Gemini connected apps now sit in one place. Google’s Gemini app release of October 13, 2026 added a Customize option to the left menu, where users add skills and connect more than 40 apps or services. It is rolling out globally on the web, mobile, and the Windows and macOS desktop apps, for all user tiers.
The same release built Google Antigravity into the Gemini Mac app. And on October 13, Google’s Workspace Updates blog said skills in the Gemini app had started rolling out to Workspace accounts, with completion expected by mid-November. This piece walks through each part of Customize, which apps connect on a work account, what we would connect or leave off, and what Workspace admins can control.
The short version: on a work or school account, Customize is mostly about skills and Google’s own apps. Nearly every third-party app in Google’s list, from Instacart to Canva to Airtable, is marked for personal accounts only. Custom apps through MCP are personal accounts only too. Admins control Workspace data access in the Admin console. Google says there are no admin controls for skills in the Gemini app.
We covered the change from Gems to skills in Gemini Skills Replace Gems on October 7. This post picks up where that one stopped.
What Customize is and where to find it
Google’s Gemini release notes describe Customize as one place to "tailor how Gemini responds and connects to your everyday tools." You open the left menu and click Customize. If you do not see it on the web, Google’s help page says to click More first.
The release notes name Instacart, OpenTable and Adobe as examples. They also say most connected apps are available in English in the U.S. Select apps work in other English-speaking regions, Brazil and India.
There are limits on who sees it. Google’s Customize help page says "Customize is available for signed-in users 18 and older." On a work account, your administrator must have turned on Gemini access.
Before Customize, Gemini connected apps sat under Settings, and Gems had their own screen. Customize puts apps and skills side by side. That makes it easier for staff to add things, so it is worth knowing what is in there before they do.
The three tabs: Discover, Connectors and Skills
The help page lists three tabs. There is also a search box at the top for finding a specific app or skill.
| Tab | What it shows | What you do there |
|---|---|---|
| Discover | Suggested skills and connected apps | Browse and select Add |
| Connectors | Apps you have connected, plus others you can add | Add, open details, or disconnect an app |
| Skills | Skills you have added, plus others available | Add, edit or turn off a skill |
Connectors. This tab lists your Gemini connected apps. Clicking an app shows its description, what it can and cannot do, and example prompts. To disconnect, you open More options on the app and choose Disconnect. In a chat, you can also type @ and pick an app. If it is not connected yet, Gemini asks for permission.
Skills. These are the saved instructions that replace Gems. Google’s examples are writing in your style and following your formatting rules. You call one with a slash, or Gemini applies it when a prompt matches.
Responses. The release notes say Customize also lets you tailor how Gemini responds. The help page does not describe a separate settings tab for that. As of October 19, we could not confirm what that control looks like.
Which Gemini connected apps work on a work account
Google’s Connected Apps table lists 83 entries when we read it on October 19. That count includes phone-maker apps like Samsung Notes and OPPO Calendar. The release notes’ figure of "more than 40" likely counts differently.
Each row says which accounts can use the app. For most Gemini connected apps from outside Google, the row says "Personal Google Account only." Here is how the apps a nonprofit or agency team might want break down.
| App | Account types | Region and language | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Workspace (Gmail, Drive, Docs, Calendar and more) | Personal, work or school | Where Gemini and Workspace are supported | On by default for work accounts |
| GitHub | Personal, work or school | Where the Gemini web app is supported | Web and Windows only |
| Monday.com | Personal, work or school | English | One of few third-party apps open to work accounts |
| Google Classroom | Work or school only | English | Admin must mark the user as 18 or older |
| Canva, Airtable, Dropbox, Miro, Squarespace, Wix, Webflow, Shopify, Xero, Hootsuite, Otter.ai | Personal only | Mostly US and English | Not available on a work account |
Regional apps follow suit. Zoho CRM and Urban Company are listed for India, and RD Station for Brazil. All are personal accounts only.
For a Workspace user, the practical list is short: Google Workspace, GitHub, Monday.com, YouTube Music, Classroom for schools, and a few Android phone apps. Gemini connected apps that are personal only will not appear for staff signed in with work accounts, so the risk sits with personal accounts used for work.
Custom apps through MCP
Google also lets people connect their own apps by linking a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server. We explained MCP in What Is the Model Context Protocol?
Google’s custom apps help page sets tight limits. You must be 18 or over and in the US. You must sign in with a personal Google account. The page says "this feature isn’t available if you sign in with a work or school Google Account." Custom apps are English only, and you connect them on the web.
Google does not vet custom apps. Its help page says Google “does not control, monitor, or secure third-party MCP servers.” It also says custom apps “may request data beyond what is strictly needed for your request,” and Gemini may share chat content with them. Do not connect a client’s MCP server to a personal account.
One detail looks unsettled. The custom apps page still points to Settings, then Connected Apps. The main connected apps page points to Customize, then Connectors. Expect the help pages to change as the rollout finishes.
What we would connect, and what we would leave off
This is our view of Gemini connected apps for small nonprofits, associations and the agencies that serve them. Your own data rules come first.
Connect on a work account:
- Google Workspace, if your data policy already allows Gemini in Gmail and Drive. It is on by default anyway, so decide on purpose.
- GitHub, for developers who ask Gemini about a repository. Start with one test repository, not client code.
- Skills for repeat work: member email drafts, house style, grant boilerplate.
Leave off, or keep to a pilot:
- Monday.com, until you know which boards hold member or donor data.
- Any skill with reference files that include personal data. A skill copies those files into Gemini.
- Personal accounts used for work. Staff can connect Canva, Dropbox or a custom MCP server there. Your admin settings do not reach those accounts.
The last point matters most. The Customize screen looks the same on both account types. Tell staff in plain terms which account to use for work.
What Workspace admins control for Gemini connected apps
Admins set app access in the Admin console under Menu, Generative AI, Gemini app, then the Apps section. Google’s admin help page lists three settings:
- Workspace apps. “This setting is on by default, meaning users can connect Workspace apps to the Gemini app.” It covers Calendar, Docs, Drive, Gmail, Keep and Tasks.
- Classroom app. On by default for Education customers, only for users designated as 18 or older.
- Other Google apps. Google Maps, YouTube (including YouTube Music), Hotels and Flights.
Each of these Gemini connected apps settings can be set by organizational unit or configuration group. Google says changes "can take up to 24 hours but typically happen more quickly." For non-Google apps, the page says "you can also manage user access to non-Google apps like Gemini for GitHub," and links to the Marketplace app allowlist.
Skills are a gap. Google’s October 13 Workspace update says: "There are no admin controls for skills in the Gemini app." The "Create and use skills" switch we covered on October 7 governs skills in Workspace apps like Docs and Gmail. If you need to limit skills in the Gemini app, you cannot do it there as of this writing.
For other Gemini switches that are on by default, see Gemini defaults in Google Workspace.
The skills rollout: mid-November, with sharing and Drive to come
The October 13 update covers two rollouts.
Skills in the Gemini app started rolling out that day, "with an expected completion by mid-November." Google says they are available to all Workspace customers and personal accounts.
Skills in Workspace apps are delayed. Google had planned to finish Rapid Release by October 12 and start Scheduled Release on October 19. The post says "those rollouts are slightly delayed," and Google will post a new timeline later.
Two features are still missing. Google says that "in the coming weeks" it will add the ability to share Gemini app skills and "an integration with Google Drive." Until sharing arrives, each person builds their own copy of a team skill.
Age rules differ by surface. The update says skills in Workspace are only for users over 18, and skills in the Gemini app "will be available to users of all ages." The Customize help page still says 18 and older. Check again before you write staff guidance for students.
Antigravity in the Gemini Mac app
The same October 13 release built Google Antigravity into the Gemini app for macOS. You click Antigravity at the top of the app, start a coding agent, and approve its plan. The release notes say the agent "builds and tests the code in the background" and notifies you when it is ready to review.
It is available in English for personal accounts and eligible work accounts (18+), in regions where Antigravity is supported. The release notes do not mention Windows.
For agencies, this puts a coding agent one click from a general chat app. That is a different audience from developers who installed Antigravity on purpose. Our Google Antigravity 101 covers the basics, and our post on Antigravity plugins, plan review and sandboxing covers the settings to check. Plan review matters more here, since staff who are not developers may start agents.
Similar moves at OpenAI and Anthropic
Google is not the only one bundling apps and saved instructions. Gemini connected apps have close cousins at both rivals. OpenAI’s custom GPT retirement FAQ says plugins "can bring reusable instructions, reference files, and connected apps together." Custom GPTs retire December 11, 2026. We covered that in Custom GPT Retirement on December 11.
Anthropic calls its version connectors. Claude’s custom connectors help page also uses a Customize, then Connectors path. On Team plans, only Owners and Primary Owners can add custom connectors. Our post on Claude for Google Workspace covers its Google Docs, Sheets and Slides connectors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Customize menu in Gemini?
A new option in the Gemini app’s left menu, released October 13, 2026. It holds three tabs: Discover, Connectors and Skills. You add Gemini connected apps and skills from there.
Who can use Customize?
Google’s help page says signed-in users 18 and older, in a supported language and region. On a work account, an admin must have turned on Gemini access. It is rolling out on web, mobile, Windows and macOS for all tiers.
How many Gemini connected apps are there?
The release notes say more than 40 apps or services. Google’s Connected Apps table listed 83 entries on October 19, including phone-maker apps. Most are available in English in the US.
Can I connect Canva, Dropbox or Airtable on a work account?
No. Google’s table marks those apps “Personal Google Account only.” Work accounts can use Google Workspace, GitHub, Monday.com, YouTube Music and a few Android apps.
Can I connect a custom MCP server to Gemini?
Only on a personal Google account, if you are 18 or over and in the US. It is English only and set up on the web. Google says it does not secure third-party MCP servers.
Can Workspace admins turn off connected apps?
Yes, for Google apps. In the Admin console, go to Generative AI, Gemini app, then Apps. Workspace apps are on by default. Non-Google apps like GitHub are managed through the Marketplace app allowlist.
Can admins control skills in the Gemini app?
Not as of October 2026. Google’s October 13 update says there are no admin controls for skills in the Gemini app. The “Create and use skills” setting covers skills in Workspace apps.
When will skills finish rolling out?
Google expects Gemini app skills to finish by mid-November 2026. Skills in Workspace apps are delayed, with no new date yet. Sharing and Drive integration are due “in the coming weeks.”
What is Antigravity in the Gemini Mac app?
Google’s coding agent, now built into the Gemini app for macOS. Click Antigravity at the top of the app. It is in English for personal accounts and eligible work accounts (18+).
