Google Assistant is about to get replaced entirely by Gemini across various devices. If you are not entirely thrilled about this artificial intelligence integration, you can adjust several settings to make Gemini behave more like the older assistant you are used to.
Set your default assistant everywhere
Google-powered phones, tablets, and watches will prompt you to switch to Gemini, but you can also update your smart home hardware. Open the Google Home app, tap your profile picture, and select Home settings to find the banner for setting up Gemini for Home.
Activating Gemini on smart speakers is technically optional, but setting it up consistently prevents your phone and smart speaker from competing to answer the same commands.
Turn off personalization features you don’t need
If you prefer the simplicity of turning lights on or setting basic reminders without complex meal planning, you can adjust your connected apps.
In the Gemini app, go to Settings, Personal Intelligence, and Connected Apps. Disabling tools like Google Workspace or Search Services can prevent unwanted data from over-complicating your prompts, though keeping Google Home and Utilities enabled is recommended for smart devices and timers.
Use Instructions for Gemini to create custom commands
To bend the chatbot to your will, use the Instructions for Gemini tool found under Settings, Personal Intelligence, and Instructions for Gemini.
You can add natural language instructions to create custom shortcuts, such as telling it to turn off specific room lights when you say a certain phrase, or forcing it to use Google Keep for notes and reminders.
Use Scheduled Actions to help replace routines
While routine features traditionally live in the Google Home app, you can also use Gemini's scheduled actions for similar automation.
Head to Settings and Scheduled actions in the Gemini app to create a new action, describe your routine in natural language, and set the desired frequency. Keep in mind that scheduled actions are prepared up to an hour in advance.
Choose the fastest model (where you can)
Processing whole sentences takes longer than recognizing simple keywords. To speed up responses, you can select the lightest model available in the dropdown, such as models labeled with Flash or Lite.
Additionally, disabling the optional extended thinking toggle helps eliminate unnecessary processing time for basic tasks like setting alarms.
