How to Use Gemini’s ‘Ask in Drive’ Feature on Your Mobile

Ever wished you could ask a smart assistant to summarise a PDF while you’re on the train, or pull key points from a shared spreadsheet during a quick coffee break? The new Ask Gemini in Drive feature lets you do exactly that straight from the Google Drive Android or iOS app. Below is a practical guide to getting the most out of this AI‑enhanced workspace on your phone.

1. Enable the feature in the mobile app

1. Open the Google Drive app and tap the three‑dot menu in the top‑right corner.
2. Choose Settings → AI features → Ask Gemini in Drive and toggle it on.
3. If prompted, sign in with your Google account and grant permission for the app to read files.

Note: The first time you enable it, the app may download a small language model (LLM – large language model, the same technology that powers ChatGPT) to run locally for faster responses.

2. Start a conversation with Gemini

1. Navigate to any file – a PDF, Google Doc, Sheet, or even a folder containing several items.
2. Tap the AI icon (a friendly chat bubble) that now appears near the file name.
3. Type a prompt such as “Summarise the main points of this report” or “What action items are listed in the attached agenda?”

Prompt: the instruction you give to an AI. Think of it as the question you’d ask a colleague.

Gemini will open a dedicated chat pane anchored to that file, letting you continue a multi‑turn conversation – you can ask follow‑up questions without re‑selecting the document each time.

3. Make the most of context‑aware replies

Because Gemini can see the whole document (or group of files) you’re referencing, its answers are high‑context – they’re grounded in the actual content rather than a generic web search. Here are a few handy ways to use this:

• Quick summaries – ask “Give me a two‑sentence summary of this research paper.”
• Data extraction – for a spreadsheet, try “What were the sales totals for Q2?”
• Action recommendations – with a meeting agenda, say “What decisions need to be made at the next meeting?”

If Gemini isn’t sure, it will say so, and you can re‑phrase the request to narrow the focus.

4. Keep the conversation tidy

Each chat is linked to the file you started it from, so you can:

• Pin important replies for easy reference later.
• Copy a Gemini answer directly into an email or a new document.
• Delete the chat once you’re done, ensuring no lingering AI‑generated notes stay on your device.

Wrap‑up

Gemini’s Ask feature turns your mobile Drive into a focused AI assistant that reads, summarises and suggests actions directly from your files. By enabling the feature, practising a few prompts, and using the chat pane to keep track of answers, you’ll save time on both personal errands and professional projects. Try it today: open a document on your phone, tap the AI icon, and ask Gemini for a summary. You’ll instantly see how much smoother your workflow can become.