Google switches free Gemini users to automatic model selection and adds effort levels
Google has updated the Gemini app so free-plan users can only use an automatic "Auto" model setting, while all users gain three new effort levels for response depth.
Google announced that free-plan users of its Gemini app will no longer be able to manually choose a model. The only option in the model picker is now "Auto," which routes prompts to the Gemini 3 series models, primarily using the fast "Flash-Lite" model and escalating to larger models for more complex queries. > "Gemini will use auto model selection to send each prompt to the Gemini model that suits it best. Most prompts will go to Flash-Lite, our fastest model. Prompts that need deeper reasoning may go to Flash or Pro," the company said.
The change also introduces three "effort levels"—Low, Medium, and High—replacing the previous "Extended" setting. These levels correspond to quick, balanced, and thorough response styles, mirroring the "thinking levels" used in Google AI Studio and Antigravity. The new settings are being rolled out to the majority of free accounts and will be available to all subscribers. Google AI Plus users will soon be limited to the Flash-Lite and Flash models.
The update appears to be progressing rapidly, with most free accounts receiving the changes within hours of the rollout.