How Gemini AI Reads and Analyzes PDFs in 2025: Features, Platforms, and Limitations

Gemini AI can now read and analyze PDFs across web, mobile, and Google Drive.

Users can summarize documents, ask questions, and extract insights using the "Ask Gemini" feature.

These capabilities require a Gemini Advanced or Google Workspace subscription.

Free-tier users do not have access to direct PDF uploads or analysis features.

As artificial intelligence tools become more integrated into everyday workflows, users increasingly expect them to handle document formats like PDFs. Google’s Gemini AI has kept pace with these expectations by offering robust PDF interaction across multiple platforms.

PDF Support in Google Drive

One of the most user-friendly ways to interact with PDFs using Gemini is directly through Google Drive. When you open a PDF in Drive, an "Ask Gemini" button appears in the viewer.

This feature allows you to:

• Summarize the contents of the document

• Ask detailed questions about its content

• Generate related content or insights based on the file

This functionality is available to users subscribed to Google Workspace plans (Business Standard, Enterprise, Education editions) and those on the Google One AI Premium tier.

Gemini Advanced on the Web

Users with a Gemini Advanced subscription can upload and interact with PDFs directly on the gemini.google.com platform. Once uploaded, you can prompt Gemini to:

• Provide document summaries

• Extract important points

• Answer specific queries

This makes Gemini especially useful for professionals who need to quickly analyze contracts, research papers, or financial reports in PDF format.

Mobile PDF Interaction via Files by Google

On Android devices, Gemini is integrated into the Files by Google app. When opening a PDF, users will see an "Ask about this PDF" option. This allows for:

• On-the-go document summarization

• Answering contextual questions

• Quick comprehension of large PDFs from mobile

Again, this feature is limited to Gemini Advanced subscribers.

Developer Access via Gemini API

For developers and enterprise applications, the Gemini API provides extensive support for PDF processing. Capabilities include:

• Text and image extraction

• Document summarization

• Structured data analysis

• Transcription with layout preservation

The API supports documents up to 3,600 pages, making it suitable for large-scale PDF processing needs.

Limitations

Free-tier users cannot upload PDFs directly to Gemini for analysis. PDF interaction is only available with paid plans. In addition, some PDF-related features may not be supported in all languages or regions at this time.

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SUMMARY TABLE

Platform	PDF Features	Access Level
Google Drive	Summarize, ask questions, generate content	Google Workspace / One AI Premium
Gemini Web (Advanced)	Upload PDFs, summarize, extract key points, Q&A	Gemini Advanced subscription
Files by Google (Mobile)	Summarize and query PDFs on Android	Gemini Advanced subscription
Gemini API	Extract text/images, summarize, analyze structure (up to 3,600 pages)	Developer access with API plan
Free Version	No PDF upload or interaction features	Not supported