Google adds Circle to Search functionality to Gemini overlay on Android

Google is rolling out an update to the Gemini overlay on Android that adds a circle selection tool for precise screen content queries. The feature, available in Google app version 17.20, lets users circle any on-screen element and include it as an image in their Gemini prompt.

How it works

When users activate the Gemini overlay, they now see a "Circle anything or ask about this screen" prompt. After circling an area, users can refine their selection using drag handles around a four-color glow indicator. The selected content is then added to the prompt as an image.

Tapping the image in the overlay provides access to existing drawing tools. The overlay's plus menu has also added a "Screen content" option above the Camera button, allowing users to manually capture the entire screen.

Availability

The feature is rolling out widely as of May 11, 2026 with Google app version 17.20. Users who don't see the update can force stop the app from App info to trigger it.

What this means

This update addresses a precision gap in Gemini's screen understanding capabilities. While Gemini already considers screen content when relevant to a command, the circle selection tool gives users explicit control over which visual elements to include in their queries. The feature mirrors the functionality of Google's standalone Circle to Search tool, but integrates it directly into the Gemini workflow. This represents a convergence of Google's visual search and AI assistant features, making multimodal queries more intuitive on Android devices.