How to use Nano Banana in the Gemini app?
Open the Gemini app, tap the image or 'Create image' tool, and type what you want in plain language. To edit, upload a photo or use a result and give a conversational instruction like 'change the sofa to blue.' You can blend up to three images, keep characters consistent, and refine one detail at a time. It's free with daily limits.
Why — the first-principles explanation
The Gemini app is the most user-friendly door to Nano Banana, designed so you never touch technical settings. It works as a chat: you describe an image, Gemini generates it, and you keep talking to refine it. Because the model is built on Gemini's language reasoning, everyday sentences work better than keyword lists.
The app leans on conversational editing. Instead of layers and brushes, you say 'make the background a beach' or 'remove the hat,' and the model changes only that while keeping the rest stable. Google highlights a few signature moves: change a single detail (like a sofa's color) without disturbing the scene, restore or transform photos (old-photo repair, sketch-to-realistic), and turn a portrait into a figurine with one prompt.
A key app feature is combining images — you can merge up to three uploads to blend patterns, objects, or a person into a new scene. This is how you place yourself somewhere new or mix a style reference with a subject. The app also preserves character likeness across edits, so the same face carries through outfit and scene changes.
The workflow to remember: describe, generate, then refine conversationally. Free use has daily limits and a visible sparkle watermark; upgrading to a Google AI plan raises limits, unlocks the Pro model, and (on Ultra) removes the visible mark.
An example that makes it click
Using Nano Banana in the Gemini app is like having a chat with a designer friend who draws instantly. You text 'make a birthday card with a golden retriever wearing a party hat.' It appears. You reply 'add balloons and make it say Happy Birthday Mia.' It updates. Then you send a photo of your actual dog and say 'use this dog instead,' and it swaps in your pet while keeping everything else. No menus, no tools — just messages back and forth.
How to do it
- Open the Gemini app (gemini.google.com or mobile) and sign in with a Google account.
- Tap the image / 'Create image' option and type a clear, full-sentence prompt.
- Press send and wait a few seconds for the generated image.
- To edit, upload a photo or use your result and give a conversational instruction like 'change the sky to sunset.'
- Combine up to three images to blend subjects, styles, or scenes.
- Refine one detail at a time, then download; upgrade for higher limits, the Pro model, or no watermark.
Key facts
- Nano Banana is used in the Gemini app through conversational text prompts, no technical settings needed.
- You can change a single detail without disturbing the rest of the scene.
- The app lets you combine up to three images into a new creation.
- It preserves character likeness across outfit, pose, and scene changes.
- Free use has daily limits and a visible sparkle watermark; paid plans raise limits and add Pro.
Google's Gemini image model (nicknamed Nano Banana), known for consistent edits.
Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no cost to you.▶ The 60-second explainer (script)
Here's how to use Nano Banana right inside the Gemini app. Open the app on your phone or browser, sign in, and tap the create-image option. Then just type what you want, like 'a cozy reading nook with a cat by the window.' It generates in seconds. The magic is that it's conversational — to change something, you don't hunt through menus, you just say 'make it nighttime' or 'remove the lamp,' and it edits only that part. You can upload your own photo to edit it, blend up to three images together, and it'll keep the same character's face across different scenes and outfits. Google's favorite tricks include recoloring a single object, restoring old photos, and turning a portrait into a little figurine with one prompt. It's free with a daily limit and a small watermark — and if you want more images, the sharper Pro model, or no watermark, you upgrade to a Google AI plan.
What authoritative sources say
People also ask
Where is the image tool in the Gemini app?
Look for the image or 'Create image' option in the prompt bar; type a description to generate, or upload a photo to edit.
Can I edit my own photos in the app?
Yes. Upload a photo and give a conversational instruction; Nano Banana edits just the part you mention.
How many images can I combine?
The Gemini app lets you merge up to three images into a single new creation.
Is it free in the app?
Yes, with daily limits and a visible sparkle watermark; paid plans raise limits and unlock the Pro model.