Gemini on Android gets a Live 'plus' menu and settings redesign

Google is rolling out a run of interface changes to the Gemini app on Android, with the latest being a "plus" menu in Gemini Live, according to 9to5Google ^[1].

Gemini Live gets a plus button

When you start Gemini Live inside the app, a new plus button appears on the left. Tapping it opens a carousel with Share screen, Photos, Files and Drive. Previously, users had to add items to the Gemini overlay first and then go Live ^[1].

There are trade-offs. Sharing your screen is now an extra step, and the camera button has moved next to the waveform. The microphone mute switch and close button on the right are unchanged ^[1]. The plus menu is not available when Live is launched from the Gemini overlay, and it has not reached iOS ^[1]. 9to5Google says it saw the update live with Google app stable version 17.68 ^[1].

Side panel and settings overhaul

A few days earlier, 9to5Google reported that the Gemini app's side panel and settings had been redesigned on Android ^[2]. Search moves to the top right. New chat stays first, with Library now second rather than near the bottom. The panel shows only five items before a "More" option expands the list, so recent chats remain visible ^[2]. With an AI Ultra subscription the full list is New chat, Library, Images, Scheduled, Daily brief, Customize, Students, Videos and Gems ^[2].

Settings are now consolidated onto one page. Previously preferences were split between the account menu and "Gemini Settings". The account menu is now only for switching accounts, leaving feedback or getting help ^[2]. Settings begin with Manage account and Usage limits, followed by Preferences including Notifications, Personal Intelligence, Avatar, Task settings, a new Theme option, Skills, Voice, Media, Device controls, Cart and orders, and Gemini Notebook. Separate sections cover Data and privacy, such as Import memory and Gemini Apps Activity, and Get support ^[2].

According to the report, the new side panel and settings reached iOS, macOS and the web last week with the launch of Gemini 4 Argon, and are now widely available on Android through a server-side update ^[2].

Why it matters

None of this changes what Gemini can do, but it changes how quickly people can give it context. Being able to attach a photo, file or Drive document at the moment you go Live shortens a common workflow, such as asking the assistant about a document while talking it through. Having privacy settings, including the Gemini Apps Activity controls, in one place may also make them easier to find and review ^[2].

For business users, the practical points are small but real. Staff who use Gemini on Android may notice moved buttons, so a quick note to teams can head off confusion. Screen sharing now takes an extra tap. As server-side changes, they appear without an app update, so rollouts may vary between phones.

Source: 9to5Google — Gemini Live redesign makes it easier to add context to chats