Google has begun rolling out a new feature that connects its Gemini AI assistant with Google Play. Within a Gemini conversation, you can now search for apps that fit your needs, install them on the spot, and even handle in-app purchases or buy gift cards. It replaces the chore of digging through a massive catalog with a simple, natural conversation. The staged rollout began on June 26, 2026.

App discovery that happens inside the conversation

Google Play hosts millions of apps. That abundance is a strength, but it also makes finding the right app feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. The new Google Play connected app aims to untangle that problem through a conversation with Gemini.

The feature covers three core actions: discovering apps, installing the ones you find, and purchasing in-app items or gift cards. Being able to move through all of these without leaving the Gemini chat window is the key difference from the traditional way of hunting for apps.

How it works in practice

You simply ask in everyday language. Type something like "Find a productivity app to help me with meal planning," and Gemini suggests a few apps that match your request. Tap an app's icon and you are taken to its Google Play details page, where you can finish the installation.

Purchases work through conversation, too. Ask "Show me the in-app purchases for [app name]" and the available items appear; say "Buy a Google Play gift card" and you are guided through the digital purchase. The whole loop of finding, installing, and buying happens without bouncing between screens. For anyone who tends to get lost while choosing apps, it could become a reliable helper.

What you need to use it

Handy as it is, there are a few requirements to get started. According to Google, you must be 18 or older, have the Google Play Store app installed on your Android phone, be signed in to Gemini with a personal Google Account, and have "Keep Activity" enabled in your Gemini settings. Workspace accounts for business use and supervised family accounts are excluded for now.

Connecting Google Play is straightforward. Open the Gemini app, make sure you are signed in with the same account you use for Google Play, and ask Gemini to find an app from Google Play. If the connection is not yet set up, Gemini offers to connect, and you simply follow the on-screen steps.

Background and what it signals

This connection did not appear out of nowhere. Google outlined its plan to fold app recommendations into Gemini at its developer event in May 2026, and now that plan has reached the actual release stage as the Google Play connected app. The rollout started on June 26 and will expand to eligible users in stages.

Through "connected apps" that link Gemini to a range of services, Google is working to grow Gemini from a mere chat partner into a companion that gets everyday tasks done. Turning the familiar act of app hunting into a conversation with AI is a clear example of that direction.

Summary

Gemini's Google Play connection lets you handle everything from discovering apps to installing them and making in-app or gift card purchases entirely through conversation. Using it requires being 18 or older, a personal Google Account, and "Keep Activity" turned on, and it has been rolling out in stages since June 26. For anyone looking to cut down on the hassle of choosing apps, it is a feature worth trying.