Direct answer: Gemini Guided Vision is a new Android accessibility feature inside Gemini Live that describes what your camera sees and gives spoken cues when you need to reframe the shot. To enable it, open the Gemini app, tap your profile picture, open Settings, and turn on Use Guided Vision in Live. Then start Gemini Live and share your camera.[1][2]
Safety warning: Guided Vision can make mistakes. Google says it is not a medical device, mobility aid, navigation tool, obstacle detector, white-cane replacement, or substitute for established safe-travel practices.[1][2]
Guided Vision setup checklist
Before troubleshooting, check these requirements:
- an Android phone or tablet running Android 9 or later;
- the latest Gemini app, Google app, Android system software, and TalkBack version if you use TalkBack;
- a signed-in personal Google account or an eligible work or school account;
- a region and language where Gemini Live is supported;
- camera and microphone permissions for Gemini.
Google announced Guided Vision for compatible Android devices on October 1, 2026. Its help page says access is rolling out gradually, so the switch may not be visible on every eligible device immediately.[1][2]
How to turn on Gemini Guided Vision
- Open the Gemini mobile app on your Android device.
- Tap your profile picture or initial at the top.
- Open Settings.
- Turn on Use Guided Vision in Live.
- Tap Start Live if the setup notice offers that option.
- In Gemini Live, share your camera and ask what you want help with.[2]
Useful first requests include:
- “Read this label and tell me the expiry date.”
- “Help me find the black pepper in this cabinet.”
- “Describe the buttons on this appliance.”
- “Tell me whether these two clothing colors match.”
- “Describe the objects on this table from left to right.”
If the camera is too close, too high, or pointed away from the subject, Guided Vision can give spoken directions such as panning, tilting, or stepping back.[1]
Add a fast accessibility shortcut
You can launch Guided Vision without navigating through the Gemini app each time:
- Open Android Settings.
- Tap Accessibility.
- Under Vision assistance, tap Guided Vision.
- Turn on Guided vision shortcut.
- Choose one of the available shortcut methods:
– the floating accessibility button;
– a two-finger swipe up from the bottom of the screen; or
– pressing and holding both volume keys.[2]
The labels can vary slightly by device manufacturer or Android skin. If Guided Vision is missing under Vision assistance, update the relevant apps and system software, then check again after the staged rollout reaches your account.
Start Guided Vision from TalkBack
For TalkBack users:
- Update TalkBack from Google Play.
- Make sure TalkBack is running.
- Tap the screen with three fingers to open the TalkBack menu.
- Choose Guided Vision.[2]
This starts Gemini Live with the camera for voice-forward visual assistance.
What Guided Vision can help with
Read and translate visible text
Point the camera at a nutrition label, appliance display, printed menu, sign, package, or other visible text. Ask for the exact line you need rather than requesting a broad summary when accuracy matters.[1][2]
Find and identify nearby objects
Ask Gemini to locate an item in the camera frame or explain where it sits relative to another object. Google gives examples such as finding a dropped earbud or locating pepper in a crowded cabinet.[1][2]
Describe colors, shapes, and patterns
Guided Vision can describe visual details and help compare objects, including clothing colors and patterns. Treat the result as assistance rather than proof when color accuracy affects safety or a purchase.
Understand an immediate space
You can ask for an overview of a room, tabletop, shelf, or another nearby area. Guided Vision can prompt you to reposition the camera when it needs a clearer view.[1]
Continue with follow-up questions
Because the feature runs in Gemini Live, you can ask conversational follow-ups instead of starting a new request for each detail. Gemini Live supports spoken back-and-forth interaction and camera sharing on Android.[3]
Guided Vision not showing? Try these fixes
1. Update all relevant software
Update the Gemini app, Google app, TalkBack if used, and Android system software. Restart the phone after the updates.
2. Confirm that Gemini Live itself works
Open Gemini and tap Live, or swipe left from the main Gemini screen. Google currently requires an Android phone or tablet, an eligible signed-in account, and the latest Google app for Gemini Live.[3]
3. Check the correct menu
Look in both places:
- Gemini app → profile picture → Settings → Use Guided Vision in Live
- Android Settings → Accessibility → Vision assistance → Guided Vision
4. Check camera and microphone permissions
Open Android Settings → Apps → Gemini and confirm camera and microphone access. Menu names may differ by device.
5. Consider the staged rollout
Google’s launch post says the feature is available on supported Android 9-and-newer devices in supported Gemini Live regions and languages, while its help page says the rollout is gradual. If every requirement is met but the toggle is absent, the most accurate conclusion is that your device or account may not have received access yet.[1][2]
6. Check account eligibility
Gemini Live supports personal Google accounts and eligible work or school accounts. Managed accounts can be affected by administrator settings.[3]
Privacy and safer use
Your camera may capture people, private documents, addresses, payment details, screens, or other sensitive information. Google tells Gemini Live users to respect other people’s privacy and ask permission before including them in a Live chat.[3]
Use these practical safeguards:
- point the camera only at the object or text you need;
- avoid exposing passwords, bank cards, identity documents, private messages, or confidential work material;
- ask permission before capturing another person;
- stop camera sharing when the task is complete;
- independently verify medicine labels, legal documents, financial information, and other high-stakes details.
When not to rely on Guided Vision
Do not use Guided Vision for:
- crossing streets or navigating traffic;
- obstacle detection or independent route guidance;
- identifying whether medicine is safe to take;
- diagnosing a medical condition;
- handling machinery, heat, electricity, or other hazards;
- replacing a white cane, guide dog, trained human assistance, or established mobility practice.
Google explicitly warns that the feature can make mistakes and is not intended for navigation, obstacle detection, medical use, or safe-travel guidance.[1][2]
Frequently asked questions
Is Gemini Guided Vision free?
Google’s launch and help pages do not list a separate Guided Vision fee. Availability depends on Gemini Live support, account eligibility, device compatibility, region, language, and rollout status.[1][2][3]
Does Guided Vision work on iPhone?
Google’s announcement specifies compatible Android devices, and the Guided Vision setup instructions are published in Android Accessibility Help. No iPhone setup was documented in the retrieved official sources.[1][2]
Which Android versions support Guided Vision?
Google says Guided Vision is available on Android 9 and above on compatible devices in regions and languages where Gemini Live is supported.[1]
Why can’t I find the Guided Vision toggle?
The feature is rolling out gradually. Update Gemini, the Google app, TalkBack, and Android; confirm Gemini Live works; check both the Gemini and Accessibility settings; and wait for account access if the option remains absent.[1][2][3]
Can Guided Vision read labels and menus?
Yes. Google lists fine print, food labels, menus, signs, appliance displays, and other visible text among its intended uses.[1][2]
Can Guided Vision guide me while walking?
No. Google says not to use it for navigation, obstacle detection, or as a replacement for mobility aids and safe-travel practices.[1][2]
Bottom line
Guided Vision adds a purpose-built, voice-forward accessibility mode to Gemini Live on Android. Turn it on in Gemini settings, add an Accessibility or TalkBack shortcut if useful, and use specific follow-up questions for labels, objects, colors, and nearby spaces. Keep the safety boundary clear: it can assist with visual information, but it cannot replace reliable navigation, medical judgment, or established mobility tools.