Gemini for Mac is Google's free desktop app for macOS. Download it from gemini.google/desktop, sign in with your Google account, then press Option + Space to open a mini chat over whatever you're working on, or Option + Shift + Space for the full chat. It needs an Apple Silicon Mac running macOS Sequoia (15.0) or later.
Google launched the Mac app in April 2026 and has added to it almost every month since. It now does more on a Mac than in a browser tab: you can talk to any app, share your screen with a key press and launch a coding agent without leaving it.
I've written this from Google's own download page and Gemini release notes, read in October 2026.
What you need to install it
| Requirement | What Google lists |
|---|---|
| Mac | Apple Silicon MacBooks |
| macOS version | macOS Sequoia (15.0) or later |
| Account | A Google account; history and memory sync with web and mobile |
| Countries and languages | Wherever the Gemini app is supported |
| Price | Free to download, with some features needing a Google AI subscription |
How to download Gemini for Mac
- Go to gemini.google/desktop in your browser.
- Click Download for macOS.
- Open the download and move Gemini into your Applications folder.
- Launch it and sign in with the same Google account you use for Gemini elsewhere.
- Press Option + Space to check the shortcut works.
The shortcuts worth learning
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Option + Space | Opens the mini chat over your current app |
| Option + Shift + Space | Opens the full chat window |
| Command + Command (press both) | Shares your screen so Gemini can see what you're working on |
| Hold Fn | Dictates into whatever window you're typing in |
You can change the shortcut keys any time in the app's settings. The shortcuts built into macOS itself are in my list of Mac keyboard shortcuts. Gemini also sits in your menu bar and Dock if you'd rather click.
Five things it does that the browser can't
Talk to any app
Since July 2026, you can press and hold the Fn key to dictate into the active window, and Gemini types clean, polished text at your cursor. Google says it copes with rambling, hesitating and correcting yourself. Turn on Gemini reasoning in settings and it can do more with what's on screen, such as rewriting text you've highlighted. It rolled out in English to everyone on the Mac app.
Share your screen
Press both Command keys and Gemini uses what's on screen to help, whether that's an error message, a chart or a confusing form. Google first described this as sharing your window, so Gemini understands your context.
Task: Gemini's agent, formerly Spark
Flip to Task and Gemini runs multi-step chores in the background, asking you to approve each action. Google's examples on the Mac include tidying folders and summarising local files into Google Docs and Sheets.
If you remember Gemini Spark, this is it. Google's help centre says people kept asking Gemini to help them finish tasks, so it renamed Spark to Task. The catch: Google says tasks need a Google AI Pro or Ultra plan and a personal Google account, and for now they aren't available in the UK, the European Economic Area, Switzerland or Nigeria. My guide to what happened to Gemini Spark covers the rest.
Antigravity in one click
Since 13 October 2026, Google Antigravity is built into the Mac app. Click Antigravity at the top of the app, spin up a coding agent, approve its plan and carry on chatting while it builds. Google lists it in English for personal Google accounts and eligible work accounts, for people aged 18 and over.
Does it sync with my phone and browser?
Yes. Google says that as long as you're signed into the same Google account, your chat history and memory sync across desktop, web and mobile. So you can start something on your Mac and pick it up on your phone later.
The catch: Mac gets features first
Google's download page is open about this. Voice dictation, screen sharing with the Command keys, Task for local files and Antigravity are listed as macOS features, with more coming to Windows over time. So if you switch between a Mac and a PC, don't expect the two apps to match yet. My guide to Gemini for Windows shows what the PC version does today.
Google also adds a line in small print worth repeating: check responses, setup is required, availability varies, and selected features need a Google AI subscription for users 18 and over.
Still asking how to use ChatGPT on Mac? Our short article answers it.
Prompts to try on day one
Copy this prompt
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
(With a spreadsheet open, after sharing your screen) Look at this sheet and tell me which three products sold the least last month and what that might mean for my next order.
Copy this prompt
(Holding Fn in your email app) Reply to this customer, thank them for their patience, explain the parcel left our warehouse yesterday and offer free delivery on their next order.
If you'd like help building tools like Gemini into how your team works day to day, that's what I do on my work with me page.
My verdict
If you're on an Apple Silicon Mac with macOS 15 or later, Gemini for Mac is worth installing for the shortcuts alone. Learn Option + Space and the double Command key first, try Fn dictation in your email for a week, and only explore Task and Antigravity once the basics feel natural. Just remember that some of the best features sit behind a paid Google AI plan.
Gemini's heavier reasoning mode gets a full walkthrough in my guide to Gemini Deep Think.
Frequently asked questions
Is Gemini for Mac free?
Yes, the app is free to download. Google notes that selected features need a Google AI subscription, such as tasks, which need Google AI Pro or Ultra.
Does Gemini for Mac work on Intel Macs?
Google lists Apple Silicon MacBooks running macOS Sequoia (15.0) or later as the requirement for the Gemini desktop app.
What is the shortcut for Gemini on Mac?
Option + Space opens the mini chat and Option + Shift + Space opens the full chat. You can change both in the app's settings.
Can Gemini see my screen on Mac?
Yes, if you choose to share it. Press both Command keys and Gemini uses what's on your screen to give a more tailored answer.
Where do I download Gemini for Mac?
Download it from gemini.google/desktop and choose Download for macOS. Sign in with your Google account to sync your chats and memory.
