Using the Gemini overlay on Android today comes with a major limitation that breaks the flow of multitasking. When you trigger Gemini using the hotword or by long pressing the power button, the assistant will appear above the app you are using.
But even though it looks like an overlay, it doesn’t behave like one. As soon as you tap the background to go back to another app, Gemini will shut down completely. If you retrieve it, the conversation is over and you have to start over, making using longer or slower tasks frustrating.
Google is currently working on a solution that would fix this exact problem. According to Android Authority, the latest Google app beta suggests that the Gemini overlay will be redesigned so that it no longer disappears when you leave it.
Instead of closing, the overlay collapses into a small floating action button that stays on the screen, allowing Gemini to continue running while you switch to other apps.
How the floating Gemini button changes everything
This approach allows Gemini to continue working in the background while you continue to use other apps. You can start a query, switch away while Gemini processes it, and then return to the same conversation by tapping the floating button once the response is ready.
This allows you to switch back and forth, add context from other apps, and refine your query without having to reset the session each time. Once you’re done, a simple swipe will close Gemini completely.
The function is not yet live and is from beta testing, so there may still be changes. But if rolled out as expected, this update would fix the most annoying problem with the Gemini overlay and finally enable it to handle background tasks the way users already expect.
This update also fits into Google’s broader push to make Gemini on Android faster and more useful. The company recently introduced Gemini 3 Flash, a lighter model designed to accelerate AI search and improve image generation.
Google is also extending its Deep Research AI beyond its own apps into third-party apps via an API. All of this comes ahead of a bigger shift: Google confirms that Gemini will completely replace the Assistant on mobile phones in 2026.
