Gemini extensions are now called Connected Apps: they let the Gemini app reach into other apps such as Gmail, Google Calendar, YouTube Music, Spotify and Google Home to answer a request, and with your permission take actions like editing content there. You must be signed in, and as of October 2026 you manage them at gemini.google.com under Customize, then Connectors.
The catch: Keep Activity decides whether they work at all
This is the bit nobody expects. Google's help page says that when your Keep Activity setting is off, Connected Apps aren't available on gemini.google.com, on iPhone and iPad, or on smart watches. On Android the picture is slightly better, but only four apps keep working: Device assistance, Phone, Messages and WhatsApp.
So if you switched Keep Activity off for privacy reasons and then wondered why Gemini suddenly can't read your inbox or add a calendar event, that's why. It isn't broken. You've made a trade, and the trade is the whole feature on the web and iOS.
| Your setup, as of October 2026 | What you get |
|---|---|
| Keep Activity on, signed in | The Connected Apps available to your account, device and country |
| Keep Activity off, web or iOS | No Connected Apps |
| Keep Activity off, smart watch | No Connected Apps |
| Keep Activity off, Android | Device assistance, Phone, Messages and WhatsApp only |
| Signed out | No Connected Apps, because you must be signed in |
There's a second layer to this. Gemini automatically uses public information from Google Search, Google Flights, Google Hotels, Google Maps and YouTube. Search keeps working even with Keep Activity off or when you're signed out. Flights, Hotels, Maps and YouTube need Keep Activity on. Google also says Gemini won't touch your personal content in those services without your permission, and that your Connected Apps settings don't change how it uses that public information.
What Connected Apps can reach for you
Google groups the examples into five jobs. These are the ones it lists as of October 2026:
- Productivity: summarise emails from Gmail, create events in Google Calendar or third-party apps, and search content across productivity apps.
- Media: play music from YouTube Music or Spotify, and search your photos and videos in supported gallery apps.
- Everyday tasks: explore mobile apps, shop for groceries for a recipe you've found, and book reservations.
- People: make calls and send messages with your default apps or WhatsApp on Android.
- Devices: manage smart home devices in Google Home, or use the Device assistance app on Android to set alarms and change settings.
If Gmail is the main reason you're here, my guide on using Gemini inside Gmail itself covers the side panel and writing help that live in Gmail rather than in the Gemini app.
Why your list of apps looks different from someone else's
The apps you see vary by Gemini app, device, country and account type. Google gives a clear example: apps that only exist in the Gemini mobile app on Android won't show up in Connected Apps settings on iPhone or in the web app. So two people comparing screenshots can both be right.
Work and school accounts are a separate case. Google points those users to a different help article, and what they can connect depends on their organisation's admin controls. If you're on a company account and an app is missing, ask your admin rather than hunting through settings.
One more gap to know about: for now, Gemini can't use Connected Apps inside Gemini in Google Messages.
How to connect an app and call it with @
- Go to gemini.google.com and sign in.
- In the sidebar, click Customize. If you can't see it, click More first.
- At the top, click Connectors. This page lists the apps available to you, your account type and the Gemini app you're in.
- Click an app to see its full description, supported and unsupported actions, and example prompts.
- Click Add next to the app you want.
- In a chat, type @ and choose the app. If it isn't connected yet, Gemini either connects it or asks your permission first.
The @ shortcut is the habit worth building. Gemini will pick an app automatically when one fits, but naming it with @ removes the guesswork, especially when you've connected several apps that could all answer the same question.
To disconnect, go back to Customize, then Connectors, find the app and click More options, then Disconnect. Google notes some Connected Apps are designed to work with Gemini automatically, so check this list if Gemini is using an app you don't remember adding.
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Custom apps through MCP
This is the newer part, and it's the one I find most interesting. You can connect personal or third-party apps by linking their Model Context Protocol server, known as MCP. That adds a custom app to your Connected Apps settings, and you can then use it in chats for quick actions or in task threads to build your own workflows.
In plain terms, if a tool you use publishes an MCP server, Gemini can talk to it the same way it talks to Gmail. It's the same idea other AI assistants use for their connectors, and it's why the old word extensions no longer fits.
Some Connected Apps also work in Gemini Live chats, and you can still make calls or send messages through Phone, Messages and WhatsApp even with Keep Activity off.
My verdict
I'd turn Connected Apps on if you live in Gmail, Calendar and Google Docs and want one place to ask questions across them. Connect the two or three apps you use daily, use @ to name them, and leave the rest alone. I'd skip it, or keep it to the Android basics, if you've switched Keep Activity off on purpose and want it to stay off, because on the web and iPhone you can't have both. If Docs is your main workspace, here's how Gemini works inside Google Docs without going through the Gemini app at all.
Frequently asked questions
Are Gemini extensions the same as Connected Apps?
Yes. Google's help pages now call them Connected Apps. They let Gemini use other apps such as Gmail, Google Calendar, YouTube Music, Spotify and Google Home to complete a request.
Why are my Gemini Connected Apps not working?
Check you're signed in and that Keep Activity is on. With Keep Activity off, Connected Apps aren't available on gemini.google.com, iPhone, iPad or smart watches, and on Android only Device assistance, Phone, Messages and WhatsApp work.
How do I disconnect an app from Gemini?
On gemini.google.com click Customize, then Connectors, find the app, click More options and then Disconnect.
Can I connect my own apps to Gemini?
Yes. You can link a personal or third-party app's Model Context Protocol server, which adds it as a custom app in your Connected Apps settings.
Do Connected Apps work in Google Messages?
Not for now. Google says Gemini can't use Connected Apps in Gemini in Google Messages.
