Moving From Gemini Gems to Skills: Save Your Best Prompt Once

The problem

If you use Gemini, you probably have a few things you ask for again and again: a weekly summary, a reply in your usual tone, a checklist for new customers. Until now, Gems were the place to save those instructions. Google is replacing Gems with skills. A skill is a saved set of instructions that teaches Gemini how to handle one specific task the way you want it done. You can call it up by typing "/" in a chat, and Gemini can also use skills you have turned on by itself. Google says your existing Gems will be recreated as skills automatically when Gems go away, but not every Gem feature carries over yet. Setting up your most important skill now lets you check it works before the switch, instead of finding out afterwards.

What you need

• The Gemini app on the web (gemini.google.com), on Mac, or on mobile.
• As of October 5, 2026, Google's help page says skills need a personal Google Account, Keep Activity turned on, and that you are 18 or older.
• Work and school accounts are getting skills on a separate, gradual schedule, so you may not see them there yet.
• One task you repeat often, or an existing Gem you rely on.
• Because this is a new feature that is still rolling out, details can change quickly.

Safety first

A skill is instructions that Gemini may reuse many times, sometimes automatically. Do not put passwords, account numbers, private customer details or confidential business information into a skill's instructions. Describe the task and the format you want; add the specific details in the chat each time instead. Before you change anything, copy your existing Gem's instructions into a safe document and download any files it uses, so you always have a backup. Do not delete a Gem you rely on until its skill version works: Google notes that deleting a skill cannot be undone, so keep your own copy of anything important.

Steps

1. Understand what changes. GEM A saved custom version of Gemini you open for a task. SKILL A saved set of instructions for one task. You can call it up in any chat by typing "/", and Gemini can use skills you have turned on by itself. Google says skills replace Gems. Your existing Gems will be recreated as skills automatically when Gems go away, starting in November 2026 for personal accounts. Google lists March 2027 for Workspace business, enterprise and non-profit accounts, and June 2027 for education accounts.
2. Back up first. Open the Gem you rely on most, copy its instructions into a document, and download any files you added to it. If you do not use Gems, write down the prompt you retype most often.
3. Paste the copy-paste prompt above into Gemini together with your instructions. It turns them into a clear name, description and instructions for one task.
4. Create the skill. On gemini.google.com or in the Gemini app on Mac, go to Settings → Skills and choose "Create manually", then paste in the name, description and instructions. You can also choose "Create with Gemini" and follow the chat, or start from one of the recommended templates.
5. Test it on a real example. Start a new chat, type "/", pick your skill and give it a real task. Compare the result with what your old Gem or prompt gave you. If something is missing, edit the skill's instructions and try again.
6. Check what does not carry over yet. Google says skills do not yet work with some Gem tools, including: - Create video - Create music - Canvas - Deep Research - Guided learning GitHub files are not supported in skills for now. If your Gem depends on one of these, keep using the Gem for that part while it still works, and keep your backup.

What success looks like

Before: your best instructions live in a Gem that is going away, or in your head, and you retype them every time. After: you have a tested skill you can call with "/", a backup of your old Gem instructions, and you know which Gem features do not move over yet. Current as of October 5, 2026. Gemini features, rollout dates and account eligibility can change quickly, so check Google's Gemini Apps Help pages "About the transition from Gems to skills" and "Create & manage skills" for the latest details.

If it goes wrong

Don't see Skills in Settings yet? That does not necessarily mean anything is wrong. Google is rolling skills out gradually, and availability depends on your account type and settings. Check that you are signed in with a personal Google Account, that Keep Activity is on, and that you are using the Gemini app on the web, on Mac or on mobile. If your skill gives different results from your old Gem, compare the instructions side by side. A missing line about tone, format or length is the most common cause.