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 appears on top of whatever app you are using.
But despite looking like an overlay, it does not behave like one. The moment you tap the background to return to another app, Gemini shuts down entirely. When you bring it back, the conversation is gone, and you have to start over, making longer or slower tasks frustrating to use.
Google is now working on a fix that would address this exact problem. According to Android Authority, the latest beta version of Google app suggests the Gemini overlay is being redesigned so it no longer disappears when you leave it.
Instead of closing, the overlay would collapse into a small floating action button that stays on screen, allowing Gemini to keep running while you move on to other apps.
How the floating Gemini button changes everything
With this approach, Gemini can keep working in the background while you continue using 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 move back and forth, add context from other apps, and refine your request without resetting the session each time. Once you are done, a simple swipe closes Gemini completely.
The feature is not live yet and comes from beta testing, so it may still change. But if it rolls out as expected, this update would fix the most annoying thing about the Gemini overlay and finally let it handle background chores the way users already expect.
This update also fits into Google’s broader push to make Gemini faster and more useful across Android. The company recently revealed Gemini 3 Flash, a lighter model to speed up AI Search and improve image generation.
Google is also taking it’s Deep Research AI beyond its own apps, through an API inside third party apps. All of this comes ahead of a bigger shift, with Google confirming Gemini will fully replace Assistant on phones in 2026.