Since its Bard days, Google has required users to log into their Google account to use its AI-powered chatbot. This remained the case even with the rebranding to Gemini and the release of new models. However, in a change of direction, the company has now removed the mandatory Google account login requirement—at least on the web.
You can now directly interact with Google's AI chatbot on the Gemini website (via 9to5Google) without signing in. Previously, logging into your Google account was necessary to start chatting with Gemini. However, you won’t get the full experience without being signed in.
Without logging into your Google account, you’ll be limited to using the Gemini 2.0 Flash model, which Google markets as "Get everyday help." Other models, like Gemini's 2.0 Flash Thinking, Deep Research, and Personalization, are available on the web but require signing in to access.
Additionally, features like file uploads and chat history are unavailable until you log in. Without chat history, closing the Gemini tab will end your conversation permanently, and you’ll have to start fresh the next time you use the chatbot.
While signing in offers a more complete experience with Gemini, you can still have a private conversation by opening an incognito tab in your browser. This is especially important after a recent study suggested that Google Gemini collects more personal data than its competitors.
Though this is a small change, it should help Google attract more new users by making it easier to try out Gemini. For comparison, OpenAI allows you to use ChatGPT without creating an account, though it also restricts features like file uploads and advanced reasoning to logged-in users.
It's important to note that Google has only removed the account requirement for Gemini on the web. On Android and iPhone, you still need to be signed into your Google account to use the chatbot.
Given how integrated Gemini is into Android, it’s unlikely that the option to use the chatbot without a Google account will come to the mobile app. While Google could offer an incognito mode, this seems improbable considering Gemini’s reliance on personal data collection.