geminiandroidtutorialshow-togoogleproductivity

How to Customize Gemini Settings and Theme on Android

Step-by-step guide to the redesigned Gemini settings page, new Theme option, and side panel navigation on Android.

October 25, 2026 Yum News

Google rolled out a server-side update that consolidates the Gemini app settings on Android into one page and adds a Theme control. The side panel also moves search to the top-right and lifts Library higher in the list.

If you already followed the earlier navigation changes, this update finishes the cleanup. Preferences that used to sit in separate menus now live together. You can change the look of the app without hunting through account screens.

Android phone showing a modern app interface

What changed in the settings page

The account menu now handles only switching accounts, Feedback, and Help. Everything else moved to a single Settings page.

Open the Gemini app, tap your profile picture or the gear icon, and choose Settings. You land on Manage account and Usage limits first. Below that, Preferences gathers the controls you use most often.

The Preferences list includes:

Notifications
Personal Intelligence
Avatar
Task settings
Theme (new)
Skills
Voice
Media
Device controls
Cart and orders
Gemini Notebook

Two more sections sit underneath: Data & privacy (Import memory, Contact info from your devices, Gemini Apps Activity, Your public links, Privacy Help Hub) and Support.

This matches the layout that appeared earlier on iOS, macOS, and the web. Android users now see the same structure after the server-side push.

How to change the Theme

Theme is the new item under Preferences. It lets you pick light, dark, or system default without leaving the Gemini settings.

Open the Gemini app on your Android phone.
Tap your profile picture in the top-right corner.
Select Settings.
Scroll to Preferences and tap Theme.
Choose Light, Dark, or Match system.

The change applies immediately. If you use Match system, the app follows the Android dark mode toggle under Settings > Display > Dark theme.

For a deeper look at how the side panel and library items moved, see the Gemini side panel and settings navigation guide.

Side panel updates that pair with the settings

Search now sits in the top-right of the navigation drawer. New chat stays at the top of the list. Library appears right after it instead of near the bottom.

Recent chats show only five items by default. Tap More to expand the full history. AI Ultra subscribers see the longer list: New chat, Library, Images, Scheduled, Daily brief, Customize, Students, Videos, and Gems.

These layout tweaks reduce scrolling when you only need a recent conversation or a quick library check. The settings page and the side panel now share the same goal: fewer taps to reach common actions.

Close-up of a smartphone screen in use

Step-by-step: manage Personal Intelligence and other preferences

Personal Intelligence sits in the same Preferences group. Turning it on or off affects which Google apps Gemini can read for tailored answers.

From Settings, tap Personal Intelligence.
Open Connected Apps.
Toggle Workspace (Gmail and Calendar), Google Photos, Google Maps, YouTube, or Search.
Confirm any permission prompts that appear.

You can enable only the apps you need. The same Connected Apps list controls what Gemini uses on Android Auto if you later connect your phone to a car.

Task settings, Skills, Voice, and Media live in the same list. Adjust voice input language, media playback behavior, or skill activation without leaving the page. Device controls covers quick actions such as flashlight or volume when Gemini is your assistant.

Tips for the new layout

Force-stop the Google app or the Gemini app if the update has not appeared yet. Open Settings > Apps > Google (or Gemini) > Force stop, then relaunch. Server-side changes often need a restart to surface.

Check Usage limits if you hit rate limits on free or paid tiers. The new placement at the top of Settings makes it easier to see remaining capacity before you start a long session.

If you rely on Gemini Notebook, the entry under Preferences jumps straight to notebook management. You can also invoke it from chat with @Gemini Notebook once the Connected App is active.

Keep the account menu for rare tasks only. Switching accounts or sending Feedback stays there so the main Settings page stays focused on daily controls.

Video walkthrough

Watch this hands-on look at the Gemini redesign that covers the updated navigation and settings layout:

Conclusion

The consolidated Settings page and new Theme option remove the split between account menus and Gemini-specific controls. Search and Library sit higher in the side panel so common items stay one tap away.

Open the Gemini app, check Settings, and set the Theme that matches your preference. Then adjust Personal Intelligence or Skills in the same place. The layout is now consistent across Android and the other platforms that received the earlier rollout.