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Download Gemini for Windows 11 / 10 in 2026: Every Method Compared (PWA, Google App, Native Clients)

Published · By GeminiDesktop Team

Quick download: The fastest native Windows Gemini client is GeminiDesktop for Windows — direct .exe installer (~60 MB), Windows 10/11 64-bit, Alt+Space quick launch, no Microsoft Store account. Free during Public Beta. For the official Google path and every alternative, read on.

You can install Google Gemini on Windows today. But “install” means different things depending on which version you want, because Google did not ship a single canonical native Gemini desktop app for Windows the way they did for Mac. Instead, you have four viable paths, each with different capabilities, different install steps, and different tradeoffs.

This guide walks through every option with exact click-by-click instructions, what you get at the end, what you miss, and how to uninstall cleanly if you want to switch. It covers:

  1. Progressive Web App (PWA) — Google’s officially supported path via Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome.
  2. Google app for desktop — the search client Google shipped on April 14, 2026.
  3. Open-source native wrapper — community-built bwendell/gemini-desktop.
  4. Native third-party client — multi-model desktop apps like GeminiDesktop.app that ship a real Windows binary.

Pick the path that matches your use case; the decision matrix at the end helps if you are unsure.

TL;DR

  • Fastest setup, most compatible, officially supported → PWA via Edge or Chrome. Five minutes.
  • Want a search-launcher with AI → Google app for desktop. Alt+Space, one download.
  • Want a real native Gemini-only Windows app, open source → bwendell/gemini-desktop.
  • Want a real native Windows client with multi-model + NotebookLM → GeminiDesktop.app.
  • None of these are the “Gemini for Windows” app from Google — because that app does not exist yet.

Before you start: system requirements checklist

All four methods assume a modern Windows installation. Double-check you meet these before troubleshooting:

  • Operating system: Windows 10 (version 20H2 or later) or Windows 11. Windows 7 and 8 are not supported by any current Gemini desktop option.
  • Architecture: x64 (Intel / AMD). Windows on ARM (Surface Pro 9/10/11) works for PWAs and WebView-based wrappers; native Tauri builds ship ARM64 binaries for some products.
  • Browser: Microsoft Edge (pre-installed) or Google Chrome — current version.
  • Google account: Required for Gemini access. A personal Gmail works. Google Workspace accounts work if Gemini is enabled by your admin.
  • Network: Gemini requires internet access for every request. There is no offline Gemini client today.
  • Disk space: 50–200 MB for each install, depending on method.

If you are on Windows 10 and considering an upgrade, a later version of Windows 10 gets full PWA support and all Gemini routes work. The version check is less critical than making sure your browser is current.

This is the path we recommend unless you have a specific reason to choose something else. It is the fastest, the most compatible across Windows configurations, officially supported by Google, and gives you 100% of the Gemini web experience inside a standalone window.

What is a PWA?

A Progressive Web App is a website that the operating system treats like a native application after you “install” it. On Windows, that means the site gets its own Start menu entry, its own taskbar icon, its own window (no browser chrome), and — with most browsers — its own isolated process.

PWAs are the lowest-friction way to run web apps as desktop apps. Google’s own Gemini Apps Help page documents the PWA install flow as a supported usage pattern.

Install via Microsoft Edge (Windows 11 default browser)

  1. Open Microsoft Edge. It is pinned to the Windows 11 taskbar by default. On Windows 10, search “Edge” in the Start menu.
  2. Navigate to gemini.google.com.
  3. Sign in with your Google account if you are not already.
  4. Click the three-dot menu in the top right corner of the browser.
  5. Select Apps.
  6. Click Install this site as an app.
  7. A dialog box opens. Confirm the name (“Gemini” by default) and click Install.
  8. Edge will create the app shortcut. A follow-up dialog lets you pin to taskbar, pin to Start, or add a desktop shortcut. Check the options you want.
  9. The PWA launches immediately in its own window.

Install via Google Chrome

  1. Open Google Chrome.
  2. Navigate to gemini.google.com.
  3. Sign in.
  4. Click the three-dot menu in the top right.
  5. Hover over Cast, save, and share (or just Save and share depending on Chrome version).
  6. Click Install page as app.
  7. Confirm the install prompt.
  8. Chrome creates the app shortcut and launches it.

What you get

  • A standalone Gemini window with no browser chrome — looks and feels like a native app.
  • Start menu entry, taskbar icon, desktop shortcut (if you enabled it).
  • Automatic updates through Google (you are always on the latest Gemini web version).
  • Full Gemini capabilities: chat, Canvas, Deep Research, file upload (at Gemini web limits), image generation, Veo video, NotebookLM (via notebooklm.google.com — separate PWA).
  • Works on Windows 10, Windows 11, Intel, AMD, and ARM64.
  • Free. Subscription tiers (AI Plus $7.99/mo, AI Pro $19.99/mo, AI Ultra $249.99/mo) apply as on the web.

What you miss

  • No global hotkey. PWAs cannot register Alt+Space or Option+Space by default. If you want a hotkey, either pin the PWA to the taskbar and use Windows’s built-in Win+1 through Win+9 shortcuts (based on taskbar position), or use a third-party launcher like PowerToys Run or Flow Launcher.
  • No local file system integration. You can drag-and-drop files into the Gemini chat (same as the web app), but there is no persistent file-system access like the Mac app offers.
  • No screen sharing with Gemini. The web app does not support Gemini screen share. This is a Mac-app-only feature at present.
  • Browser memory profile. PWAs on Edge run in an Edge process; on Chrome they run in a Chrome process. Memory overhead is comparable to having a browser tab open.

How to uninstall

  1. Open Settings → Apps → Installed apps (Windows 11) or Apps & features (Windows 10).
  2. Find Gemini in the list.
  3. Click the three-dot menu → Uninstall.
  4. Confirm.

Alternatively, right-click the PWA window’s title bar (or the three-dot menu inside the PWA) to find an Uninstall Gemini option directly.

Method 2: Install the Google app for desktop (Windows)

This is the product Google shipped on April 14, 2026. It is a Google Search client for Windows with Gemini integrated. If your use case is “AI-powered search overlay,” this is the intended tool.

What it is

The Google app for desktop opens with Alt+Space from anywhere on Windows. It shows a search input. You type a query; it returns results that blend web search (with AI Mode powered by Gemini), local file search, Google Drive search, and Lens-style image search. For extended chat interactions, it launches the Gemini web app in your default browser.

It is not a chat-first client. The shell is a search launcher, and Gemini is the AI backend behind the search.

Install steps

  1. Open Microsoft Edge or any browser.
  2. Navigate to www.google.com/desktop or the Google app for desktop landing page referenced in Google’s Windows rollout blog post.
  3. Click Download for Windows.
  4. Run the installer (GoogleAppSetup.exe or similar).
  5. Confirm the Windows security prompt.
  6. The installer completes in under a minute and adds the app to your Start menu.
  7. Press Alt+Space to test.

What you get

  • Alt+Space global search overlay across Windows.
  • AI Mode on every query (Gemini-powered results inline).
  • Local file search across your PC.
  • Google Drive search integrated into the same results.
  • Lens-style image analysis — “ask about this window.”

Known limitations

  • 20 MB file upload cap for attachments. Above that, you get an error.
  • No OneDrive support. Drive search covers Google Drive, not OneDrive.
  • English only at launch.
  • Chat routes to browser. No persistent chat window in the app.
  • Canvas not rendered in-shell. Canvas output opens the Gemini web app.
  • Feature-flagged screen awareness. Some users see it immediately; others are queued.

See our full comparison for how this stacks up against other paths.

How to uninstall

  1. Settings → Apps → Installed apps.
  2. Find Google app for desktop or Google.
  3. Uninstall.

Or use the uninstaller in the Start menu’s Google app folder.

Method 3: Install an open-source native wrapper (bwendell/gemini-desktop)

If you want a true native Windows application for Gemini specifically — not a PWA, not a search client — and you are comfortable with open-source community software, this is the most popular option.

What it is

bwendell/gemini-desktop is a Tauri-based native desktop client for Gemini, maintained on GitHub. It ships Windows, macOS, and Linux binaries. It is a wrapper around the Gemini web interface — not a reimplementation — but it provides real native packaging: proper Windows installer, taskbar presence, configurable global hotkeys, zero telemetry.

Install steps

  1. Open a browser and go to github.com/bwendell/gemini-desktop/releases.
  2. Find the latest release.
  3. Under Assets, download the Windows installer. Look for a filename like gemini-desktop_<version>_x64_en-US.msi or gemini-desktop_<version>_x64-setup.exe.
  4. Verify the download if you are security-conscious: check the SHA-256 against the release notes.
  5. Run the installer. Because this is signed as a community release rather than through Microsoft Store, SmartScreen will warn you. Click More info → Run anyway if you trust the source.
  6. Follow the installer prompts. Default install location is C:\Program Files\Gemini Desktop\.
  7. Launch the app from the Start menu.
  8. Sign in with your Google account.
  9. Configure your preferred global hotkey in Settings → Shortcuts.

What you get

  • A real native Windows .exe application, not a browser-hosted PWA.
  • Global hotkey that you can bind to anything — commonly Alt+Space, but any combination is supported.
  • Spotlight-style Quick Chat overlay mode.
  • Taskbar icon, system tray support, proper window management.
  • Zero telemetry — the app explicitly collects no usage data.
  • Open source — you can audit the code.
  • Cross-platform — same UX on Windows, Mac, Linux.
  • Free.

What you miss

  • Wrapper, not reimplementation. You get whatever the Gemini web app provides, packaged in a better window. No features beyond what Gemini web offers.
  • Gemini only. No multi-model switching.
  • No NotebookLM integration. You would still use the web notebooklm.google.com for that.
  • Community-maintained. Update cadence depends on volunteer time. Not enterprise-supported.

How to uninstall

  1. Settings → Apps → Installed apps.
  2. Find Gemini Desktop (or the name the installer used).
  3. Uninstall.

Or use the uninstaller shortcut that ships in the Start menu folder.

Method 4: Install a native third-party multi-model client

If you want the full “native desktop AI assistant” experience — persistent chat, no file size limits, multiple AI models in one app, NotebookLM-style workspaces, localized UI — and you are willing to use a non-Google product, this is the category.

GeminiDesktop.app is the one we build, so we are biased. We will be explicit about what it does and does not do, and you can evaluate against alternatives.

Install steps (GeminiDesktop.app)

  1. Open a browser and navigate to geminidesktop.app.
  2. Click Download for Windows.
  3. The download is a signed .msi installer (Windows Installer package).
  4. Run the installer. Because this is signed by a trusted certificate authority, SmartScreen should not flag it. If it does, click More info → Run anyway.
  5. Follow the installer prompts. Default install location is C:\Program Files\GeminiDesktop\.
  6. Launch the app from the Start menu.
  7. First-launch setup: choose your authentication method. Options include:
    • OpenRouter OAuth (single sign-on, one subscription gives you access to all models).
    • Gemini API key from AI Studio.
    • Bring your own keys for Claude (Anthropic), GPT (OpenAI).
  8. Configure your preferred global hotkey in Settings → Shortcuts.
  9. Optional: import Claude Code skills, Gemini CLI skills, or existing MCP configurations.

What you get

  • Real native Windows application — Tauri 2.x build, signed MSI installer.
  • No 20 MB file limit. Upload large PDFs, videos, codebases directly.
  • Multi-model access — Gemini 3, Claude Sonnet 4, GPT-5 routing in the same conversation.
  • NotebookLM-style document workspaces integrated natively — not a separate product.
  • Configurable global hotkeys — Alt+Space, Ctrl+Space, or any combination.
  • Local file integration — drag folders in as Notebook projects, direct access to ~/Documents and similar paths.
  • Localized UI — Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and more (important for markets excluded from Google’s English-only Windows app).
  • Gemini + Claude + GPT in one app — no need to switch between three separate desktop clients.

What you miss

  • Third-party product. Not made by Google. For Gmail, Google Calendar, or Google Workspace deep linking, use first-party Google apps.
  • Subscription for Pro tier. Free trial exists; Pro tier includes Gemini quota without BYOK; Starter tier is a one-time $7.99 unlock with BYOK.
  • Subject to Gemini API availability. When Google has an outage, Gemini requests fail everywhere, including in third-party clients.

How to uninstall

  1. Settings → Apps → Installed apps.
  2. Find GeminiDesktop.
  3. Uninstall.

The uninstaller removes the app but leaves your local conversation history in %APPDATA%\GeminiDesktop\ unless you explicitly opt to delete data. This is so you can reinstall without losing conversations.

Troubleshooting common install problems

“This app can’t run on your PC”

Cause: Your Windows version is below the minimum (usually Windows 10 20H2 or earlier), or you downloaded a build for the wrong architecture (e.g., an ARM64 installer on an x64 machine).

Fix: Check Settings → System → About for your Windows version and architecture, then re-download the matching installer.

SmartScreen blocks the installer

Cause: Windows Defender SmartScreen blocks executables it does not recognize. Community and smaller vendor releases often hit this even when they are safe.

Fix: Click More info → Run anyway if you trust the source. For enterprise environments, your IT department can add the installer’s signing certificate to the allowlist.

PWA shows as a browser tab instead of a standalone window

Cause: Your browser did not complete the install, or your shortcut opens the web URL rather than the PWA directly.

Fix: Uninstall the existing shortcut, re-run the PWA install flow, and make sure to click the “Install” button in the browser’s menu rather than “Bookmark” or “Save.”

Global hotkey conflicts

Cause: Multiple Windows applications claim the same hotkey. Alt+Space is common (Google app for desktop, some launchers, some window managers). Ctrl+Space is often used by input method editors for CJK languages.

Fix: In each app’s settings, assign a unique hotkey. Popular non-conflicting choices on Windows: Ctrl+Shift+G, Win+G, Alt+Shift+Space.

Gemini sign-in fails

Cause: Corporate Google Workspace accounts sometimes have Gemini disabled at the admin level, or the PWA / native client is running in a restricted network.

Fix: Confirm Gemini is enabled for your Workspace account by visiting gemini.google.com in a regular browser first. If that works but the app fails, check your corporate firewall for blocked domains.

Decision matrix

Use the PWA if: You want the simplest setup, you are on Windows 10/11, you do not need a global hotkey, and you want guaranteed compatibility and the complete Gemini web feature set.

Use the Google app for desktop if: Your primary use case is AI-powered search and quick lookups, you do not need persistent chat, and you accept the 20 MB file cap and English-only UI.

Use bwendell/gemini-desktop if: You want a real native Windows Gemini app specifically (not multi-model), you value open-source auditable code, and you are comfortable with community-maintained software.

Use GeminiDesktop.app if: You want a full native Windows experience with no file size limits, you need Gemini + Claude + GPT in one app, you want NotebookLM-style workspaces on your desktop, or you are in a non-English market excluded from Google’s Windows rollout.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an official Gemini desktop app for Windows from Google?

No. As of April 17, 2026, Google has not shipped a dedicated native Gemini app for Windows. The Google app for desktop is a search client, not a chat client. For more detail, see the pillar post.

Can I install Gemini on Windows without a browser?

Not fully — Gemini runs as a web service, so every desktop client talks to Google’s servers over HTTPS. But you can run Gemini in an app window that does not feel like a browser. Native clients (Methods 3 and 4) give you the most app-like experience.

Will my Gemini conversations sync across devices?

Yes, when you are signed into the same Google account. The conversation history is stored server-side by Google and appears on all Gemini surfaces — web, PWA, Mac app, Google app for desktop. Third-party clients that connect to Gemini’s API may maintain separate local history (check the app’s documentation).

Is installing Gemini on Windows safe?

Installing from Google’s official domains is safe. Installing from the Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome PWA flow is safe. Installing from GitHub releases of reputable open-source projects (like bwendell/gemini-desktop) is safe if you verify the release signatures. Installing from third-party vendor sites requires standard due diligence — check for HTTPS, valid signing certificates, and community reputation.

How much does Gemini on Windows cost?

The Gemini models themselves are free at the base tier. Advanced tiers (AI Plus $7.99/mo, AI Pro $19.99/mo, AI Ultra $249.99/mo) apply to the Gemini service regardless of which Windows client you use. Third-party native clients may have their own subscription tiers on top (e.g., GeminiDesktop.app Pro for bundled Gemini quota).

Can I use Gemini on Windows without a Google account?

No. Every path requires a Google sign-in because Gemini is a Google service.

Looking for a true native Windows Gemini client? Download GeminiDesktop.app — Tauri-native build, no 20 MB file limit, Gemini + Claude + GPT, NotebookLM workspaces included.