Google just put a date on when Google Assistant is going away. From September 4, 2026, the company will start removing Google Assistant from Android phones, tablets, Wear OS watches, earbuds and Android Auto. And once Gemini takes over, there is no switching back.
I have been running Gemini as the default assistant on my Android phone for months now. While it's smarter in conversations, it has removed a number of Google Assistant features that I regularly use. So before Google Assistant shuts down, here are the Gemini features that I suggest you turn on to ease your transition.
Before You Panic, Here Is What Still Works
Let me give you the good news first – Gemini isn't a downgrade. That's because things you'd do on the Assistant, like setting reminders, alarms and timers, all work on Gemini today. You can ask it to set a reminder, and it routes the task to Google Tasks.
Song identification is also available now. "What song is this?" now launches Google's Song Search instead of telling you to go find another app. These two were common issues, but now they are fixed. Now, here are the Google Assistant features that still require a workaround to make them work on Gemini.
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Get Phone Controls Like Flashlight and Screenshot
Early on, Gemini could not do the basic stuff on Android phones, like turning on the flashlight, taking a screenshot or taking a selfie. However, it now supports many local actions, and you need to enable one setting called 'Utilities'. Once turned on, Gemini will be able to control your phone by voice just like the Google Assistant.
- Open the Gemini app and go to the 3-lines icon > your profile icon.
- Here, tap on Personal Intelligence.
- Now, move to Connected apps and make sure the Utilities toggle is turned on.
- Now say things like "take a screenshot" or "turn on the flashlight", and Gemini will perform the action right away.
You can even give multiple commands at once, and Gemini would perform all the actions one by one. For instance, you can say "turn off Wi-Fi and set an alarm for 7 AM" in one go, and it does both. That is just one of Gemini's useful tricks that can help you do a lot more.
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Interact with Shopping Lists, Notes and Gmail via Google Workspace
When you say Google Assistant "add milk to my shopping list", it goes straight into Google Keep without a second thought. It handles notes, Gmail and Calendar the same way. The best part is that Gemini can do all of it, including lists and notes in Keep, reminders in Tasks, events in Calendar and even searching your Gmail.
The problem is that the Google Workspace extension is turned off by default, so most people never see it. You can turn on this toggle, and that will allow you to interact with multiple Google apps via Gemini.
- Open the Gemini app and go to your profile.
- Next, open Personal Intelligence and then tap on Connected apps.
- Here, turn on the Google Workspace toggle and link your account.
- This will connect Gemini with your Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Drive, Keep, and Tasks.
Now you can say things like "Add milk and eggs to my shopping list in Keep" or "Add a task to call the electrician".
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Do Hands-Free "Hey Google" with Lock Screen Access
Next, this setting allows you to use Gemini like the good old Google Assistant. You can use Gemini hands-free and even on the lock screen. You just need to turn on these settings.
- Launch the Gemini app, go to your profile and then select Settings.
- Now, select Talk to Gemini hands-free and turn on the Hey Google toggle.
- Go back and open Gemini on lock screen.
- Here, turn on the Use Gemini without unlocking and Make calls and send messages without unlocking toggles, if you want full hands-free control.
Note that anything that involves personal data, like reading a calendar event or a private email, will still ask you to unlock the phone first.
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Play Music from Spotify or YouTube Music
When Gemini was launched on Android phones, it could not play music from third-party services at all, and it was one of the major reasons I didn't want to switch from Google Assistant. The good news is that Gemini can now play music from different services, but you need to flip a switch.
- Open the Gemini app and go to the 3-lines icon > your profile icon.
- Next, navigate to Personal Intelligence > Connected apps and enable Spotify or YouTube Music.
- Once you've linked your account, try saying something specific like "play song on Spotify" or "play my workout playlist", and Gemini will follow your request.
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Create Assistant Routines and Voice Automations
Routines were my favourite Google Assistant trick. One command like "Hey Google, I am home" could dim the lights, change the phone profile and trigger a list of actions at once.
Gemini now supports your existing Routines, but you still need to set it up under Google Assistant settings. Launch the Google app and move to Settings > Google Assistant > Routines. Here, pick an existing routine or create a new one. Under Actions, add a series of tasks and save it.
Then, launch Gemini and say, "Hey Google, bedtime", and the series of actions will be taken. The only issue is that not all actions are supported on Gemini. If an action is incompatible, Gemini tells you and skips the action. I have encountered that time-based actions fail often.
Get Real-Time Interpreter Mode
Google Assistant's Interpreter Mode did real-time and back-and-forth spoken translation across several languages, and it was pretty useful. Google removed it from Assistant earlier in 2026, and Gemini has no direct replacement for this mode.
The fix is to use the Google Translate app, which now has a Live Translate conversation mode powered by Google's new Gemini 3.5 Live Translate model. It handles two-way spoken translation across 70+ languages and works with any headphone rather than just Pixel Buds.
- First off, update the Google Translate app from the Play Store and open it.
- Tap Live Translate on the home screen.
- Here, pick your two languages, for example, English and Hindi.
- Now, connect any earphones and start talking or hold the phone between you and the other person and start talking.
Finally, I am not happy that Google is forcing Gemini on everyone before it has plugged every gap. That said, most of the features have been migrated, and you can rebuild the missing pieces in Google Home and the Gemini settings menu. So before September 4, 2026, spend a few minutes setting up these features and Gemini will feel a lot less like a downgrade.
