Google Releases Gemini 3 on Desktop and Android

Google’s next-generation AI is available for use today. Gemini 3 is launching widely across the web and the Android app, delivering sharper reasoning, more compact answers — and even active, on-the-fly interface elements that react to what you tell them. The kicker: users don’t even need to pony up a subscription, though some premium features remain behind the paywall.

How to Use Gemini 3 on Mac: Switch to Thinking Mode

Just open Gemini in your browser and scroll down to find the model picker just beneath the “Ask Gemini” box. It’s set to Fast by default, which still hits the older Gemini 2.5 model for fast/light questions.

To transition to Gemini 3, click that dropdown and select Thinking. This causes your prompts to be redirected to Gemini 3 Pro. You can tell it’s active because in the interface you’ll see a “3 Pro” flag where previously you may have seen 2 or 2.5 denoting earlier iterations. Anticipate richer reasoning, improved multi-step planning, and more polished outputs — but answers might arrive just a beat after Fast.

Using Gemini 3 on Android: Switching Models and Badges

Update the Gemini app from the Play Store. Then open a new chat and tap on the model selector near the input box. Just like desktop, the Fast option is Gemini 2.5. To get Gemini 3 Pro, switch to the upper subscription tier (labeled Thinking or Pro in some locations). In the interface, look for the “3 Pro” badge near where you used to see a 2.5 designation like Flash.

If you don’t see the new model, try force-closing the app, clearing the cache, and making sure you’re logged in with the right account.

Rollouts can be phased regionally and by device. After a few weeks on mobile, availability often becomes more widespread across other platforms, so if it’s not showing up for you, check back regularly in the selector.

Who Has Access to Gemini 3 Pro and What the Free Tier Includes

From Google’s model briefings: “Gemini 3 Pro is available to free users and subscribers.” That’s a significant departure from previous releases. But Deep Research — the longer-form, internet-hoovering analysis mode that Google introduced in January — is still part of the AI Pro subscription. If you just want improved reasoning, summarization, and interactive responses, the free tier gets you through the door.

What’s New in Gemini 3 and What You Need to Know Today

Google says Gemini 3 is improved for complex queries, multi-step planning, and more direct output. It can even create interactive, real-time elements — like buttons, chips, or structured layouts — to adjust outputs without having to rewrite your prompt. That makes it seem less like a static chatbot and more like an adaptable, task-based tool.

Real-world example: request, “Make me a weekly meal planner with flexible calorie goals and a dynamic grocery list I can toggle by store section.” Gemini 3 can show the plan along with quick links to change servings, switch meals, or export a list. Another: “Draft a project tracker for a three-sprint app launch with status filters,” then refine directly via the UI elements it gives you.

Pro Tips for Good Results with Gemini 3 on Desktop and Mobile

Reach for Fast on simple lookups, and lean toward Thinking whenever chain-of-thought planning is needed, connections between documents need to be woven, or structured outputs are necessary. Get specific on format: “Please return a comparison table with three columns and brief bullet summaries.” For research-intensive projects, AI Pro users can turn on Deep Research to receive more substantive, source-based answers with citations.

When iterating, have Gemini 3 show its plan — “Outline your steps before answering” — then nudge it in the right direction. If you are comparing different techniques, attempt parallel prompting: run one prompt in Fast and another in Thinking, then combine the best pieces. In independent reviews, this tends to produce better results for both speed and accuracy than a straightforward one-pass approach.

Troubleshooting Gemini 3 Access and Essential Privacy Checks

If you don’t have the 3 Pro choice, update your app, sign out and back in, and check region settings. Refresh and revisit the model picker on desktop. Workspace or school accounts may have admin restrictions; personal ones will usually get the update first.

Before posting or handling sensitive data, review the controls in Settings and consider turning off product-improvement data if you need Stronger Controls for more restrictive handling of your organization’s data. For documents, provide a sample rather than the entire file, and use a temporary session for confidential work.

Bottom Line: Gemini 3 Upgrades You Can Use Right Now

Gemini 3 is a real upgrade you can use right now: download and switch over to Thinking on desktop or Android, where you’ll see the “3 Pro” badge. Smarter in terms of the logic driving it and with real-time UI elements, it’s a meaningful step forward — and, somewhat uniquely for a flagship product, broadly available without having to go behind a paywall. And if you do need deep, citation-heavy analysis, AI Pro’s Deep Research is here. But most users can begin to try the new model right now free of charge.