Gemini for macOS Adds iMessage Integration to Send and Read Messages

Google is adding iMessage integration to the Gemini app for macOS, allowing the AI assistant to send, read, and search messages directly within Apple's Messages app. The feature appears in version 1.116.5.889 as a new Connected App called "@messages," according to 9to5Google.

The integration lets Gemini send messages to contacts or phone numbers, read recent conversations and unread messages, and search message history. Example prompts include "Send a message to John: Running 5 minutes late!", "Show my recent messages from Sarah," and "Search Messages for dinner reservations."

What it can't do yet

The feature has clear limitations at launch. Gemini cannot manage group chat membership or change group photos, schedule messages for future delivery, edit sent messages, send file/photo/media attachments, send tapback reactions, or generate images within automated task workflows. Messages sent through the integration are plain text only.

Not fully live

As of the report, the integration is incomplete. The @messages option appears in Settings > Connected Apps at the bottom of the list after updating to the latest version, but a server-side component appears to be missing — the prompt box does not yet recognize @messages as a valid command. This suggests Google is still rolling out backend support even though the client-side UI has shipped.

Part of a broader macOS push

This update follows the Gemini app's arrival on Windows last week and continues a string of recent macOS-specific features. Google recently added a File Providers extension that surfaces an "Add to Gemini" option when right-clicking files in Finder, automatically loading photos or documents into the prompt box. That extension can be toggled on in Settings > Extensions. Google has also added Images, Videos, and Daily Brief sections to the app's side panel.

What this means

This is a Connected Apps feature addition, not a new model release — it extends what the existing Gemini app can access and act on, similar to how Connected Apps already tie Gemini into Gmail, Calendar, and other Google services. The move mirrors Apple's own Siri roadmap ambitions for deeper Messages integration and puts Gemini in more direct competition with on-device assistants for everyday tasks like quick replies and message lookup.

The practical value depends entirely on reliability: users need to trust that a natural-language command like "tell Sarah I'm running late" reaches the right contact every time, with no attachment support or message editing as a safety net for mistakes. The rollout also shows Google shipping client UI ahead of backend readiness — a pattern that risks user confusion if the @messages tag sits visible but non-functional for an extended period. Expect the server-side piece to activate within days given how far the local integration has already progressed.