Having an AI assistant like Google Gemini in your pocket transforms how you approach everyday challenges and questions. While many people use AI for simple searches, its real power comes from understanding how to craft prompts that deliver exactly what you need.
After experimenting with Gemini on my phone, I’ve discovered it can handle everything from travel planning to home repairs, often providing better results than traditional Google searches.
Whether you’re troubleshooting a plant problem, planning a trip, or simply curious about something obscure, the right prompt can save you significant time and effort. Here are nine practical prompts to try first when using Gemini on your phone.
1. Discover fascinating information
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We all get those random late night thoughts like “do penguins have knees” pop into our head, and Gemini satisfies those curiosities without falling down an hour-long internet rabbit hole.
When you’re looking for interesting content beyond typical search results, Gemini excels at finding the unusual. I used the prompt: Create a list of the 10 strangest Wikipedia pages.
Instead of scrolling through endless search results or reading through dozens of listicles, Gemini instantly provides a well-organized collection of truly bizarre Wikipedia entries, complete with brief descriptions of why they’re unusual.
This prompt is perfect for discovering conversation starters or satisfying your curiosity about the internet’s oddest corners.
What makes this approach particularly effective is how it filters through vast amounts of information to find genuinely intriguing content rather than just popular pages.
2. Get comprehensive guides
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First-time home buying feels like trying to assemble IKEA furniture with instructions written in a language you don’t speak — there are a million moving pieces, unfamiliar jargon, and the constant fear you’re missing something crucial.
With this prompt: Create a UK first-time home buyer guide — or a guide for wherever you happen to live — Gemini cuts through all that. What makes this prompt valuable is how it compiles complex, multi-step information into a single, organized resource.
Rather than piecing together advice from various websites and potentially missing critical steps, Gemini creates a comprehensive guide covering everything from saving for a deposit to completing the purchase process.
I particularly appreciated all the financial considerations, mention of government schemes and key tips.
3. Plan detailed trips
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With summer approaching and the time to plan vacations upon us, Gemini transforms the usually tedious research process into a one-stop planning solution that captures all the details that matter.
I tested Gemini using this prompt: I’m planning a trip to Valencia the first week of September for my friend’s 30th birthday. Suggest villas to stay, flight prices and things to do.
This prompt demonstrates how providing specific details yields more useful results. By mentioning the destination, timing, occasion, and what you’re looking for, you get back tailored recommendations that consider multiple factors at once.
Gemini effectively replaces several travel apps by suggesting accommodation options at different prices and estimating current flight costs, making planning more efficient than jumping between travel sites.
4. Translate anything instantly
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You can use Gemini as your personal interpreter, breaking down language barriers whether you’re traveling abroad or just trying to understand that cryptic instruction manual.
I wanted to see how Gemini fared with translating a poem into English without any further context. I used the prompt: Translate this poem to English.
This translation capability extends far beyond poetry. Whether you’re staring at a foreign language menu in a restaurant, trying to understand a document, or communicating with someone who speaks another language, Gemini can translate nearly instantly.
When faced with a confusing menu item or street sign while traveling, you can simply snap a photo or type what you see, and Gemini will help you understand it.
5. Get personalized advice
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When it comes to managing personal finances, most online advice is either too simplistic or impractically complex, but Gemini provides balanced recommendations that you can actually implement in your daily life.
For this prompt I used: I want to get better at saving my money. What are some easy things I can implement to save more each month?
This prompt generates practical, actionable suggestions tailored to your goal of building savings habits, and provides quick wins you can actually implement without requiring you to read through lengthy articles.
The value comes from how the results balance simple starting points with more advanced techniques, allowing you to implement changes based on your current financial situation.
What I found most useful is unlike static articles, you can follow up with specific questions about your circumstances to refine the advice further.
6. Troubleshoot problems
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Plant care is just one example of Gemini’s troubleshooting capabilities. What makes this prompt effective is how it analyzes a specific symptom and provides multiple possible causes, each with solutions.
For this one, I attached a picture of my monstera and asked the following: The leaves on my monstera are turning yellow. Can you identify what could be causing this?
Rather than searching through forums or plant care websites, you get a comprehensive overview of what might be wrong and how to fix it. This same approach works for diagnosing issues with electronics, appliances, or even software problems.
The systematic breakdown of potential causes saves considerable research time and helps you identify the most likely issue.
7. Get step-by-step instructions
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When facing household maintenance tasks that seem straightforward but prove to be surprisingly complex, Gemini provides clear instructions that traditional search results often miss.
For this one I used: Help me change the light bulb in my extractor hood.
This prompt is extremely valuable as it breaks down a specific task that might not have dedicated tutorials online.
Instead of piecing together information from various home improvement forums or trying to interpret unclear product manuals, you get customized guidance for your exact situation.
This approach works for everything from appliance maintenance to technology setup, providing just the right level of detail without overwhelming you with unnecessary information.
8. Summarize a Youtube video
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When you don’t have time to watch a 20-minute explainer video but still want to grasp the key concepts, Gemini can extract and condense the main points into something digestible.
I wanted to see how well it broke down a relatively long Youtube video about space. To do this, simply put: Summarize this Youtube video, followed by the link.
Instead of skimming through video comments hoping for a decent summary or watching at 2x speed, you get a structured breakdown of the main arguments, evidence, and conclusions.
This approach saves significant time while still giving you the essence of the content, making it perfect for research, learning, and staying informed on topics that interest you.
9. Find the ideal route
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This navigation prompt showcases Gemini’s ability to optimize for priorities beyond just distance or time.
Instead of settling for the standard route suggested by GPS apps, you can specify what matters most to you—whether that’s avoiding traffic, finding beautiful views, or minimizing complex interchanges.
For this prompt, use the following: Suggest the most scenic/quickest/least stressful driving route.
This personalized approach to navigation helps create more enjoyable journeys tailored to your specific preferences rather than just the fastest path. Sometimes, we want to take the more scenic route before arriving at our destination.
As you explore these Gemini prompts, you might want to try other AI tools. Check out How to use NotebookLM — Google’s AI research assistant for research projects, or see how I used Claude’s new AI model to design my dream home for creative inspiration. And if you’re considering browser alternatives, explore how to replace Google with ChatGPT — try these 5 easy steps.
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