If you use Google's AI daily, sooner or later you'll be interested in creating your own Fully Customized Gemini GemsThey are like customized versions of the assistant, with their own character, rules and knowledge, designed for specific tasks: from writing better to programming or studying.
With this guide you will learn how to configure Gemini gems step by step, understanding what they are forThis article will cover how to get the most out of them, what pricing plans Google offers, and how they differ from ChatGPT's custom GPTs. The goal is for you to finish reading this article with your first Gem up and running and, most importantly, with a clear understanding of what you can do with them in your daily life.
What are Gemini Gems and why should you care?
A Gem is, basically, a customized version of Gemini with fixed instructionsInstead of always repeating the same thing in every conversation (your role, the tone, what he has to do, what he shouldn't do), you store it all in a Gem and, from then on, every time you talk to him he behaves as you have defined him.
Think of the Gems as Specialized AI “mini-experts”a proofreader, a math tutor, a professional coach, a programming assistant, or a social media idea generatorEach one maintains its personality, its rules, and its way of responding, without you having to configure it from scratch in each session.
Another advantage is that you can Create as many Gems as you need for different contextsOne for work, one for studying, one purely creative, one focused on cooking… All are available from the Gemini website or app, without installing anything additional and with the same chat interface as always.
In addition, the Gems integrate with the advanced features of the Gemini ecosystem, such as Deep Research, Canvas, Flow, Whisk, or multimodal capabilities (text, images, and video). This allows you to set up quite sophisticated workflows without having to be a developer or touch a single line of code.
Finally, Google allows you to create and use Gems even with Free Gemini accountsThere are still limits on the advanced model and the use of AI points, but it is no longer a feature exclusive to paid plans, opening the door for anyone to experiment with them.
How to create a Gemini Gem step by step
Creating a Gem is a fairly guided process, and yet, powerful and flexible for customizing AI behaviorYou don't need to know how to program: you just need to be clear about what you want your Gem to do and how you want it to speak.
1. Access the Gems section
From the Gemini homepage (web or app), open the side menu and enter the option "Discover Gems"There you'll see two sections: one with Gems created by Google and another for your own. It's the starting point for exploring examples and beginning to build your custom versions.
This screen functions as control center for all your GemsYou can create new ones, edit existing ones, test them, or duplicate them if you want to generate variations from one that you have already fine-tuned.
2. Create a new Gem
Within "Discover Gems" press the button "+ New Gem" (In some interfaces you will see "+ New Gem" or "+ New Gen"). The configuration editor will open, where you will define the name, instructions, and, if you are interested, the knowledge base.
This creation screen is organized into very clear blocksName, instructions, and knowledge, accompanied by a preview panel where you can chat with your Gem as you design it. Any changes you make in the fields on the left will affect how it responds in that panel.
3. Give it a clear and descriptive name
The first field is the Gem's public name. Ideally, it should be a name that accurately describes its purposeNot a generic nickname. "SEO Blog Copywriting Expert" is much more useful than simply "John" or "Assistant 1."
A good name helps you to identify on the fly what each Gem does When you have several: "Python tutor from scratch", "Legal text reviewer", "Job interview coach", etc. It doesn't influence how the AI responds, but it does affect your organization and daily productivity.
4. Write detailed and well-thought-out instructions
The heart of every Gem is its instructions: here you define what role does he assume, what tasks does he perform, what topics does he avoid, and what response style should he use?The more specific you are, the more consistent their behavior will be conversation after conversation.
In practice, these instructions usually cover three key areas: personality, objectives and rules, and response formatYou can group everything into a single text or structure it with lists and sections within the same field.
Personality and role
In this part you describe what your Gem should “be like” and what role it playsYou can ask them to act as a university professor, approachable communicator, creative writer, prudent financial advisor, etc. Include the tone (formal, colloquial, technical, informal…) and the general attitude.
For example, you could say something like: "You are a technology expert who explains complex concepts Use simple, approachable, and respectful language. Maintain a friendly tone, avoid unnecessary technical jargon, and add practical examples when helpful.
Objective, tasks and rules
Then define clearly What exactly does the Gem have to do?Reviewing texts? Designing study routines? Correcting code? Generating content ideas? This is also where you set limits and prohibitions to focus your efforts.
An example of this block could be: "Your job is Review and improve my Spanish textsCorrecting spelling, grammar, and style, and suggesting clearer alternatives when necessary. Do not respond to questions unrelated to improving texts.
In addition, you can add fine-tuning rules, such as "don't fabricate statistics," "don't give medical advice," or "if you're unsure about something, say so and suggest how to verify it." These guidelines help to to limit the behavior of the Gem and avoid off-topic responses.
Response format
Finally, specify How do you want the answers to be presented?You can always ask for an initial summary, then a detailed explanation, a list of steps, a comparison table, etc. This is crucial if you're going to use Gem for repetitive tasks where you need consistent structure.
For example: "Always respond with: 1) a brief summary of 2-3 sentences, 2) a detailed explanation organized into sections, and 3) a list of 3 to 5 related ideas for further exploration."
By using a consistent format, you will ensure that your answers are easier to reuse in documents, emails, posts or presentations, without having to redesign from scratch each time.
5. Add a knowledge base (optional, but very powerful)
The "Knowledge" field allows you to upload up to 10 files that the Gem will use as a primary referenceThese can be PDFs, Google Docs, presentations, reports, or internal manuals, from either your device or Google Drive.
These documents function as a specialized mini databaseWhen you ask a question, the Gem will first try to find the answer in those files and only if it doesn't appear there will it resort to the general knowledge of the Gemini model.
This is ideal if you want your Gem get to know a brand, a product, a syllabus, or a specific methodologyFor example, you could upload your company's style guide, your Python course guide, a pricing dossier, or a collection of your articles so that it respects your writing style.
When choosing files, it's best to prioritize relevant, up-to-date and well-structured contentThere's no point in uploading irrelevant or duplicate documents, because they will only add noise and can make it harder for the Gem to quickly find what's important.
6. Use Gemini to polish the instructions
If you find it difficult to write the instructions from scratch, you can write a few sentences explaining what you want and then use the option "Use Gemini to rewrite the instructions" (pencil icon). Gemini will generate a more complete and organized version from your draft.
Afterwards you can review and adjust what you have created, adding nuances of personality, restrictions, or specific formats that you deem necessary. This feature is designed precisely for those who are not comfortable writing long blocks of text at the beginning.
7. Test the Gem in the preview
On the right side of the editor you will find a panel of Preview where you can chat with your Gem while you set it upIt's a kind of simulator that allows you to validate whether they understand their role well and whether they follow the rules you've set.
The idea is to send several typical requests (and a few more unusual ones) and see how it responds. If you notice that the tone isn't what you want, that it's going off on tangents, or that it's not using the files you've uploaded, you can adjust. the instructions or the hot knowledge base and try again.
Spending some time on this testing phase will save you time later, because you'll have the Gem much more fine-tuned before saving it and using it for real tasks.
8. Save and start using your Gem
When you are satisfied with the Gem's behavior, simply click on "Save"From that moment on, it will appear in your list of available Gems and you can open it as if it were any Gemini chat, but with all the rules and knowledge that you have configured.
From there, you can create variations, clone it for other uses, or keep updating its instructions as your needs change. A Gem isn't static: it makes perfect sense to review it from time to time to adapt it to new projects.
Tips for writing truly effective instructions
The key to a good Gem is not the interface, but the quality of the instructions you giveWith a generic text, the result will be inconsistent; with clear and well-thought-out guidelines, you'll have a solid tool for everyday use.
There are several principles that help you get the most out of the configuration: be specific, give context, mark a defined role, include examples, and review frequently based on what you see in the responses.
Be specific and avoid vagueness
Simply asking AI to be "creative" or "good at writing" is too abstract. It's much more effective to write things like: "Use clear, accessible language, avoiding technical jargon, and include practical examples with indicative data." or "maintain a professional tone, avoid jokes and focus on clarity."
The more specific you are, the less the AI will have to improvise. What topics should you prioritize, what approaches should you avoid, and what goals do you have? by using that Gem (inform, convince, teach, entertain, etc.).
Provide context and define the target audience
If you tell the Gem who they are writing or explaining things to, they will be much more accurate. You can clarify that they are speaking to people without technical knowledge, vocational training students, company managers or the general public of social media.
It also helps to clarify the channel where the responses will be used: "for a corporate blog," "for short Instagram posts," "for emails to clients," etc. This contextual information provides guidance. depth, tone, and extension of what AI generates.
Assign a clear role or personality
Gems work best when you give them a relatively specific characterDemanding but empathetic teacher, straightforward business consultant, informal content creator, patient senior programmer, etc. Don't be afraid to mix traits as long as they don't contradict each other.
This role helps the Gem maintain consistency in every interactionInstead of responding randomly based on the current prompt, this is a key part of making it feel like you're always talking to the same entity, not a generic AI.
Includes input and output examples
A very useful trick is to add one or more to the instructions. Examples of how you want me to respondYou write a typical question and show them the ideal type of response (with the format, tone, and level of detail they expect).
These examples serve as an internal reference for Gem and often greatly improve the accuracy of the actual responses, especially when Are you looking for a specific style or a fixed structure?You can update these examples later if you find they don't quite fit your needs.
Edit, test, and readjust
The Gem doesn't need to be perfect the first time. In fact, it's recommended. Review and revise the instructions frequently based on what you observe in actual use.
Every few sessions, he spends a few minutes identifying patterns: where things get sidetracked, what kinds of mistakes are repeated, what he tends to do well and what he doesn't. With that information, he adds or reinforces rules in his instructions to refine the outcome.
Gemini's pricing and plans for using Gems
Although Gems are available with the free account, The actual scope of what you can do with them depends on the Gemini plan you have.Google offers several subscriptions with different capabilities, AI points, and storage.
Gemini free plan
The free plan includes access to the model Gemini 3 Flash and limited use of Gemini 3 Pro, in addition to key functions such as image generation and basic editing, Deep Research, Gemini Live, Canvas and, of course, the creation and use of Gems.
It also offers around 100 AI points per month For tools like Flow and Whisk. It's a great option to get started, experiment with Gems, and cover personal or low-intensity uses without a subscription fee.
Google AI Plus
The Google AI Plus plan is the next step up. It usually has a promotional price for the first few months and a moderate monthly fee afterwardsIt includes everything from the free plan, but significantly expands access to Gemini 3 Pro.
In addition, it offers more AI credits, features of video creation and enhanced image generationand 200 GB of cloud storage. It's a good fit for those who use Gemini fairly often for work, studies, or creative projects.
Google AI Pro
At the next level is Google AI Pro, designed for power users who fully utilize AI toolsThe monthly fee is higher, but in return, the available resources and limits increase dramatically.
This plan includes some 1.000 AI points per monthGreater access and priority in services like Flow, Whisk, and NotebookLM, and 2 TB of storage. If you work daily with long documents, code, analytics, or complex workflows, Gems have much more leeway here.
Google AI Ultra
Finally, the Google AI Ultra plan is focused on large teams, demanding projects, or professionals with very intensive useIts monthly fee is considerable, although it usually has a discount for the first few months.
It includes some 25.000 AI points per monthThis level offers virtually unlimited model and feature capabilities, advanced video generation, access to tools like Deep Think and Gemini Agent, and up to 30 TB of storage. With this level, you can deploy Gems as part of complex and continuous workflows.
Differences between Gemini Gems and ChatGPT GPTs
Both Gems and custom ChatGPTs are looking for the same thing: adapt AI to specific tasks through persistent instructionsHowever, there are important differences in how they integrate with the rest of the functions and what level of control they offer.
Gems are designed to work within the Google ecosystem, with direct access to tools such as Deep Research, Canvas, Flow, Whisk or Gemini LiveThis makes them pieces of a larger system, where you can combine various AI functions in the same workflow.
For their part, ChatGPT's custom GPTs focus on adjusting the conversational behavior of OpenAI models, with a more conversational approach. Advanced prompts, templates, and some additional contextThey tend to offer less granular control over the use of external references or deep integrations.
Another difference is that, in Gemini, The files you add as knowledge have clear priority over general knowledge.This allows Gems to be built very closely tied to specific documentation (manuals, internal policies, syllabi, etc.), whereas in many custom GPTs the use of external files is more limited or managed differently.
In short, if you need a versatile conversational assistant within the OpenAI ecosystem, a custom GPT is a great option. If, on the other hand, you're looking for combining conversational AI with Google tools and a prioritized knowledge baseGemini Gems offer a particularly interesting degree of control and integration.
Best practices and advanced ways of working with Gems
Once you have your first Gems up and running, the next step is to learn how to to squeeze them more strategicallySome users even create Gems to design other Gems, research prompt engineering, and build quite sophisticated systems.
An interesting approach is to use Deep Research to generate Extensive documents on instructional techniques and Gems design philosophyexport them to PDF and then incorporate them as a knowledge base for a "Gem Creator Gem" specializing in helping you set up others.
This type of Gem can guide you on how to define personality, what rules to add, how to structure the response format, and even suggest testing and iterative tuning strategiesIf you combine it with resources on prompt engineering and documentation from your own industry, you'll have an assistant that understands both AI and your area of work.
Beyond these advanced uses, it's worth getting used to document the changes you make to your Gems (especially if you work in a team) and maintain some discipline: note down when you have modified instructions, what problem you wanted to correct and what results you have observed.
As you gain experience, you'll see that the Gems turn into key elements of your daily life with AI, capable of saving you time, standardizing processes and improving the quality of what you produce, whether it be texts, code, business ideas or training materials.
The combination of clear instructions, a well-chosen knowledge base, and Gemini's ecosystem of tools makes these personalized assistants go from being a simple curious experiment to becoming a very serious help, adaptable to your projects and the way you work.
