● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportLow impact1 neutral
Google's Gemini App to Replace 'Gems' with 'Skills' Starting November 2026
Key points
- Gems will be migrated to skills starting November 17, 2026.
- Skills offer custom instructions, similar to Gems.
- Skills are invoked with a '/' in the prompt box.
- Multiple skills can be used at the same time.
Transition from Gems to Skills
Google announced that the Gemini app will replace its existing "Gems" feature with a new system called "skills." This transition is scheduled to begin on November 17, 2026, at which point existing Gems will be automatically migrated to the new skills format. Users can continue to use their Gems until the migration occurs.
Functionality and Improvements
Both Gems and skills allow users to provide custom instructions to Gemini. Gems previously offered additional capabilities such as setting a default tool (e.g., Create image, Canvas) and attaching specific files for context, as well as sharing via links. Skills, introduced with Gemini Spark, improve accessibility by allowing invocation with a '/' in the prompt box and enabling the use of multiple skills concurrently, which is a change from the previous method of accessing Gems through a side panel.
Current Availability
Currently, Google AI Pro or AI Ultra subscribers can create skills by accessing the Gemini Spark tab. Skills can then be used in the main conversational experience by typing a slash in the chat box. Some related features, such as the "Learn more" help article and "Create skills" button, are not yet functional, indicating the announcement may have been released ahead of full implementation.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
The daily brief
One email each morning: the day's tech stories, clustered across outlets and summarized. No account needed.
One email a day. Unsubscribe in one click, any time.
Today's brief
Spend a few minutes, get the whole day. Every topic's top stories in one hands-free rundown — listen, watch, or read the transcript.
▶ Play today's brief
New every morning, and the back catalogue is archived by date.
Reporting from
Google's Gemini app will replace its "Gems" feature with "skills" starting November 17, 2026. This change allows for more accessible invocation of custom instructions and the use of multiple skills simultaneously within the Gemini conversational experience.