The announcement was made by Google Vice President Josh Woodward, who said the app was built in under 100 days by a small team and is designed as a “100% native Swift” application. Until now, Gemini on Mac was primarily accessed through the web
Gemini for Mac: Details
The Gemini app for Mac is built using Swift, meaning it runs natively on macOS rather than through a browser. Until now, users could only access Gemini on Mac through the web or via Chrome.
Introducing Gemini on Mac. We heard your feedback. We recruited a small team. They built 100+ features in less than 100 days. ???? 100% native Swift. Lightning fast. Let us know what you think! pic.twitter.com/BxS4WLSn5V
— Josh Woodward (@joshwoodward) April 15, 2026
One of the key additions is quick access through keyboard shortcuts. Users can open a mini chat window using Option + Space, while a full chat interface can be accessed with Option + Shift + Space. These shortcuts can be customised through the app’s settings.
The app also integrates with macOS features, including configurable menu bar and Dock access. Google has also added options to control how chats open, reset mini chat sessions after a set duration and choose different voice options for responses.
In terms of functionality, the Mac app supports tasks such as generating text, summarising documents, brainstorming ideas, writing code and analysing images. It also includes screen sharing support, which allows users to provide additional context while interacting with the assistant.
The app is available as a free download from Google and requires macOS 15 or newer.
Gemini to power Siri
The dedicated Gemini app for macOS comes ahead of deeper integration of Google AI into Apple’s ecosystem. Earlier this year, Apple partnered with Google to use custom Gemini AI models to power the upcoming revamped Siri. Google Gemini could also power more Apple Intelligence features in the future. More on this is to be revealed at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) which is set to start June 8.
