Gemini becomes a study tool: Files in chat, audio and interactive topics

Google announced a series of new features for the Gemini app and Gemini Notebook in September and October 2026. Several of them are aimed at students, but they can also be used by others who work with notes and documents.

Files directly in chat

The Gemini app can now create, display and edit documents, PDFs, presentations, spreadsheets, code and other files directly in chat. That means users no longer have to download a file and upload it again to make changes. The feature was announced on October 29, according to Digital Trends.

One example is a user who uploads photos of handwritten lecture notes and asks Gemini to make a study guide as a PDF. The PDF can be viewed in the chat, and the user can ask for corrections or have individual sections rewritten.

PDFs can be both viewed and edited on web and mobile. Docs, Sheets, presentations, Markdown, text files and code can for now only be edited on web. The feature is rolling out to all Gemini users in the languages and regions where Gemini is available.

Interactive walkthroughs of topics

The Gemini app has gained a library of what Google calls "immersive explorations." These are interactive, visual walkthroughs of a topic, layer by layer, from microscopic systems to deep space. Examples include trade routes on the Silk Road, the inside of a jet engine and the physics of lightning.

Users can find them in the new study hub by selecting "Try immersive explorations." According to Google, they will soon come directly into chat conversations and get audio narration that guides users through each layer. They are available in English, Indonesian, Hindi, Brazilian Portuguese, French and Simplified Chinese. Other languages get an English version, and more languages are planned.

What's new in Gemini Notebook

Gemini Notebook is getting an audio recorder in the mobile app, so users can record lectures and their own thoughts. Google wrote on September 15 that it would arrive "next week." According to Digital Trends, it can record up to one hour at a time and has a pause button. The recording then becomes a source in the notebook, which users can ask questions about.

Google is also planning real-time voice conversations with notebooks in almost 100 languages, with answers based on the user's own sources. They will roll out first to Google AI Ultra subscribers over 18. In addition, Google has planned interactive learning overviews, more quiz formats, flashcards and short video overviews of about 60 seconds in more than 80 languages. These will roll out over the coming weeks.

Free subscription for students

Eligible US university students can get one year of Google AI Pro for free. Students in more than 140 markets outside the US can get one year of Google AI Plus for free. The offer can be redeemed through December 31, 2026.