How to Use Gemini Skills, the New Replacement for Gems

Do you paste the same long prompt into Gemini every week? Since October 13, Google is rolling out skills in the Gemini app, and they fix exactly this. Here is how to use Gemini skills in a practical way, and what happens to your old Gems.

What Gemini skills are

A skill is a saved set of instructions with a name. You write it once. Later you type "/" in the chat, pick the skill, and Gemini follows it. If a skill is active, Gemini can also use it by itself when your prompt fits its description. You can combine more than one skill in the same chat, for example a "my writing style" skill and a "brand rules" skill.

You can attach reference files to a skill: plain text, PDFs and images. Word and Excel files are not supported, so export them to PDF or text first.

Skills replace Gems. On November 17, Gems move into Gemini's Settings and still work for a while. Later, Google converts them into inactive draft skills, and you have to review and activate each one yourself. For work accounts this does not happen before March 1, 2027, and for education accounts not before June 1, 2027.

Who it helps

A small online shop owner. You answer the same customer questions and write product descriptions all day. One skill can hold your shipping rules, return policy and tone.

A freelance designer. Client emails and project briefs follow the same pattern. A skill with your rates, your process and a sample brief as a PDF means you stop explaining yourself to Gemini every time.

How people are using it

It is very new, so there are not many real stories yet. Google's own examples are a skill that outlines slides and prepares answers for hard questions, one that always gives three to five viewpoints on a topic, and stacking a writing style skill with brand guidelines.

How to use Gemini skills, step by step

1. Open Gemini on the web, the mobile app or the Mac app, signed in with a personal Google account.
2. Open the new Customize option in the left menu and go to Skills.
3. Choose "Create with Gemini", start from a template, or choose "Create manually" and fill in a name, description and instructions.
4. Write a clear description. Gemini uses it to decide when the skill fits, so a vague one means the skill rarely runs.
5. In any chat, type "/" and pick your skill.

Example instructions for the shop owner, ready to copy:

You answer customer emails for my small online shop. Be friendly and short, maximum 120 words. Shipping inside Germany takes 2 to 4 working days. Returns are free within 30 days. Never promise a refund before I check the order. End with my first name.

The honest caveats

You need to be 18 or older, use a personal Google account and have Keep Activity turned on. Work and school accounts do not get skills in the Gemini app yet. Skills do not need a paid plan for normal chats, but tasks and schedules do. Google says the rollout is global and should finish around mid-November, but I could not confirm a date for Germany, so you may need to wait a few days. Sharing skills with others is also not there yet.

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Sources

1. Let skills in Gemini tackle your most repetitive tasks (Google)
2. Create and manage skills for Gemini Apps (Gemini Help)
3. About the transition from Gems to skills (Google Workspace Help)
4. Gemini Apps release notes
5. Google outlines timeline to phase out Gemini Gems in favor of Skills (Android Central)