Gemini for Android rolls out side panel and settings redesign

The most immediately noticeable change upon opening the Gemini app on Android is the reimagined side panel. Google has completely overhauled the layout of the navigation drawer to make core features more accessible while cutting down on visual clutter. In the updated design, the search function has been relocated prominently to the top-right corner of the panel, ensuring that users can quickly search through their history without having to dig through nested menus. Below that, "New chat" remains firmly entrenched as the very first item in the list, while the "Library" shortcut has been moved up right beside it, replacing its former home near the bottom of the drawer.

To maintain a sleek appearance and prevent the navigation drawer from becoming overwhelming, Google has implemented a dynamic viewing structure for recent chats and features. The panel now displays only five items by default before tucking the rest away behind a "More" expansion button. When tapped, this button reveals the full breadth of available features. For users subscribed to an AI Ultra tier, the complete, expanded menu offers a comprehensive suite of tools, including New chat, Library, Images, Scheduled, Daily brief, Customize, Students, Videos, and Gems. This organized hierarchy allows casual users to enjoy a streamlined experience while giving power users instant access to specialized AI capabilities.

Alongside the visual refresh of the side panel, Google has completely restructured how users manage their preferences within the Gemini app. Previously, managing the application required navigating a somewhat fragmented experience where preferences were split awkwardly between the account menu and a standalone "Gemini Settings" section. Google has now consolidated virtually all configuration options into a single, unified page, vastly simplifying the user experience. The account menu has been appropriately scaled back to its core purpose: facilitating quick account switching, submitting user feedback, or accessing help resources.

The newly unified Settings page now serves as a central hub for all application adjustments. At the very top of the page, users are greeted with critical management tools, including "Manage account" and "Usage limits." Directly beneath these are the broader application preferences, which house a wide array of customizable categories. These include Notifications, Personal Intelligence, Avatar, Task settings, a newly introduced Theme option, Skills, Voice, Media, Device controls, Cart and orders, and Gemini Notebook. This comprehensive consolidation ensures that users no longer have to guess where a specific setting is located, bringing a welcome sense of cohesion to the Android application.

These sweeping interface improvements are part of a broader, multi-platform rollout. Last week, Google debuted these exact side panel and settings redesigns on iOS, macOS, and the web application concurrently with the release of Gemini 4 Argon. However, Android users had to wait just a little longer as the changes made their way through a gradual server-side update. With that rollout now reaching wide availability across the Android ecosystem, millions of mobile users can finally experience the unified layout and enhanced navigation features that bring mobile Gemini into closer alignment with its desktop counterpart.