Google has launched a native Gemini app for Mac, bringing its AI assistant to the desktop as a proper macOS application for the first time. The app is free, requires macOS 15 (Sequoia) or later, and is available now at gemini.google/mac.
The Last Major AI App to Arrive on Mac
Gemini is the last of the three major AI assistants to get a dedicated Mac app. ChatGPT and Claude have both had native Mac apps for some time, giving OpenAI and Anthropic a desktop convenience advantage. That gap is now closed.
The app was built entirely in Swift and developed in partnership with Antigravity. Google product lead Josh Woodward noted on X that the team built over 100 features in fewer than 100 days, and Sundar Pichai called it out personally, describing it as going from idea to native Swift prototype in just a few days.
Always a Shortcut Away
The core experience is built around staying out of your way. Press Option + Space from anywhere on your Mac to bring up a compact chat bar. Press Option + Shift + Space to open the full Gemini interface. Both shortcuts can be customized in Settings. You can also reach Gemini from the Dock or the menu bar icon.
The mini chat uses a pill-shaped design with Liquid Glass styling. A plus button on the left gives access to files, Google Drive, Photos, NotebookLM, and screen sharing. Tools along the bottom include image creation, video generation, music, Canvas, Deep Research, and Guided Learning.
Screen Sharing and File Access
One of the more useful features is window sharing. You can share any open window on your Mac with Gemini and ask questions about what you are looking at, whether that is a spreadsheet, a block of code, a PDF, or a chart. Local files are supported too. To read full browser pages, Gemini needs Accessibility access enabled in System Settings.
Image and Video Generation Built In
The Mac app ships with image and video generation built in from day one. Images are powered by Nano Banana, Google’s image generation model. Videos come from Veo. Music generation is also available directly from the toolbar, with no need to switch to a separate tool or browser tab.
Free to Use, With Subscription Tiers
The app is free to download and use at a basic level. Google offers three paid tiers for heavier usage: Google AI Plus at $7.99/month, Google AI Pro at $19.99/month, and Google AI Ultra at $249.99/month. Google Workspace business and education accounts also have access.
The Bigger Picture: Gemini Is Coming to Siri
For Mac users, the timing of this launch sits alongside a much larger story. In January, Apple and Google announced a multi-year collaboration under which the next generation of Apple Foundation Models will be built on Google’s Gemini technology. A Gemini-powered Siri overhaul is expected to debut at WWDC in June alongside iOS 27 and macOS 27.
The standalone Mac app and the upcoming Siri integration are separate products, but they point in the same direction: Google is pushing Gemini as deeply into the Apple ecosystem as it can get. As Anthropic expands its own AI tools and OpenAI continues updating ChatGPT for Mac, the race for the AI assistant that lives on your desktop is now fully underway across all three major players.