About the transition from Gems to skills

Last updated: November 9, 2026

Google is introducing skills as the new method for custom AI instructions across the Gemini app, Google Workspace, and Gemini Enterprise. Skills provide a modular, reusable way to apply tailored instructions to conversations and workflows.

Skills offer several advantages over Gems:

• Availability across surfaces: Skills work in the Gemini app (gemini.google.com), Google Workspace apps, and Gemini Enterprise (gemini.enterprise.google.com), giving users a consistent instruction model across chat and workflows.
• Use skills directly in chat: Use a skill by entering / or @ followed by the skill's name directly in any chat. Users don't need to open separate Gem windows for custom instructions.
• Combine multiple skills: Users can combine multiple skills in a single prompt. They can also apply different skills across a conversation without copying and pasting outputs.
• Open standard: Skills use the open, Markdown-based SKILL.md format. This lets users create, customize, and transfer instructions in plain text across tools without platform lock-in, laying the foundation for future cross-platform interoperability.

Availability and eligibility

• Skills in the Gemini app: Available to all Google Workspace editions and users of all ages.
• Skills in Google Workspace: Available to users age 18 and older with Business Starter, Standard, and Plus; Enterprise Standard and Plus; Google AI Pro for Education; or the AI Expanded Access add-on.
• Skills in Gemini Enterprise: Available to users with a Gemini Enterprise license.

Transition timeline

Over the coming months, Google will gradually phase out Gems across all products. The following table outlines key transition milestones and how they affect your users:

Date	Milestone and how it affects your users
October 13, 2026	Skills begin rolling out in the Gemini app for all users, with rollout completing by mid-November. Users can continue creating, editing, and using Gems in the Gemini app alongside skills (skill sharing and direct Google Drive file integration are coming soon). Skills created in the Gemini app aren't accessible in Google Workspace or Gemini Enterprise, so users must build skills separately in those apps. In Google Workspace Studio, users can no longer create new flows with the Ask a Gem step.
November 9, 2026	Skills begin rolling out across Google Workspace Studio and Google Workspace apps (Gmail, Google Docs, Google Slides, Google Drive, and Google Chat on the web, plus skill invocation in the Google Chat mobile app). Users can share copies of skills from Google Workspace Studio and connect skills to Google Workspace Studio flows.
November 17, 2026	Gems move to Settings in the Gemini app. All users can continue to create, edit, and use them.
Coming soon	Additional skills capabilities roll out across Google Workspace and the Gemini app to deliver deeper platform integration: Users can share skills in the Gemini app. Users can directly connect Google Drive files to skills in the Gemini app and attach files directly to skills in Google Workspace Studio.
No sooner than March 1, 2027	Business and Enterprise Skills fully replace Gems, and users can no longer create, edit, or use Gems. Gems are removed from Settings in the Gemini app. Remaining Gems in the Gemini app automatically migrate to draft skills exclusively in the Gemini app (they don't migrate to Google Workspace or Gemini Enterprise).
No sooner than June 1, 2027	Education Skills fully replace Gems, and users can no longer create, edit, or use Gems. Gems are removed from Settings in the Gemini app, Google Classroom, and third-party learning management systems (LMS) supported by Gemini LTI™. Remaining Gems in the Gemini app automatically migrate to draft skills exclusively in the Gemini app (they don't migrate to Google Workspace or Gemini Enterprise).

How automated migration will work

Note: We'll update this section with full migration details at least 30 days before automated migration starts.

When automated migration begins, Google automatically converts existing Gems into skills exclusively in the Gemini app:

• Draft status: Migrated Gems are listed in Customize in the left navigation menu as inactive drafts. Creators must review and activate each skill before they can use or share it.
• Preserved content: Converted skills retain their original names, descriptions, custom instructions, and uploaded knowledge files.
• Sharing and permissions: Google Drive permissions and sharing settings applied to original Gems transfer to the corresponding skills.

What administrators need to do

Important: For detailed steps and a platform comparison across Google Workspace, the Gemini app, and Gemini Enterprise, go to Prepare your organization for the transition to skills.

To prepare your organization for the transition to skills, we recommend the following actions:

• Notify your users: Inform users about the upcoming transition dates and let them know that converted Gems will be added to Customize in the left navigation menu of the Gemini app as inactive draft skills.
• Encourage early adoption: Turn skills on in Google Workspace Studio and Google Workspace for your organization and share the AI skills 101 handbook so users can learn how to build, invoke, and combine multiple skills in a single conversation.
• Delete unused Gems: Ask users to delete test, one-off, or unused Gems in the Gemini app before automated migration.
• Rebuild high-priority Gems: Encourage creators to manually rebuild their most important Gems as skills in the Gemini app, Google Workspace Studio, or Gemini Enterprise.
• Update Google Workspace Studio flows: Instruct flow owners to replace Ask a Gem steps with Ask Gemini steps before automated migration.
• Google Workspace for Education: Share transition guides with educators and transition Google Classroom or Gemini LTI™ workflows to Gemini Notebook and Guided Learning.

Related resources

Share these resources with people in your organization:

• Prepare your organization for the transition to skills
• Google Workspace Updates blog post
• Allow people to use skills in Studio and Gemini in Workspace
• Allow people to share skills externally
• Workspace Studio log events
• Manage skills in the Gemini Enterprise Skill Registry
• AI skills 101 handbook
• Create and use skills in the Gemini app
• Learn how skills work in Google Workspace Studio
• Manually recreate Gems as skills
• Workspace Studio transition guide
• Gemini Gems and Skills Transition Guide for Education (PDF)
• Create and assign Gemini Notebook and Gems in Google Classroom
• Use Gemini Notebook and Gems in Google Classroom (for students)
• Share and access notebooks and Gems in Google Workspace LTI™

Updates

The following table lists updates to this page:

Date	Update
November 9, 2026	Updated the transition timeline for the rollout of skills in Google Workspace Studio and Google Workspace Added information about skills in Gemini Enterprise and the open SKILL.md standard Updated administrator preparation guidance and added Prepare your organization for the transition to skills
September 30, 2026	About the transition from Gems to skills published