Gemini Gems: Google retires them in November and they become Skills
Google starts retiring Gemini Gems in November and converts them into Skills. What migrates, how it works and what doesn't.
Gemini Gems start being retired in November 2026: Google automatically converts them into Skills, keeping your instructions and compatible files. According to the schedule Google published between September 27 and 30, retirement starts in November for personal accounts, in March 2027 for business Workspace and in June 2027 for education Workspace.
What happens to your Gemini Gems
Google doesn't delete them: it turns them into something else. A Skill is a saved instruction that Gemini uses in any chat. Your instructions and compatible files carry over on their own, with nothing for you to do. GitHub files aren't migrated.
How a Skill is used
You call it by typing a slash (/) and its name in any chat, and a list of available skills appears.
What Skills can't do
It's not just a rename. According to Google's help page, skills don't work with Canvas or Deep Research, nor with guided learning or video and music creation. If your Gems depend on any of those, that's the first thing to check.
Dates and what isn't clear
- Personal accounts: starting November 2026.
- Business Workspace: March 2027.
- Education Workspace: June 2027.
November 17 appears in the Workspace note as the day Gems move to Settings, and several outlets cite it as the migration start, but the help page gives no single shutdown date. It's also unclear which plans include Skills or whether it's free: the sources contradict each other.
How to apply it in your business?
Instead of waiting for the migration, try your Gems as Skills today and see what breaks. List your most-used Gems, note which depend on Canvas or Deep Research and which use GitHub files, and rebuild those cases before November. If your team is on Workspace you have more time, but start documenting your instructions now.
For another recent Gemini change, read the full breakdown of Gemini Live Avatar.
Frequently asked questions
Are my Gemini Gems deleted?
No. Google automatically converts them into skills, with your instructions and compatible files.
When do Gems go away?
For personal accounts they start being retired in November 2026; for business Workspace, in March 2027; and for education Workspace, in June 2027.
How do I use a skill in Gemini?
Type a slash and the skill's name in any chat.
What doesn't work with skills?
Canvas, Deep Research, guided learning, and video or music creation.
Are GitHub files migrated?
No. GitHub files don't carry over to skills.
Conclusion
Gemini Gems don't just vanish: they become Skills, but with limits. Try them as Skills today and you'll see what breaks before Google retires them in November.