Unless users take action, Android will let Gemini access third-party apps
Summary
Google is automatically enabling its Gemini AI to access third-party apps like WhatsApp on Android devices, overriding previous user settings that blocked such access. Users who want to prevent this must take action, though Google's guidance on how to fully disable Gemini integrations is unclear and confusing, with the company stating that even when Gemini access is blocked, data is still stored for 72 hours.
Solution / Mitigation
According to a Tuta researcher cited in the article, disabling Gemini app activity is likely to prevent data collection beyond the 72-hour temporary storage period. Additionally, if the Gemini app is not already installed on a device, it will not be installed after the change takes effect.
Classification
Affected Vendors
Related Issues
Original source: https://arstechnica.com/security/2025/07/unless-users-take-action-android-will-let-gemini-access-third-party-apps/
First tracked: February 15, 2026 at 08:49 PM
Classified by LLM (prompt v3) · confidence: 85%