Chrome users in the UK can now start using Gemini without installing anything extra. Google has officially enabled the AI assistant inside Chrome on desktop, with the company saying the iPhone version will follow sometime in August.
The rollout is a bit overdue. Google expanded Gemini in Chrome to 172 countries and regions back in June, but the UK wasn’t part of that release. Europe was largely left out at the time because of stricter AI regulations, so today’s launch marks one of the first bigger rollouts in the region.
For those unaware, Gemini shows up in Chrome’s side panel and works alongside whatever page you’re viewing or any tabs in the background. You can ask it to summarize an article, explain something confusing, compare information across multiple tabs, or answer questions without leaving the browser.
It also reaches beyond Chrome itself. If you use Google’s other services, Gemini can help draft emails in Gmail, create Calendar events, pull up directions in Maps, or answer questions about a YouTube video you’re watching.
In the announcement, the company also said it is bringing its image-editing tools, allowing users to modify images they find on the web using simple text instructions. And apart from that, users should also be able to access “Skills”, which are essentially canned prompts that users can add to their chats to make repetitive tasks a breeze.
So basically, the full Gemini in Chrome experience that folks have already been using in other parts of the world.
Security is another area Google highlighted. According to the company, Gemini has been trained to spot common attacks such as prompt injection and is designed to ask for confirmation before carrying out actions that could affect your personal data or accounts.
Of course, not everyone is thrilled about AI becoming a permanent part of their browser. If you’d rather keep Chrome looking the way it used to, you can still remove the Ask Gemini option from the right-click menu. We covered how to do that in a separate guide.
The UK desktop rollout comes just days after Gemini started appearing for a limited number of Chrome users on Android. Google confirmed that iOS support is next in line, with the rollout expected to begin in August.
Dwayne Cubbins
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I cover fast-moving stories across apps, online platforms, and everyday tech — phones, wearables, consoles, and whatever else people are fighting with this week. Bugs, rollouts, scams, policy enforcement, and the occasional internet-culture rabbit hole are all fair game. My goal is simple — make confusing tech news readable. When I'm not working, I'm working out or chilling with my dog. Got a tip? You can find me on X @dcubbins.