How to upgrade from Gem to Skill in Gemini: Complete Migration Guide

If you use a Gem to write reports, summarize documents, or apply your own instructions, you can recreate it as a Gemini Skill to use it from other conversations. The migration involves preserving your instructions, preparing the knowledge files, and verifying that the necessary functions are still available.

Google has also announced automatic conversion of any remaining Gems during the transition. Manual migration allows you to get ahead of this process, but it's advisable to review what's changing before replacing a workflow you're already using.

What changes when you go from a Gem to a Skill

A Gem brings together instructions for customizing a conversation. A Skill, called ability In the Spanish interface, it allows you to reuse instructions and context in different compatible conversations or tasks.

Gemini can select it when they identify it as relevant, and you can also ask them to use a specific skill. The name and description help them recognize when to apply it; the instructions explain how to perform the task.

For migration, he distinguishes three elements: the instructions you want to keep, the files used as a reference, and the tools the result depends on.Copying the first one does not guarantee that the other two will be solved.

When does the transition occur and which accounts can use Skills?

The timeline depends on the account type. Google's help documentation places the transition for personal accounts in November 2026For businesses and education, the Workspace announcement sets these deadlines:

• Companies and organizations: withdrawal and conversion planned no earlier than 1 March 2027.
• Educational centers: changes planned no earlier than June 1, 2027.

Deploying Skills and removing Gems are separate processes. In their update of October 13, 2026Google confirmed the start of the rollout on Gemini and announced a delay in the launch of Workspace applications.

The skills can be used in conversations without a Google AI subscription, though other Gemini features have their own requirements. The authoring help requires you to be at least 18 years old, signed in, and active. Save activity.

If you are using a work or school account, also check the availability and conditions set by your organization.

Prepare the instructions and files for your Gem

Before you begin, open Gem and review what you need to produce your results. Save a copy of the instructions and note down any documents, templates, or examples you use.

If you have knowledge files, download them from your editor. Then verify that each document opens correctly and contains the information you expect to transfer.

Also prepare an example of an entry you've already used with the Gem and keep its result. This pair allows you to compare the behavior of the new skill: structure, tone, use of references, and handling of missing information.

During this initial check, avoid modifying all instructions simultaneously. First, transfer the procedure you are familiar with and make adjustments gradually to identify what changes with each test.

How to convert a Gem to a Skill step by step

The official guide for recreating Gems as abilities allows you to transfer the instructions and then add the compatible files. From the web version, follow this procedure:

1. Open the Gem and enter its editor. Keep that tab open to view its settings.
2. Download your knowledge files, if you have them. Gather the copies in a folder whose name matches the skill name, using lowercase letters and hyphens, like mi-skill-de-redaccion.
3. Open Skills in another Gemini tab. Access from Customize > Skills or from Settings > Skills, depending on the available interface.
4. Select Create manually. Copy the Gem details and review the name, description, and instructions. Click Create.
5. If you don't need files, skip to checking the result. If you need them, open the skill actions and select Download.
6. Extract the SKILL.md file from the downloaded ZIP. Place it in the folder where you gathered the reference documents.
7. Go back to the actions for that skill and select Replace skill. Upload the prepared folder, containing SKILL.md and its compatible files.
8. Check the saved version. Check that the necessary instructions and references are available.

The file must retain the name SKILL.mdAlso check that the folder has the same name as the skill and that the document has not been placed inside an additional subfolder when preparing the package.

How to adapt the description so that Gemini recognizes the ability

A generic description like "document assistance" offers few clues. Explain what the skill does and in what situations it should be used, following the Google's recommendations for writing Skills.

For example:

Summarize interviews by separating confirmed facts, opinions, and direct quotes. Use this when providing a transcript to prepare an editorial summary.

In the instructions, you can specify the output structure, how to handle quotes, and what to do when data is missing. Make sure these rules align with the behavior you want to maintain for the Gem.

If you combine this skill with another, make sure their instructions are compatible. Two different rules regarding language, length, or format can make it difficult to interpret the result.

What happens to Drive files and upload formats?

In a Gem, a file added from Google Drive can reflect changes made to the original document. A copy downloaded and uploaded within a Skill package does not, by itself, retain the link to Drive.

If you update a reference included in the package, you must re-upload the skill along with its files. Google has announced an integration with Drive in the rollout of Skills; check its availability before using it.

Supported package formats include TXT, Markdown, CSV, JSON, PDF, and images. Current documentation excludes DOC, DOCX, and XLSX. When converting, choose the format based on the information you want to preserve.

A PDF can be useful for maintaining the appearance of a document. A CSV file preserves tabular data, but it's not equivalent to an Excel workbook with its sheets, formulas, and charts. Always review the exported content before importing it.

The set of uploaded files must not exceed 100 MBYou can also create more skills than you keep active: Google sets a maximum of 100 active simultaneously.

What features should you check after migrating?

Google documents current limitations with tools such as Canvas, Deep Research, video creation, music creation, and guided learningIf your Gem depends on any of them, check the compatibility before completing the migration.

The restrictions also apply to imported scripts: the upload documentation doesn't support those that need to make requests to external websites. Review any API or service dependencies before porting a skill from another tool.

To check the result:

• Repeat a known task with the same information used in the Gem.
• Compare the content and format: Check data, sections, tone, and extension.
• Check the references: Use a question that requires information about the transferred files.
• Test the incomplete cases: Observe if he asks for missing information or tries to make it up.
• Review tools and connections: confirms that they are available and authorized in the context where you will use the skill.

The SKILL.md format makes it easy to transfer instructions between compatible tools, but each environment maintains its own capabilities and dependencies. If you want to expand on that aspect, you can consult how install skills for an AI agent.

When the result matches what you need, keep a copy of the package and the example used to validate it. You can repeat this same check if the instructions or reference documents change.