Gemini Spark Disappeared Because Google Renamed It Task Mode

Gemini Spark disappeared from the Gemini app because Google renamed it Task mode on October 12 and 13, 2026.

As of October 2026, the updated interface is active on the macOS desktop application and rolling out to Android devices. Web browsers and iOS devices do not yet feature the selector. Google deployed these design adjustments without publishing an official announcement post.

Task mode requires a paid plan as of October 2026. Subscribers on Google AI Pro and Google AI Ultra retain access to background jobs, while Google AI Plus and free accounts remain excluded. Users can explore full subscription requirements in the Gemini Spark pricing guide.

Where to Find Task Mode After Gemini Spark Disappeared

Google relocated the agent into a dedicated mode toggle directly above the chat prompt box. According to the official Google Help Center documentation, the Spark beta was renamed Task. This redesign is the most likely explanation for reports that Gemini Spark disappeared from the side menu.

A 9to5Google report found Spark gone from the side menu. Active tasks and recurring jobs now populate a dedicated Scheduled screen in the application. The settings are now called Task settings.

Users looking to initiate background operations must select Task mode in the chat interface before submitting prompts. Standard conversational prompts continue to run inside normal Chat mode.

• 1. Open the official Gemini application on a supported device such as a computer running macOS.
• 2. Locate the Chat and Task mode toggle switch positioned directly above the prompt box.
• 3. Select Task to switch the session from standard dialogue to background execution.
• 4. View running operations and automated routines by opening the new Scheduled page.
• 5. Open Task settings to change Task mode options or delete remote-browser cookies and code-execution data.

Why Task Mode May Not Appear After Gemini Spark Disappeared

Plan eligibility remains limited to higher subscription tiers. As of October 2026, the Google AI plans page lists Tasks in Gemini on Google AI Pro and Google AI Ultra only. Google AI Plus and the free plan do not include it, and the Gemini Spark pricing guide lists what each plan costs.

Users can review feature capabilities in the Gemini Spark explained guide.

• Subscription tier: Active membership in Google AI Pro or Google AI Ultra is mandatory, as Google AI Plus and free accounts lack access.
• Account category: Personal Google accounts are required, while work or school accounts remain unsupported for now.
• Geographic territory: Physical location must fall outside the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Nigeria.
• Privacy configuration: Account settings must keep the Keep Activity control active and retain an opt-in status for Personal Intelligence.
• Age requirement: Account owners must be 18 years of age or older.

Feature Adjustments and Connector Integrations in Task Mode

A report by 9to5Google noted that the macOS application now refers to custom Model Context Protocol (MCP) integrations as Connectors. Users call modular Skills into a session by typing the at symbol directly into the composer.

Press reports indicate Gem creation and editing stopped on October 13, 2026, as Google transitions user workflows toward Skills.

Third-party apps added in July include Canva, Instacart, OpenTable, Dropbox and Zillow, as listed in the Gemini Apps release notes. Operational setup steps are documented in the how to use Gemini Spark guide.

Gemini Spark Rollout Timeline from Announcement to Rename

Google announced Gemini Spark at Google I/O on May 19, 2026, as an always-on personal agent running on Google Cloud virtual machines (VMs). The Google I/O announcement specified that the preview used Gemini 3.5 Flash, while TechCrunch reported that Spark operated on Google's Antigravity agent harness. Google published no statement connecting Task mode to the newly released Gemini 4 Argon, and the active underlying model remains unpublished.

Availability expanded through distinct phases over five months. Following an initial United States (US) rollout for Ultra subscribers documented by 9to5Google, Pro subscribers in the US received access on July 16, 2026. A Google July update announced Pro tier expansion across more than 160 countries on July 30, 2026.

Documentation from Google presents conflicting details regarding regional schedule support. The July 30 blog post stated Pro subscribers in over 160 countries received access, yet the official Google schedules documentation still states that scheduling tasks outside the US requires an Ultra subscription.

• May 19, 2026: Google introduced Gemini Spark at Google I/O for trusted testers, running on cloud virtual machines with Gemini 3.5 Flash.
• May 29, 2026: Google opened the beta to Google AI Ultra subscribers in the United States.
• June 17, 2026: Access expanded to Ultra users in most countries where Gemini Apps works, excluding Canada, Japan, Nigeria, Switzerland, the UK, and the EEA.
• June 29 to June 30, 2026: Google added Model Context Protocol server URLs for custom connections and launched Spark on macOS.
• July 1 to July 7, 2026: Third-party integrations launched for Canva, Instacart, OpenTable, Dropbox, and Zillow.
• July 14 to July 16, 2026: Remote control arrived on macOS, Ultra expanded to all supported languages, and Pro rolled out in the United States.
• July 30, 2026: Google announced Pro expansion to over 160 countries, while the schedules help page continued listing schedules as Ultra-only internationally.
• October 12 to October 13, 2026: Google replaced the Spark designation with Task mode, and relocated schedules to the Scheduled screen; press reports say Gem creation was turned off.

Which Devices Show the Task Mode Switcher

Supported surfaces vary across desktop and mobile ecosystems. The macOS application received Task mode on October 13, 2026, while Android devices receive the feature through an ongoing server-side update. The web client and iOS application still display standard chat interfaces without the selector.

Google released a standalone Windows application on September 10, 2026, as reported by 9to5Google, but Google does not list Windows as a supported surface for Task mode. Google announced a separate enterprise Gemini agent in private preview on October 8, 2026. It is a different product from Task mode, covered in the Gemini agent explainer.

If Gemini Spark disappeared from your Gemini app, open the Mac or Android app and pick Task in the switcher above the prompt box.