Google will begin replacing Gems in the Gemini app with skills on November 17, 2026, according to a migration notice seen by 9to5Google. Existing Gems will remain usable until Google automatically migrates them, shifting Gemini customization from separately managed assistants toward capabilities that can be invoked and combined directly in conversations.
From Gems to skills
Google introduced Gems in 2024 as customized versions of Gemini. Users can give a Gem specific instructions, choose a default tool such as Create image or Canvas, attach files for context, and share the resulting configuration with others through a link.
Skills serve the same basic purpose by storing custom instructions, but their placement changes how users access them. Instead of opening the Gems area in Gemini's side panel and locating an item under My Gems, users can type a slash in the prompt box to invoke a skill during a chat.
Customizations become composable
The more consequential change is that Gemini can use multiple skills at the same time. That turns customization into a set of reusable capabilities that can be combined as a conversation requires, rather than forcing users to select one standalone custom Gemini before beginning a task.
Google first introduced skills through Gemini Spark. Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers can create them by switching to the Gemini Spark tab, while the slash command makes existing skills available from Gemini's main conversational interface.
Migration details remain incomplete
The notice says migration will begin automatically on November 17, but it does not specify how long the process will take for every user. People can continue using their Gems until each one is converted.
Some supporting elements were not yet operational when 9to5Google reported the notice on September 27, 2026. The associated Learn more article and Create skills button did not work, suggesting that Google exposed the migration message before all documentation and controls were ready.
AI-generated editorial illustration; not a documentary photograph.
Source: Gemini app replacing Gems with skills in November
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