Google Gemini now has its own desktop application. Don't rejoice too quickly, though

Just a day after Google made its search app available for Windows, it’s launching the anticipated desktop application for its AI assistant, Gemini. This time, however, only Mac owners got it. Whether the app, which was preliminarily discussed last month, will also come to Microsoft’s system is currently unclear.

Always at Hand with a Keyboard Shortcut

The philosophy of the Gemini app for Mac resembles the Spotlight feature, which macOS users are well familiar with. After pressing the keyboard shortcut Option + Spacebar, a floating window with the AI assistant appears on the screen, which you can invoke from anywhere in the system. You don’t have to switch between windows or open a browser – Gemini is always at your fingertips.

This approach has, after all, proven successful with competitors. OpenAI has been offering a desktop ChatGPT app for Mac for quite some time, and Anthropic also has a Claude app available. Google began experimenting with its own solution in March, when it sent out invitations to selected testers. Now the app is available to everyone.

Screen Sharing for Contextual Help

The biggest advantage of the native app is the ability to share screen content directly with Gemini. You can show the AI a specific window or the entire desktop and ask questions related to the displayed content. Are you viewing a complex graph? Share the window and ask: “What are the three main insights from this data?” Gemini will provide an instant summary.

Google Gemini now has its own desktop application. Don't rejoice too quickly, though Adam Kurfürst News Adam Kurfürst News

The feature also works with local files, which is a big difference compared to the web version. This allows you to analyze documents, spreadsheets, or images stored directly on your Mac without having to upload them anywhere.

Creative Tools at Your Fingertips

The Gemini app for Mac isn’t just about answering queries. It includes a complete suite of creative tools that you can use directly from your desktop. For image generation, the Nano Banana model is available, while videos can be created using the Veo model. Creative professionals can thus quickly visualize their ideas without needing to switch to a browser.

Availability and Requirements

The Gemini app for Mac is available for free to all users aged 13 and older. It requires macOS version 15 (Sequoia) or newer. It can be downloaded at gemini.google/mac.

Google, meanwhile, indicates that this is just the beginning. In its announcement, the company states that it is building the foundation for a “truly personal, proactive, and powerful desktop assistant”, with further news to be announced in the coming months.

The question remains whether and when we will see a similar application for Windows – for now, users there have to make do with the aforementioned Google search app. The fact is, however, that many of its features seem to be the same. Firstly, it also relies on a keyboard shortcut (Alt + Spacebar), and it also supports screen sharing or working with files on your PC. Unfortunately, you won’t get access to media generators with it.

Would you welcome a Gemini app for Windows as well?

Sources: Google (1, 2)