product update

Google Tests 'Device Help' Gemini Tool Exclusively on Pixel 11 Pro

TL;DR

A new 'Device Help' tool has appeared in the Gemini app's plus menu on Pixel 11 Pro devices running Google app beta 17.52. The Labs-badged feature offers conversational assistance for settings, troubleshooting, and device management, but is not available on the base Pixel 11 or older phones.

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Google is testing a new "Device Help" tool inside the Gemini app, exclusively on Pixel 11 Pro devices running Google app beta 17.52, according to 9to5Google. The feature appeared this week in the app's 'plus' menu and overlay, positioned just above Personal Intelligence and marked with a "Labs" badge.

What the tool does

The "Device Help Agent" is designed to provide conversational, personalized assistance for managing a Pixel phone. According to 9to5Google's reporting, it covers five main areas:

  • Settings adjustment: Dark theme, brightness, screen timeout, sound/vibration modes, Do Not Disturb, and Digital Wellbeing controls
  • Troubleshooting: Diagnosing and resolving Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, mobile data, battery drain, audio, and app performance issues
  • Battery and storage management: Checking battery usage, configuring Battery Saver, reviewing storage breakdowns, and freeing up space
  • App and permissions review: Auditing location, camera, and microphone access, managing notifications, and configuring app timers
  • Feature guidance: Step-by-step walkthroughs of Pixel gestures, camera capabilities, and privacy controls

The icon used for the tool matches the existing Proactive Assistance icon, suggesting a visual and functional link to Google's broader push toward agentic, context-aware assistance on Pixel hardware.

Built on existing infrastructure

Despite the new interface, 9to5Google notes that the tool appears to run on top of the existing "Device Assistance" connected app — previously branded as "Utilities" — rather than introducing entirely new backend capabilities. This suggests Google is repackaging existing device-management functions behind a conversational Gemini front end rather than building a new system from scratch.

Limited rollout

As of this morning, the tool is visible only on Pixel 11 Pro units after updating to Google app beta 17.52. It has not appeared on the base Pixel 11 or on any older Pixel devices tested by 9to5Google. Google has not made an official announcement about the feature, and no timeline for broader release has been disclosed.

What this means

This is a controlled beta test, not a confirmed product launch — Google has not commented publicly, and the feature could change or disappear before wider rollout. The Pixel 11 Pro-only restriction points to either hardware-specific gating (possibly tied to on-device processing capacity) or a staged rollout strategy Google frequently uses for Gemini features before pushing them to the full device lineup, including older Pixels and eventually other Android phones. The reuse of the existing Device Assistance backend indicates this is primarily a UX experiment — wrapping known settings and diagnostic functions in a conversational agent interface — rather than a new AI capability. If it graduates from Labs, it would extend Gemini's role from a general assistant into a dedicated device-management agent, competing more directly with manufacturer-specific support tools from Samsung and Apple.

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