Google Gemini Gems Become Skills on November 17, and Skills Need AI Pro or Ultra
Google will start automatically converting Gemini Gems into skills on November 17, 2026, according to a notice now showing at the top of the Gems manager in the Gemini app. The catch for US users on the free plan: Google's own help page says skills currently require a Google AI Pro or AI Ultra subscription, and Google has not said what free users get after the switch.
- Migration date: Gems start converting to skills on November 17, 2026
- Until then: the in-app notice says you can keep using your Gems until they migrate
- Who can use skills today: Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers, 18 or older, on a personal Google Account
- Where: Gemini Spark in the Gemini mobile app, the Gemini app on Mac, and gemini.google.com
- US availability: yes; skills are excluded only in the European Economic Area, Nigeria, Switzerland and the UK
What does the Gemini Gems notice actually say?
The Gemini Gems manager now carries a banner reading that Gems will become skills starting November 17, 2026. The longer text explains that Google will automatically begin migrating Gems to skills on that date and that each Gem keeps working until it is moved. The help article linked from the notice was not loading when the banner first appeared over the weekend.
So far there is no Google blog post or press statement about the change. Everything confirmed comes from the in-app notice and from the existing skills help page.
Will free Gemini users lose their Gems?
Google has not answered that yet, and it is the biggest open question. Gems have been free for every Gemini user since early 2025. Skills are not: Google's help page lists a Google AI Pro or Ultra plan as a requirement, along with a personal Google Account (work and school accounts are excluded) and Keep Activity turned on.
If nothing changes before November 17, a free user's Gems would convert into a feature their plan cannot open. Google may widen skills to the free tier before then, but it has not said so. Treat any claim either way as unconfirmed until Google updates its help pages.
Is Gem editing ending on October 13?
Possibly. Text found inside the Gemini app earlier this month said that starting October 13, 2026, users would no longer be able to create or edit Gems. That date comes from app code, not from the live notice, which only mentions November 17. If you rely on a Gem, copy its instructions somewhere safe before mid-October in case the earlier date holds.
Gems vs skills: what changes
| Feature | Gems (today) | Skills (after November 17) |
|---|---|---|
| Plan required | Free and paid | Google AI Pro or AI Ultra |
| How you start one | Pick it from the side panel | Type / in the prompt box and choose it |
| More than one at a time | No | Yes |
| Where you manage it | Gems manager | Spark, then Skills |
| Export | Share link | Download as a .zip file |
Google is still bringing some Gem features over to skills, such as setting a default tool like image creation or Canvas and attaching files as standing context. Google has not confirmed that every Gem setting carries over intact.
How to create a Gemini skill on Android
Google's help page says the full Skills page is not in the Android app itself, so on a phone you manage skills through the web app in your browser:
- Open gemini.google.com and sign in with your personal Google Account.
- Tap Menu, then Spark, then Skills.
- Choose Create with Gemini to build one by chatting, Create manually to type a name, description and instructions, or upload a SKILL.md or .zip file.
- To use a skill, type / in a Spark task and pick it from the list.
To back a skill up, open it and tap More, then Download. Deleting a skill cannot be undone.
This is not the first time Google has retired a familiar assistant feature on a fixed date; the Google Assistant phase-out on September 4 followed the same pattern. Spark itself also sits behind AI Pro on the new Gemini desktop app for Windows, which points to where Google is steering its paid features.
Frequently Asked Questions
When are Gemini Gems being replaced by skills?
Google says it will start automatically migrating Gemini Gems to skills on November 17, 2026. A notice in the Gems manager says you can keep using your Gems until they are migrated. You do not need to do anything to trigger the move.
Do I need Google AI Pro to use Gemini skills?
Yes, for now. Google's Gemini help page lists a Google AI Pro or AI Ultra subscription as a requirement for skills, plus a personal Google Account, being 18 or older and Keep Activity turned on. Google has not said whether free users will get skills after Gems migrate on November 17, 2026.
Can I still create or edit Gemini Gems?
As of September 28, 2026, the live notice only mentions the November 17 migration. Code found in the Gemini app earlier in September pointed to Gem creation and editing ending on October 13, 2026, but Google has not confirmed that date, so it is safest to save your Gem instructions before then.
Are Gemini skills available in the US?
Yes. Google's help page says skills work wherever Gemini Apps are supported except the European Economic Area, Nigeria, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. They run inside Gemini Spark in the Gemini mobile app, the Gemini app on Mac and gemini.google.com.
How do I use a skill in Gemini?
In a Gemini Spark task, type a forward slash (/) in the prompt box and pick the skill from the list. Unlike Gems, you can use several skills in the same task, and Gemini may apply enabled skills automatically when they fit the request.
