Google has opened file creation and editing inside Gemini chats to all Gemini users, starting on the day it announced the feature. Users can now generate, preview and edit PDFs, Google Docs, Google Sheets, slides, Markdown, TXT and code files without leaving the conversation. PDF preview and editing work on both web and mobile, but the other formats are web-only for the time being.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| What | File creation, preview and editing inside Gemini chats |
| Who | Google; available to all Gemini users |
| When | Available from the day of the announcement (per The Verge) |
| Supported formats | PDF, Google Docs, Google Sheets, slides, Markdown, TXT, code (seven in total) |
| Platforms | PDF on web and mobile; the other six formats web-only for now |
What happened
Google extended Gemini so that files it generates can be edited without leaving the Gemini app. According to The Verge, Gemini first supported creating and downloading files earlier this year. The new step lets users change those files directly in the chat window. The seven supported formats are PDF, Google Docs, Google Sheets, slide decks, Markdown, TXT and code.
The file editing view can be expanded to full screen. Google’s description says users can drag to select text inside a file, then ask Gemini a question about that part or request a change to it. Google’s own example is selecting a table in a document and asking Gemini to turn it into a chart.
Why it matters
The main change for Gemini users is where the work happens. Until now, Gemini could create a file and let you download it, but you could not edit that file inside the Gemini app. With this update, creating a file, previewing it and asking for changes can all happen in one Gemini conversation.
The way edits are requested has changed too. Instead of addressing the whole document, you can ask questions about, or request changes to, the specific text or table you have selected. Because you point at the part you want changed, it seems likely that users will find it easier to decide the scope of an edit themselves.
Background and context
This is not the first way to edit files with Gemini. Google has already built Gemini into its Workspace apps, such as the Gemini bar in Google Docs, so people can work on files with AI inside each app. The new feature approaches the same task from the other direction: files are created and edited from the Gemini chat itself rather than from a Workspace app.
Competitors have shipped something similar. Earlier this year, Anthropic launched a feature in Claude chat for creating and editing documents and presentations. With Google’s update, two major AI chatbots now let users create and revise documents inside the chat window.
What to watch
If you use Gemini, you can try this now in the web version. One approach is to ask Gemini for a report draft or a document containing a table, then select only the paragraph or table you want to change and ask for the edit. On mobile, only PDF preview and editing are available at the moment, so work on Google Docs, Sheets or slides is better done on the web.
One thing to follow is how far the Gemini mobile app’s support will go. The Verge reported that formats other than PDF are web-only “for now,” but no timing has been given for expansion to mobile. It is also worth watching how Google divides the roles of the editing feature in Gemini chat and the Gemini features inside its Workspace apps.
