How to Use Gemini on Your Desktop to Work Across Your Apps and Save Time

Key Takeaways

• You can now download the Gemini app directly onto both Windows and Mac computers, rather than having to keep opening Gemini in your browser.

• On Windows, you can quickly bring up Gemini using Alt + Space. On Mac, use Option + Space.

• Gemini can connect with apps such as Gmail, Google Drive, Docs, Calendar and other Google services, depending on your account and available features.

• You can ask Gemini to find information from your emails and files, summarise it, draft content and help you complete everyday tasks.

• For tourism and hospitality businesses, this could be particularly useful for finding booking enquiries, locating client information, drafting replies and pulling together marketing information.

• Gemini Spark takes this a step further by working through more complex, multi-step tasks using connected apps and, on supported devices, files and folders you give it permission to access.

• Connected apps and available features vary depending on your device, Google account, location and Gemini plan, so check what is available inside your own account.

AI is starting to move out of the browser and onto our actual computers.

And that is quite a big deal.

Instead of having to stop what you are doing, open a new browser tab, find Gemini, copy information across, ask your question and then copy the answer back again, you can now have Gemini sitting directly on your Windows PC or Mac.

You simply press a keyboard shortcut, ask Gemini what you need and carry on working.

For busy tourism and hospitality business owners, where you might be jumping between booking enquiries, emails, marketing campaigns, documents, photographs and customer information all day, I think this is where things start getting really interesting.

In this tutorial, I'll show you how to download Gemini onto your computer, connect it to the apps you use and demonstrate a very simple example of getting Gemini to find a booking enquiry in Gmail, draft a reply and send it.

In This Tutorial You'll Learn

I'll show you:

• Where to download the Gemini desktop app

• How to install Gemini on Windows and Mac

• How to open Gemini using a keyboard shortcut

• How to connect Gemini to your apps

• How to get Gemini to find an email for you

• How to draft an email response

• How Gemini can send an email through Gmail

• How to check which apps Gemini can access

• How Gemini could help with marketing and everyday administration

• What Gemini Spark is and how it differs from a normal Gemini chat

• Practical ways tourism and hospitality businesses could use Gemini on their computers

• Some of the important privacy and access considerations you need to know

This is not about adding another AI tool to your already overflowing technology stack.

It is about reducing the number of steps between what you are working on and the AI that can help you do it.

Why Gemini on Your Desktop Matters

Most of us currently use AI something like this.

You're working on an email.

You need some help.

You open ChatGPT or Gemini in another browser tab.

You copy the information across.

You write your prompt.

You get your answer.

Then you copy it back into wherever you were originally working.

That doesn't sound like much, but repeat that process 20 or 30 times throughout your day and there is a lot of jumping backwards and forwards.

The Gemini desktop app starts removing some of that friction.

Once installed, Gemini is available directly from your desktop.

On Windows, press:

Alt + Space

On Mac, press:

Option + Space

And Gemini appears.

You can type your prompt, or in supported experiences use voice, and ask for help without having to go looking for Gemini first.

How cool is that?

Where to Download Gemini for Your Desktop

You can download Gemini directly from Google.

Download Gemini for desktop:
gemini.google/desktop

Google will direct you to the appropriate version for your computer.

For Windows, Google currently requires Windows 10 or later, at least 8 GB of RAM, 200 MB of available storage and an internet connection.

For Mac, you currently need macOS Sequoia 15.0 or later, at least 8 GB of RAM and 200 MB of available storage.

You will also need a Google account that has access to Gemini.

Step-by-Step: How to Install and Use Gemini on Your Desktop

Step 1: Download the Gemini Desktop App

Go to:

Download Gemini for Desktop

Choose the appropriate version for your computer.

If You're Using Windows

Click Download.

Gemini will download an installation file called:

GeminiSetup.exe

You'll normally find this in your Downloads folder.

Double-click the file and follow the instructions on your screen to install Gemini.

Once installed, open your Start menu, find Gemini and sign in using your Google account.

You may also want to pin Gemini to your taskbar if you prefer having it permanently visible.

If You're Using a Mac

Go to Google's Gemini download page and choose the Mac version.

The installer will download as a .dmg file.

Open the file, drag Gemini into your Applications folder and then open Gemini from Applications.

Sign in with your Google account when prompted.

Step 2: Learn the Gemini Keyboard Shortcut

This is one of my favourite parts because you don't actually need to go hunting for Gemini every time you want to use it.

Windows

Press:

Alt + Space

Mac

Press:

Option + Space

The Gemini window will appear and you can start asking it questions.

On Mac, Google also allows you to customise the shortcut from Gemini's settings if you would prefer a different key combination.

This means you can be working on something completely different and quickly bring Gemini into your workflow when you need it.

Step 3: Connect Gemini to the Apps You Want It to Use

This is where Gemini becomes much more useful.

Rather than Gemini simply answering questions from the internet or from information you paste into it, you can allow it to work with supported connected apps.

Open Gemini and go to:

Settings → Personal Intelligence → Connected Apps

Depending on your account, you may see connections to Google services such as:

• Gmail

• Google Drive

• Google Docs

• Google Calendar

• Google Keep

• Google Tasks

• Google Sheets

• Google Slides

• Google Photos

• YouTube

• Google Maps

• Google Flights

• Google Hotels

The exact apps and actions available to you can vary according to your account, location, device and Gemini plan.

You remain in control of the connections, and you can disconnect apps again through the Connected Apps settings.

Pro Hack

When writing a Gemini prompt, you can also type @ and select a particular connected app when that feature is available.

For example, if you specifically want Gemini to look in Gmail, selecting Gmail can make it clearer where you want it to search.

Step 4: Ask Gemini to Find an Email for You

Here's the example I demonstrated in my tutorial.

Imagine you're running an accommodation business.

Someone phones and says:

"Hi, I sent you an email about staying with you in October. Did you receive it?"

You know you've seen it.

But where on earth has it gone?

You could start searching Gmail, trying different names, dates and keywords.

Or you can bring up Gemini and simply ask it.

In my example, I asked Gemini:

"Can you go into my Gmail account and pull out the email that says 'Test fake booking' from someone called Victoria Ludemann? Can you please find it and pull it up for me?"

Gemini searched my Gmail and found the exact booking enquiry I was looking for.

The email asked about availability for a couple wanting to stay from the 10th to the 18th of October.

Think about how useful this could be when you have hundreds or thousands of emails sitting in your inbox.

Step 5: Ask Gemini to Draft the Reply

Once Gemini had found the booking enquiry, I didn't need to start another task.

I simply continued the conversation and asked it to draft my reply.

For example:

"Yes please. Can you draft an email saying that we do have availability, the rate is $250 per night, and ask whether they would like us to reserve those dates?"

Gemini then created the email response for me.

You could obviously give it more information if required, such as:

• Room type

• Cancellation conditions

• What's included

• Check-in and check-out times

• Breakfast options

• Booking links

• Special offers

• Deposit requirements

• Dietary information

• Anything else relevant to that particular guest

Step 6: Review Before You Send

This bit is important.

AI is there to help you, not replace your judgement.

Read the email.

Check the dates.

Check the rate.

Make sure the information is correct.

Make sure it actually sounds like you.

Then send it.

In my demonstration, I asked Gemini to send the email through Gmail.

Initially, it looked as though nothing had happened, which gave me a little moment of wondering whether it had actually worked!

But after giving Gmail a little time to update, the sent email appeared correctly in my Gmail account.

So don't panic if something doesn't appear instantaneously.

More importantly, always check important actions before assuming they have been completed.

Practical Ways Tourism and Hospitality Businesses Could Use Gemini Desktop

The booking enquiry example is just one very simple use case.

Once Gemini can work with the information and apps you give it access to, there are plenty of other possibilities.

Find Guest or Customer Emails

Instead of manually searching through your inbox, you could ask:

"Find the email from the Australian couple who enquired about staying in February and asked whether we have EV charging."

Find Missing Marketing Information

A colleague says:

"I sent you all the photographs and copy for the spring campaign last month."

Instead of hunting through folders and emails, ask Gemini to help find them.

Consolidate Campaign Information

You may have:

• A campaign brief in Google Docs

• Images in Google Drive

• Previous campaign emails in Gmail

• Data in Google Sheets

• Notes from meetings

• Competitor information from the web

You could ask Gemini to pull the relevant information together and help you turn it into one campaign plan.

Research Competitors

Ask Gemini to research competitors, compare offers, identify common themes and help you see where there may be gaps or opportunities in the market.

Don't simply accept its conclusions. Use the AI to help you research and organise the information, then apply your own knowledge of your business and customers.

Create Marketing Content

Once Gemini has the relevant context, you could ask it to turn your information into:

• Email campaigns

• Social media posts

• Blog ideas

• Guest communications

• Promotional offers

• Marketing plans

• FAQs

• Website content

• Video ideas

Find Information From Your Own Content

If you've produced videos on YouTube, stored documents in Drive or have information spread across your Google Workspace, Gemini can help you find and work with that information rather than continually starting from scratch.

That's where this becomes really useful.

What Is Gemini Spark?

Gemini Spark takes the idea considerably further.

Rather than simply asking Gemini a question and getting an answer, Spark is designed to work through more complicated, multi-step tasks.

It can use available connected apps and Google services to help complete a workflow rather than just one isolated action.

On Mac, for example, you can specifically give Spark access to folders on your computer.

You could potentially ask it to analyse, organise, rename or modify files within folders you have chosen to connect.

Spark can also work with Google Workspace services such as Gmail, Drive, Docs, Calendar, Sheets, Slides and Tasks, along with other supported services and apps.

This is where we start moving from:

"AI, answer this question for me."

to:

"AI, here's the job I need done. Work through the steps with me."

That's a significant shift.

A Word of Caution With AI Agents

As AI gains the ability to take actions rather than simply provide answers, we also need to become more careful about what access we give it.

If you're allowing an AI agent to access files, emails, folders or business information, please take a moment to understand the permissions you're granting.

Google itself warns that Gemini Spark can make mistakes and, when given the appropriate permissions, may be able to edit, share or delete files.

So don't blindly connect everything.

Start small.

Give it access to what it genuinely needs.

Review important actions.

And please don't enter passwords, payment information or sensitive login credentials directly into AI task threads.

Human First, AI Enabled.

The AI can do more of the work, but you remain in control.

Victoria's Take

I think the bigger story here isn't simply that Google has created another Gemini app.

It's where AI is moving.

For the last few years, most of us have thought of AI as a website we visit.

We open ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude or another AI platform, ask it something, get our answer and then go back to whatever we were doing.

That's changing.

AI is increasingly being built into the actual places where we work.

The closer the AI gets to our emails, documents, files, photographs, calendars and everyday software, the less copying, pasting, searching and jumping between platforms we potentially have to do.

For small tourism and hospitality businesses, that could mean spending less time hunting for information and doing repetitive administration, and more time actually looking after guests and growing the business.

And that, for me, is where this gets exciting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Download Gemini Onto My Windows Computer?

Yes. Google now provides a Gemini desktop app for Windows. You currently need Windows 10 or later, at least 8 GB of RAM and approximately 200 MB of free storage.

You can download it from:

Google Gemini Desktop

Is There a Gemini Desktop App for Mac?

Yes. Google also provides a native Gemini app for Mac.

Your Mac currently needs macOS Sequoia 15.0 or later, at least 8 GB of RAM and approximately 200 MB of available storage.

You can download Gemini for Mac through Google's official Gemini desktop page.

What Is the Gemini Keyboard Shortcut on Windows?

Once Gemini is installed and running, press:

Alt + Space

This quickly opens the Gemini chat window.

What Is the Gemini Keyboard Shortcut on Mac?

Press:

Option + Space

to bring up Gemini on your Mac.

Google also allows you to customise this shortcut through the Gemini app settings.

Can Gemini Read My Gmail?

Gemini can work with Gmail when the relevant Google Workspace connection is available and you have given Gemini permission to use it.

This means you can ask Gemini to help find information from emails and use that information to answer questions or assist with tasks.

Can Gemini Search My Google Drive?

Yes, where Google Workspace is connected and the feature is available to your account, Gemini can work with information from Google Drive and other Workspace services.

This can be particularly handy when you know you've saved something somewhere but can't remember where!

Can Gemini Send Emails for Me?

Gemini can perform supported Gmail actions when the appropriate connection and permissions are available.

However, I would still recommend reviewing important emails and checking your Sent folder afterwards, particularly when you're first using the feature.

Does Gemini Work With Microsoft Outlook and Word?

Gemini's available Connected Apps are changing, and availability can vary according to account, plan, device and location.

Google is also expanding third-party and custom app connections, particularly through Gemini Spark.

Rather than assuming a particular third-party app is available, open:

Settings → Personal Intelligence → Connected Apps

That will show you the connections currently available to your account.

What Is the Difference Between Gemini and Gemini Spark?

Think of normal Gemini as the AI you talk to for help with questions and individual tasks.

Gemini Spark is designed to take on more complicated workflows involving multiple steps, connected services and, in supported desktop environments, files and folders you specifically allow it to access.

In simple terms:

Gemini helps you do a task.

Gemini Spark can help work through a workflow.

Is Gemini Desktop Free?

You can use Gemini with eligible Google accounts, but specific models, Connected Apps and advanced features can depend on your account, plan, device, region and availability.

Because Google continues to update Gemini rapidly, check what is shown in your own account before upgrading specifically for one feature.

Is It Safe to Connect Gemini to My Business Apps?

Connecting AI to business systems can be incredibly useful, but you should understand what information and actions you are giving it access to.

Only connect services you genuinely need, review the permissions and continue checking important AI-generated work before sending, publishing, deleting or changing business information.

Ready to Try Gemini on Your Desktop?

If you'd like to try it yourself, you can download the official Gemini desktop app here:

Download Gemini for Windows or Mac

Start with something simple.

Try finding an email you know exists, ask Gemini to summarise a document, locate some information in your Drive or help draft a response.

Then start looking at the repetitive jobs you do every day.

Because the question isn't really:

"What can Gemini do?"

The much more useful question is:

"What am I doing repeatedly that Gemini could help me do faster?"

That's where the time savings start to add up.