Summary
Google is rolling out Skills in Gemini chat: reusable instructions that can be invoked with a slash command, combined with other Skills and paired with reference files. They will replace Gems, which Google plans to migrate automatically as support ends on a staged schedule.
Google is rolling out Skills in Gemini chat: saved instructions that can be reused for recurring tasks instead of being entered in full each time. The company says users can call a Skill by typing a forward slash and its name, combine several Skills in one task, and attach reference files such as text documents, PDFs and images.
The rollout began on September 30, 2026. Google says Skills are available globally in Gemini chat to all Google AI subscription tiers, for people aged 18 and older; access for users under 18 is coming later. The feature is also planned for Google Workspace business, enterprise, nonprofit and education customers in the coming weeks.
How Skills work
A Skill stores instructions for a task or preferred way of working. Examples from Google include preparing presentation outlines and talking points, generating drafts in a user's writing style, and asking Gemini to produce three to five different perspectives on a topic. These are examples of intended uses rather than reported performance tests.
Skills can be created from a conversation with Gemini, according to Google. The assistant can also run a Skill automatically when a prompt matches it. For a more involved task, users can combine Skills—for example, applying both writing-style instructions and brand guidelines while drafting. Reference files can provide additional material for the assistant to use.
This changes how repeat instructions can be organised: instead of rebuilding a long prompt for each task, a user can save it and invoke it by name. The feature is an instruction-reuse tool within Gemini, not a separate app or a guarantee that every task will be completed without user review.
Skills will take over from Gems
Google says Skills will replace Gems, its existing tool for tailoring Gemini to specific tasks. When Gems support ends, the company plans to migrate users' Gems into Skills automatically. Google expects to end support for personal-account Gems in November 2026, for Workspace business, enterprise and nonprofit accounts in March 2027, and for Workspace education accounts in June 2027.
Some capabilities familiar from Gems—including sharing them with others and adding files from Google Drive or Gemini Notebook—are due to arrive in Skills in the coming weeks, Google says. Gems made through Google Labs are also scheduled to be discontinued in November, but will not migrate into Skills.
For now, Google describes access as limited to people aged 18 and older, with Workspace availability due to follow the Gemini chat rollout. The staged end dates give existing Gems users time before the transition is complete.