Using Gmail on your iPhone? A nifty new Gemini-powered search tool just went live
In August, Android users gained access to a new Gemini-powered feature called Gmail Q&A, available to those with a Google One AI Premium subscription or a Workspace account. Now the same feature is going live for iPhone users too.
As explained in a Google blog postthe idea is that you use Gemini to search through your inbox and ask questions about it. The example Google gives is “show unread emails from Jordan,” but prompts like “What was I talking about with Chris?” or “tell me about the emails I got today” also work.
“Gmail Q&A can help you answer specific questions about your emails, show unread messages or messages from a specific sender, summarize emails on a topic in your inbox, and even answer general questions from search results, all without having to leave your inbox,” explains Google.
Currently the feature is only available in English. If you’re not signed up to Google AI Premium ($19.99 / £18.99 / AU$32.99 per month), you must have a Workspace account with Gemini add-ons included and must have smart features and personalization enabled.
Use Gmail Q&A
If you meet the criteria for Gmail Q&A powered by Gemini, you should see the Gemini star icon in the top right corner of the Gmail app for Android or iOS. If you’re viewing a specific email, the same icon will be at the top, near the center.
Tap this icon to launch Gemini and you can start asking questions. It works in a similar way to Gemini on the web, allowing you to write naturally about anything related to your email. Ask to see specific messages, or get summaries of conversations, or ask about the contents of emails stored in your inbox.
Based on a short test period, it all works quite well. But as always with AI, it’s worth double-checking important information: helpfully, Gemini puts a list of sources under each response, so you can tap these links to read the emails it’s about.
This is in addition to the other Gemini features already present in Gmail, such as tools to help you write or rewrite your emails. In Gmail’s Q&A announcement, Google notes that similar Gemini search tools will also appear in Google Drive in the near future.
