You can finally use Gemini without a Google account, but there's a catch

Google Gemini app on Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11

(Image credit: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)

What you need to know

Google is taking a cue from OpenAI and making Gemini available to access without an account.
You can now use Gemini on the web without signing into your Google account for added privacy.
Some Gemini features are limited or unavailable, like chat history and file uploads.

Google is making a slight tweak to Gemini that will make it more like OpenAI's ChatGPT — users can now access the Gemini web client without a Google account. While not every feature is available if you use Gemini without signing in, the new functionality makes it possible to get help from Google's chatbot without tying that data to you. The tweak is only available via the web client, not the mobile apps, and was first spotted by 9to5Google.

Now that Google has dropped the account requirement for Gemini, navigating to the Gemini web client will bring new users straight to the chat page instead of the sign-in page. Of course, if you are signed into a Google account in your browser already, the Gemini web client will attempt to automatically sign you in. As such, opening a private browsing window may be the easiest way to use Gemini independently from your Google account.

The Gemini web client being used without signing in. — (Image credit: Future)

The biggest limitation that comes with using Gemini without an account is being restricted to just the Gemini 2.0 Flash model. All the other models, including Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking (experimental), Gemini Deep Research, and Gemini Personalization (experimental), require you to sign in to access them. This isn't exactly surprising, since some of these models are locked behind Gemini Advanced and the Google One AI Premium subscription.

If you try to click one of the other models without signing in, you'll be shown the following message: "Sign in to explore the newest Gemini models." Other limitations include being unable to save and view your chat history, and the lack of file upload support.

For now, it appears the Gemini mobile app on iOS and Android still requires a Google account for chatbot access.

Brady is a tech journalist for Android Central, with a focus on news, phones, tablets, audio, wearables, and software. He has spent the last three years reporting and commenting on all things related to consumer technology for various publications. Brady graduated from St. John's University with a bachelor's degree in journalism. His work has been published in XDA, Android Police, Tech Advisor, iMore, Screen Rant, and Android Headlines. When he isn't experimenting with the latest tech, you can find Brady running or watching Big East basketball.