Your Android phone just got a neat AI update that should make life simpler

For users of Android phones, it's hard to think of a bigger upgrade in recent years than Google Gemini. The AI-powered suite offers everything from a Master's thesis to a voice assistant, making it a really useful addition for most people.

It's about to get even more useful, too. That's because an update to the way Gemini works has arrived.

That enables users to engage with some of their most frequently used Gemini interactions, without having to unlock their device. That works in much the same way as how Google Assistant does without unlocking – it even uses the same permission, so if you've previously allowed the Assistant, these features should happen pretty seamlessly.

There is a caveat, though. Users will still need to unlock their handsets to respond to any queries which contain personal data. We'd say that's a pretty fair compromise for keeping your data safe.

How to get Google Gemini features on your lock screen

Getting the feature set up is effortlessly simple. Head to the Gemini app on your compatible device and tap the avatar or initials in the top right-hand corner.

From there, head to Settings and tap the option which reads 'Gemini on Lock Screen'. Select the option marked 'Use Gemini without unlocking, and you should be good to go.

I'm personally a big fan of this update. Gemini is one of my favourite things to have come to the Android phone world in years, and making it even more accessible is a brilliant thing.

It should make the feature much more widely used, opening it up to a new array of users and use cases. That's going to be even more useful, as users don't really need to make much of an adjustment to get the feature working – and who doesn't love something effortless?