Google’s Gemini AI to gain access to WhatsApp, messages, phone apps

Google has begun notifying users of its Gemini AI assistant about a significant change set to take effect on July 7, 2025.

Gemini will soon be able to integrate with Android apps including WhatsApp, Messages, and Phone—regardless of whether users have disabled Gemini Apps Activity in their settings, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The new feature will enable Gemini to carry out tasks such as sending messages or making calls through these apps. A help page detailing the update is already live and provides guidance on how the integration works, as well as certain limitations, particularly concerning WhatsApp.

Google states that Gemini will not be able to "read or summarize your WhatsApp messages; add or read images, GIFs, or memes in your messages; add or play audio or videos in your messages; or read or respond to WhatsApp notifications." However, the company adds that “The Gemini mobile app may support some of these actions with help from Google Assistant or the Utilities app, even with WhatsApp disabled in Gemini.”

Users concerned about privacy can attempt to limit Gemini’s access through the Gemini app by navigating to Profile > Apps and toggling off individual app extensions. Additionally, Gemini Apps Activity can be turned off by going to Profile > Gemini Apps Activity > Turn off. Still, the report that these steps may not fully prevent Gemini from interacting with WhatsApp after the update.

Even if Gemini App Activity is disabled, Google may still retain user activity data for up to 72 hours, citing reasons such as “security, safety, and user feedback.”

The move is part of a broader industry trend in which major tech firms quietly update user settings and introduce new features by default. Meta recently faced similar criticism for rolling out its Meta AI assistant within WhatsApp without offering users a way to disable it.

Unless Google issues a prominent in-app alert, many users may not notice the change when the feature goes live. And even with a notification, disabling Gemini's access to WhatsApp may prove confusing for the average user.

By Sabina Mammadli