Google Will Start Removing Assistant From Android Phones on September 4, Leaving Gemini

Update, Sept. 28: The removal now appears complete. Assistant was gone on every device and account 9to5Google checked in the US and Europe, and the Gemini app has dropped its “Switch to Google Assistant” option.

Google has set a date to retire Google Assistant on Android. In an email to users, the company said it will start removing access on September 4, after which Gemini will be the only assistant on phones, tablets and the gadgets paired with them, 9to5Google reported.

“We will begin removing access to Google Assistant starting on 4 September,” the email says, “and expect that this process may take a few weeks to reach everyone. Once availability is removed, you will no longer be able to use or switch back to Google Assistant on your phone, tablet or paired devices.” The full text was shared on Reddit, The Verge noted.

The email says Assistant is “being discontinued” and that “Gemini — our next-generation AI-powered assistant — is now the assistant experience on Android.” Google first planned to retire Assistant on most mobile devices in late 2025, then pushed the deadline into 2026 while it filled gaps in Gemini.

Because the change covers paired devices, Wear OS watches, headphones and earbuds, and cars running Android Auto projected from a phone will also lose Assistant. Cars with Google built-in keep Assistant past September 4. The announcement doesn’t cover Google TV devices or Google Home speakers and smart displays, which Google says will get Gemini later, with no date yet, according to Ars Technica. Older phones that don’t meet Gemini’s minimum requirements, and users in regions where Gemini isn’t available, may keep Assistant longer.

Holdouts should expect an adjustment. Gemini calls tools to handle tasks that were built into Assistant, and Ars’ Ryan Whitwam wrote that it “sometimes goes off on a tangent or forgets that it does, in fact, have access to a particular tool,” which can slow down what should be a quick voice command.

“We are committed to providing a smooth transition and are confident that Gemini will offer you an even more capable and helpful assistant experience,” Google wrote. Until the removal reaches their device, users can still pick “Switch to Google Assistant” in the Gemini app.