How to make Gemini act like the old Google Assistant

Google removed Assistant from Android phones and tablets in September 2026, and Gemini now answers in its place. If Gemini talks too much, Android Police says a few settings can bring back the short, quick replies Assistant used to give.

What changed

Assistant is also gone from Wear OS watches and Android Auto. Gemini replaced it everywhere, and many owners are unhappy. Forums and Reddit are full of complaints that quick voice commands now come back as mini-lectures. Android Police is clear that Assistant is not returning. The fix is to make Gemini behave more like it.

Setting 1: Ask for short answers

Open Gemini, then Settings, Personal intelligence, then Instructions for Gemini. Anything typed there becomes a standing rule for every chat. Android Police suggests rules like these:

• Put the answer in the first sentence and never restate the question.
• Keep most replies to one or two sentences unless more detail is requested.
• Confirm commands in a few words, such as "Timer set for 10 minutes."
• Skip greetings, filler and follow-up offers.

One catch: these rules apply to the whole Google account, including typed chats and the web. People who use Gemini for writing or research can limit the rules to quick commands. They can also save long-form preferences as a skill, a feature that replaces Gems this November.

Setting 2: Connect your home and phone

Smart home commands can go wrong. Gemini sometimes treats "Dim the living room lights" as a web search. To fix that, turn on Google Home in Gemini's Connected Apps settings. This gives Gemini access to the same devices as the Google Home app. Keep Activity must be on, or Gemini cannot connect. If it still searches the web, add "@Google Home" to the request.

Google Home cannot set a morning alarm or turn on the flashlight. Those jobs belong to a separate connected app, Device Assistance, which Google renamed from Utilities in August. Turn it on in Connected Apps and Gemini can set timers and silence alarms again.

Setting 3: Skip the unlock

In the Gemini app, open Settings, then Gemini on lock screen, and turn on Use Gemini without unlocking. Without it, the phone asks for a fingerprint or PIN before running commands.

What about routines

The phone side of routines is gone. Smart home automations live in the Automations tab of the Google Home app. They are free to build and can use time, device and presence triggers.