How to Automate Multi-Step Tasks with Gemini on Android
Step-by-step guide to enable Gemini multi-step task automation on Pixel 10 and Galaxy S26 using the power button long-press beta.
Gemini can now handle multi-step tasks across apps on select Android phones. Instead of opening DoorDash, filling a form, and confirming an order yourself, you long-press the power button and tell Gemini what you need.
Google rolled this out as an early preview beta on the Galaxy S26 series and select Pixel 10 devices. It uses UI automation so Gemini navigates the app on your behalf while you stay in control.
This guide covers what the feature does, which devices support it, how to start a task, and the safeguards Google built in.
What the Gemini task automation beta does
The feature lets you delegate multi-step actions in supported apps. Examples include placing a complex pizza order for family members with different preferences, setting up a multi-stop rideshare, or reordering your last grocery purchase.
Gemini uses context already available from the apps. You do not need the developer of the food or ride app to add special integration. The platform handles the UI navigation.
Google launched it as a beta inside the Gemini app. It starts with food delivery, grocery, and rideshare categories in the US and Korea. Supported apps mentioned in coverage include DoorDash, Grubhub, Instacart, Lyft, McDonald’s, Starbucks, Uber, and Uber Eats.
Which devices and regions support it
The early preview is limited to the Galaxy S26 series and select Pixel 10 devices. Google has not published a full public list of every Pixel 10 variant that receives it on day one.
Availability is currently restricted to the United States and South Korea. Users outside those regions will not see the long-press automation option yet.
Android 17 is expected to broaden the capability to more users and manufacturers later. Until then, only the listed phones in the supported countries have the beta.
If you own one of these devices, update the Gemini app from the Play Store and keep your system software current.
How to start a multi-step task
- Open the Gemini app and confirm you are signed in with the Google account that has the beta access.
- Long-press the power button (or side button on some Galaxy phones). This launches the Gemini interface focused on task delegation.
- Speak or type the request in natural language. Be specific: “Order a large pepperoni pizza and a vegetarian one from the usual place for delivery at 7 pm.”
- Gemini begins navigating the target app in the background using UI automation.
- Watch progress through notifications or the live view option. You can pause or take over at any moment.
- Gemini alerts you before completing sensitive actions such as a purchase. Confirm or cancel as needed.
The same long-press shortcut also works for simpler device actions if you have Device assistance enabled. Multi-step app automation is the new beta layer on top.
Controls and safeguards
Users stay in control throughout. You can monitor the task via notifications or switch to a live view of what Gemini is doing on screen. At any point you can take manual control and finish the action yourself.
Gemini is designed to stop and ask before high-stakes steps such as finalizing a payment. It does not complete purchases silently.
The automation runs only after an explicit command from you. There is no always-on background shopping or ordering without a fresh instruction.
If the feature is not yet on your phone, the long-press may still open the regular Gemini assistant for device control, alarms, or app launching. Check Settings > Apps > Default apps > Digital assistant app to confirm Gemini is selected.
Tips for better results
Keep the Gemini app updated. The beta surface lives inside the Gemini app, so older versions may not show the task option.
Use clear, complete requests. Vague instructions like “order food” give Gemini less context than naming the app, items, and timing.
Review connected apps and Device assistance permissions. Some advanced device actions require the Google app (which hosts Gemini) to be the default digital assistant.
Combine this with other Gemini surfaces. Once Android Halo arrives, agent progress may also appear in the status bar. See our guide on Android Halo for tracking Gemini agents.
Test on a low-stakes order first. Because it is still a beta, start with a simple reorder or small item before relying on it for complex family meals.
Limitations right now
Only a curated set of apps in three categories is supported. Banking, shopping beyond groceries, or productivity apps are not part of this early preview.
The feature is device- and region-locked. Owners of older Pixels or non-Samsung flagships will need to wait for the broader Android 17 expansion.
UI automation can encounter unexpected screen layouts after app updates. Google built in the ability to hand control back, but occasional failures are expected in a beta.
Developers who want deeper, more reliable integration should look at AppFunctions instead of pure UI automation. AppFunctions lets an app expose structured actions that Gemini can call directly.
Conclusion
Gemini’s multi-step task automation turns the power button into a shortcut for common app chores on supported Pixel 10 and Galaxy S26 phones. You give a clear instruction, monitor progress, and confirm before anything sensitive finishes.
Update the Gemini app, confirm you are in a supported region, and try a simple request. As Android 17 spreads the capability further, the same long-press workflow should reach more devices.
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