9 clever ways to use Gemini you probably haven’t tried yet

If you’re using Google Search, Gmail, or Docs, there’s a good chance you’ve already seen Gemini 3 in action. But what many Google users don’t realize is that the Gemini app can do so much more than search or chat.

Because it is integrated across Google Workspace apps, it’s essentially Google’s all-in-one AI assistant, with the ability to assist with writing, summarizing, data wrangling, coding and so much more. Here’s what you can do with Gemini right now — and what to expect if you upgrade to a premium tier.

1. Summarize YouTube videos

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Gemini supports “video‑understanding” via its multimodal framework: you can supply a YouTube link (or even upload a video of your own) and ask it to “summarize this video.”

It primarily uses the video’s transcript (or auto‑generated captions) to understand what’s being said. If the video has good captions, Gemini can extract main ideas, timeline highlights and often return a coherent summary with timestamps or key points. This is helpful if you’re trying to understand a topic quickly or need a few talking points of your own.

2. Write and explain code with Gemini — right in your browser

Whether you’re a beginner trying to learn Python or a developer looking to debug JavaScript, Gemini can help you write, explain and optimize code. All of this can be done within the Gemini app or your browser. Just describe what you want to build, like “Write a Python function that checks if a number is prime” or “Develop an app that keeps track of my calories each day” and Gemini will generate working code instantly.

Even better, it doesn’t just spit out code. Gemini actually explains what each part does in plain English, making it ideal for learning as you go. You can also ask it to convert between languages (e.g., “turn this Python code into Go”), clean up messy logic, or suggest performance improvements.

3. Supercharge Google Search with Gemini

Gemini is now integrated directly into Google Search — and it can do a lot more than just return links. When you opt into Search Generative Experience (SGE) or use Gemini in the mobile app, you’ll start seeing AI-powered overviews at the top of your search results. These smart summaries pull in key information from across the web and organize it into quick, scannable answers.

But it doesn’t stop there: you can ask follow-up questions conversationally or request step-by-step breakdowns. You can also switch from a traditional search to Gemini by tapping the Gemini icon, which opens up a more dynamic, assistant-style chat window — great for complex queries like “Plan a 3-day trip to Austin with kids” or “Explain inflation like I’m 12.”

4. Summarize long emails in Gmail

Because Gemini is integrated within Gmail, you can use it to provide AI-powered summaries of long email threads. This can be a huge support for workflow and productivity because you’ll get the main points without spending a lot of time on each one.

If you use a Gemini for Workspace account (or Google One AI Premium), just open a long thread and look for the summary button at the top. This saves time digging through reply chains and gives you a quick recap at a glance.

5. Reformat documents with one click in Google Docs

Whether you’re switching from first person to third, adjusting tone or rewriting for a different audience, Gemini in Google Docs makes editing easier than ever. With just a right-click or sidebar prompt, you can instantly rewrite or reformat text to fit your needs. I find it useful for polishing a casual paragraph into a professional email or simplifying complex explanations for younger readers.

It’s also useful for tasks like sounding more confident in a cover letter. Just ask Gemini to “make this more assertive.” Or, if you want to turn a dense technical description into something a 10-year-old could understand? Try “explain this like I’m a fifth grader.” You can even use it to shorten rambling sentences, rewrite in bullet form, or shift a section from passive to active voice; all without leaving the document.

Because Gemini is built directly into Google Workspace, it works seamlessly in Docs with your existing content. Just highlight a sentence or paragraph, click the Gemini sparkle icon, and choose from pre-set options like “elaborate,” “summarize,” or “change tone.” — or type your own prompt. You’ll see a rewritten version instantly, and you can accept, reject or tweak it further.

6. Use NotebookLM as your personal podcast

If you’ve got research PDFs, class notes or even a transcript you want to learn from, utilize NotebookLM turns them into a private, AI-powered podcast for you to listen to on-the-go or while multitasking. Unlike Gemini’s broad web-trained model, NotebookLM is grounded in your own sources — meaning it won’t hallucinate answers from elsewhere. And, with the lastest update, you can now use Search and Deep Research to maximize learning potential.

Try uploading lecture slides, past essays, or a chapter from a textbook. Then ask:

“Summarize this in bullet points,”
“What questions could be on a test about this topic?”
or even “Explain this to me like I’m in 6th grade.”

You can highlight key excerpts, ask follow-up questions and even get answers cited with links back to the document.

7. Turn a prompt into a full Google Slides deck

Gemini in Google Slides (Google’s version of Powerpoint) lets you generate presentations from scratch using just a short prompt (e.g., “Make a 5-slide deck about quantum computing for beginners”). It creates a structure, adds suggested content and even includes AI-generated images if enabled.

With image generation enabled, Gemini will even insert AI-generated visuals from Nano Banana to match the theme or tone of each slide; no need to search for stock photos or worry about formatting. Whether you’re preparing a work presentation, a school project or even a pitch deck, Gemini gives you a ready-to-present deck in seconds.

And since it’s built into Google Slides, you can tweak, animate or collaborate in real time like you normally would.

8. Instantly visualize spreadsheet data

With Gemini in Google Sheets, you don’t need to be a spreadsheet wizard to work like one. Trust me, prior to using Gemini in Google Sheets I would see a spreadsheet and run the other way. But, the built-in AI assistant can now auto-generate charts, formulas, conditional formatting and even pivot tables, which has been a huge time-saver for me.

Instead of hunting through menus or Googling formula syntax, I just type what I need. Prompts to try could be:

“Show me total sales by month”

“Highlight rows where payments are overdue”

“Create a pivot table comparing product categories by region”

Gemini will instantly understand your intent and build the correct formula or visualization for you. And if you’re not sure what a formula does, you can just ask and Gemini will break it down in plain English, helping you learn as you go.

It’s also a game changer for cleaning up messy data, generating trends or making your quarterly report look polished. Just describe the outcome you want, and Gemini does the heavy lifting.

9. Create AI-generated images on the fly

Thanks to Google’s lightweight image model Nano Banana, you can now generate custom visuals directly within apps like Google Slides and the Gemini app — no design experience needed and minimal prompting required.

Just describe what you want using natural language (for example, “a cartoon-style solar system for kids” or “a watercolor-style landscape of a mountain at sunset”), and Nano Banana will create an image in seconds.

This feature is especially useful when you’re building presentations or documents and want visuals that perfectly match your topic, tone or audience — without hunting through stock photo libraries or using third-party tools.

It’s great for students, teachers or professionals who want to explain a concept visually. Nano Banana brings your ideas to life right where you’re working. You can even make graphs and charts.

Bottom line

While most people still think of Google as a search engine, Gemini is quietly turning Google’s most-used apps into AI-powered productivity tools. From slides to sheets, Docs to Drive, Gemini helps automate busywork and unlock faster, more creative workflows. Most of these tools are free, but if you find yourself leaning on Gemini frequently, it might be worth exploring a subscription to Gemini Advanced.

It’s also important to keep in mind that not all features are available globally, and some require opting into Labs, enabling Gemini in Workspace or upgrading to a paid plan.

What’s your favorite way to use Gemini 3? Share your thoughts in the comments.