Google Is Tweaking Gemini’s Prompt Box… Again

It has only been a few days since the Gemini app’s redesigned UI went live on Android, bringing a new swipe-to-access gesture for Gemini Live, paired with a new layout for the app’s toolbar.

The change reverts the app’s ‘+’ menu back to its old list layout, alongside the app’s prompt box chips have been rearranged. The latter tweaked the toolbar to list Veo’s video generation first, followed by Deep Research — a change likely made because of Veo 3’s surge in popularity.

However, consistency might be fleeting, with the prompt box’s toolbar now reportedly on its way out.

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The toolbar currently lists ‘Video’ and ‘Research’ for quick access, with ‘Canvas’ hidden behind the accompanying three-dot menu. Google wants to change that. In an attempt to declutter the prompt box, Google is testing putting all three mentioned tools behind an overflow menu.

As highlighted by the folks over at Android Authority after looking into a new Google app beta build, the tweak would consolidate the shortcuts under a single and aptly named “Tools” button.

Source: Android Authority

Old (left), new (right)

Tapping on the upcoming Tools button will highlight the familiar UI that was previously hidden behind the three-dot overflow menu. It will list Video, Deep Research, and Canvas, in that order from top to bottom.

Once you select one of the three tools, a corresponding chip will appear directly within the compose box. This should serve as a clear indicator pointing at the tool you’re using, as seen in the screenshots below.

Source: Android Authority

Tapping the ‘x’ next to the active tool’s name will let users intuitively hop off the mode. However, a slightly larger ‘x’ icon could have made the process all the more effortless.

For what it’s worth, the new UI isn’t live just yet, and it isn’t entirely clear when it will roll out widely for general users. Early testing for it comes soon after Google began rolling out ‘Scheduled Actions’ to Gemini.

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