread and draft a short reply."
Go deep when it matters
Deep Research reads many sources and writes a report with links. Slow, but thorough. For users 18 or over; the free plan has daily limits.
Add files › Deep Research
Check the facts
It can sound sure and still be wrong. Verify names, numbers, laws and dates.
"Which parts of this should I double-check?"
One topic per chat
Long mixed chats get muddled. Start fresh for a new job.
Sidebar › New chat
Talk it through
Gemini Live lets you have a spoken, back-and-forth conversation on your phone.
"Help me rehearse my presentation."
Make it teach you
Use it to learn, not only to produce.
"Explain it simply, then quiz me."
Shortcuts and safety
These common keys work in the Gemini web app. The Gemini desktop app adds its own: Alt Space on Windows, Option Space on Mac.
| Do this | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Send your message | Enter | Return |
| New line without sending | Shift Enter | Shift Return |
| Paste a screenshot into the chat | Ctrl V | Cmd V |
Never paste
- Passwords, PINs or sign-in codes
- Tax file number, Medicare, licence or passport numbers
- Bank or card details
- Other people's health, legal or personal records
- Confidential work material your employer has not cleared
Good first uses
- Summarise a long email thread in Gmail (paid Google AI plan)
- Draft a reply in your own tone
- Plan a trip with real opening hours and maps
- Explain a bill, policy or form in plain English
- Turn a photo of handwritten notes into text
Next Move
Your next step
Related on ApplyAI
Common questions
With Keep Activity on, which is the default for adults, chats are saved and a subset may be read by human reviewers, disconnected from your account, and reviewed chats are kept for up to three years. With it off, chats are held for 72 hours and are not used to improve Google's AI models.
On the web, open Settings and help, then Activity, click On near the top, and choose Turn off or Turn off and delete activity. On a phone, tap your profile picture, then Gemini Apps Activity. Connected apps such as Gmail and Drive stop working in Gemini when it is off.
Yes. The free tier is generous. Paid tiers are Google AI Plus, Google AI Pro and Google AI Ultra, which add stronger models, higher limits and more storage across Gmail, Drive and Photos. Most beginners never need to pay.
A temporary chat is not saved to your activity, is not used to personalise Gemini and is not used to train Google's models. Google holds it for up to 72 hours, then deletes it. On the web, click Temporary chat next to New chat; on a phone, tap Menu first.
Open Settings and help, then Personal Intelligence, then Memory, and switch it off. Memory only works for personal accounts aged 18 or over while Keep Activity is on.
You must be 13 or over. Younger children need a parent's approval through Family Link. Memory, Keep Activity by default and Deep Research are for users 18 or over.
Sources
- Google: Gemini Apps Activity and Keep Activity
- Google: Gemini Apps Privacy Hub
- Google: Use Gemini Apps
- Google: Memory of past chats
- Google: Instructions for Gemini
- Google: Gems to skills
- Google: Deep Research
- Google: Gemini Live
- Google: Sign-in and age requirements
- Google: Gemini plans
- Google: Gemini desktop app
- Google: Temporary chats and privacy controls
General information only, checked on the date shown and provided free of charge. These apps change their settings and menus often, so confirm every step against the app in front of you. Nothing here is legal, financial, security or privacy advice, and you use it at your own risk. To the extent permitted by law, AJILITY PTY LTD (trading as Apply AI Co and Adopt AI Co) excludes all liability for any loss arising from reliance on this guide. Our Terms apply.
ApplyAI is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by Google. Gemini and Google are trademarks of Google LLC. Screen drawings are our own simplified illustrations, not screenshots.