Gemini for macOS Adds iMessage Integration to Send and Search Messages

Google is adding iMessage integration to the Gemini app for macOS, allowing the assistant to send and read messages directly within Apple's Messages app. The feature appeared in version 1.116.5.889 of Gemini for macOS, first spotted by 9to5Google, and follows the Gemini app's arrival on Windows last week.

The integration surfaces as a new Connected App called "@messages," described in-app as letting users "Read, search, and send messages in Apple Messages." According to Google, the feature supports three core functions: sending messages to contacts or phone numbers, reading recent and unread conversations, and searching message history for specific content.

Example prompts Google provides include "Send a message to John: 'Running 5 minutes late!'", "Show my recent messages from Sarah", and "Search Messages for dinner reservations." The search capability is positioned as a way for Gemini to pull context from past conversations to inform other tasks.

The integration has notable limitations. Gemini cannot manage group chat participant membership or change group photos, schedule messages for future delivery, or edit messages after sending. It is also restricted to plain text — the assistant cannot send file, photo, or media attachments, nor can it send tapback reactions like love, like, or laugh. Gemini also cannot generate images within automated task workflows that touch Messages.

The @messages option appears at the bottom of Settings > Connected Apps after updating to the latest build. However, as of the time of the report, a server-side component required to activate the feature was still missing — the prompt box was not yet recognizing the @messages tag, meaning the integration is visible in settings but not functional for most users.

The iMessage integration arrives alongside other recent additions to Gemini for macOS. A File Providers extension now adds an "Add to Gemini" option when right-clicking files in Finder, immediately loading photos or documents into the prompt box; it can be toggled on in Settings > Extensions. Google has also added Images, Videos, and Daily Brief shortcuts to the app's side panel.

What this means

This is a platform integration, not a new model — Gemini's underlying capabilities aren't changing, but its reach into macOS system apps is expanding. Tying an AI assistant directly into iMessage puts Gemini in more direct competition with Apple's own on-device Siri and Apple Intelligence features for the same use case: quick message triage and replies without opening the Messages app.

The text-only restriction and inability to handle attachments or tapbacks suggest Google is starting with a conservative, low-risk feature set — likely due to both technical constraints around Apple's Messages APIs and caution around an AI system autonomously sending content on a user's behalf. The incomplete server-side rollout also indicates this was caught mid-deployment rather than fully launched, a common pattern for app updates staged ahead of a wider announcement.