Google Gemini Free App Users Now Restricted to Automatic Models Only

Google has officially announced a major and significant change to the Gemini application experience for users subscribed to the free tier. The available model options have been noticeably restricted to the automatic operation mode only, removing the ability to manually switch between different models.

Details of the New Changes in the Free Gemini App

Users without a paid plan can no longer switch models inside the application. Officially, their only available option in the model selection menu is the "Auto" mode based on Gemini 3 models. Previously, Google support documents indicated that this mode relies on the Flash-Lite (3.5) model, while the new description may point to the possibility of accessing more than one model depending on the nature and prompt submitted by the user.

At the same time, Google is rolling out new thinking levels as a replacement for the previous "Extended" option. These three new options directly align with Google systems such as Antigravity and AI Studio, categorized as follows:

• Low: Fast and efficient
• Medium: Balanced depth
• High: Additional and comprehensive accuracy

Many users have already noticed this new change applied to the vast majority of free accounts, demonstrating Google's speed in deploying and rolling out this technical update across its various platforms.

The new thinking levels will soon be available to all subscribers, although they have not seen a widespread rollout at this moment, while Google AI Plus plan users will soon be restricted to using the Flash-Lite and Flash (3.8) models.

What does the new update mean for free Gemini app users?

The update means that free users no longer have the freedom to choose a specific artificial intelligence model, as the models have been merged into a single automatic option that handles requests programmatically.

Are the new thinking levels available to all subscribers?

Google is currently working on gradually providing the new thinking levels to all subscribers, despite not having a wide and comprehensive rollout yet.

What are the designated models for Google AI Plus plan users?

Google AI Plus subscribers will soon be restricted to using only the Flash-Lite and Flash models.

🔎 These continuous updates demonstrate Google's desire to organize user experiences between free and paid plans, directing artificial intelligence capabilities in a way that ensures performance efficiency and fast response times for all different audience segments.