Image and screen understanding (Google Lens) in Gemini: what does this AI read, and can you turn it off?
Checked on October 25, 2026 by verification chain vchain-1
Whether it is on by default is not yet verified; whether it can be turned off is not yet verified.
The facts, edition by edition
| All editions | |
|---|---|
| What the AI does | Analyze “When you add an image to your prompt, or a screenshot through a screen action, such as "Ask about this screen," Gemini Apps also use Google Lens technology to understand what's in the image and to read the text.” “Gemini Apps also use Google Lens technology to understand what's in the image and to read the text.” [1] dated copy |
| Model | Not yet verified |
| What it reads | Other data “When you add an image to your prompt, or a screenshot through a screen action, such as "Ask about this screen," Gemini Apps also use Google Lens technology to understand what's in the image and to read the text.” “Gemini Apps also use Google Lens technology to understand what's in the image and to read the text.” [1] dated copy |
| Where the data goes | Not yet verified |
| Trains on your data | Not yet verified |
| On by default | Not yet verified |
| Can be turned off | Not yet verified |
| Billing | Not yet verified |
| Feature type | Not yet verified |
| Frameworks the catalog links to it | Not yet verified |
All editions
- What the AI does
- Analyze “When you add an image to your prompt, or a screenshot through a screen action, such as "Ask about this screen," Gemini Apps also use Google Lens technology to understand what's in the image and to read the text.” “Gemini Apps also use Google Lens technology to understand what's in the image and to read the text.” [1] dated copy
- Model
- Not yet verified
- What it reads
- Other data “When you add an image to your prompt, or a screenshot through a screen action, such as "Ask about this screen," Gemini Apps also use Google Lens technology to understand what's in the image and to read the text.” “Gemini Apps also use Google Lens technology to understand what's in the image and to read the text.” [1] dated copy
- Where the data goes
- Not yet verified
- Trains on your data
- Not yet verified
- On by default
- Not yet verified
- Can be turned off
- Not yet verified
- Billing
- Not yet verified
- Feature type
- Not yet verified
- Frameworks the catalog links to it
- Not yet verified
To turn it off
- All editions: Not yet verified
Frameworks the catalog links to it
Linked frameworks will appear once the reference set is published.
- All editions: Not yet verified
Sources
- Gemini Apps Privacy Hub, Google, October 25, 2026
Change log
No change since first publication.
This fact sheet says nothing about your setup: the free readout, in French for now, reads it in your tools.