Google is making Gemini a lot more aware of what’s happening inside Chrome. The company has started rolling out a new “Select from screen” feature that lets users highlight specific text or images from a webpage and send them directly to Gemini, making conversations with the AI assistant far more contextual.
Gemini can now focus on exactly what users want to ask about
The new feature appears inside Gemini in Chrome’s “+” menu and works much like a built-in screenshot tool. Once activated, users can select any text or image visible in the current browser tab, which is then automatically attached to a Gemini prompt. Instead of manually describing what’s on a webpage, users can simply point Gemini at the exact content they want help with.
Google is rolling out the capability as part of Chrome 149, although some users may need to restart their browser before it appears. The update continues Google’s push to make Gemini feel less like a standalone chatbot and more like an assistant that’s aware of what users are actively doing.
The timing is also interesting because Google announced another major Gemini upgrade on the same day. Developers can now access computer use capabilities directly through Gemini 3.5 Flash, allowing AI agents to see, reason, and take actions across browsers, mobile apps, and desktop environments without relying on a separate model. Google says the integration improves long-horizon tasks such as software testing, enterprise workflows, and other multi-step automation jobs.
This feels like Google’s answer to “AI should know what I’m looking at”
Interestingly, this update is less about a new feature and more about removing friction. By letting Gemini understand exactly what’s on screen and interact with it directly, Google is moving beyond the traditional chatbot experience toward an AI assistant that can understand context, anticipate intent, and help users complete tasks rather than simply answer questions.
