Setup — Gemini Code Assist for Individuals

Fresh

Last updated: 2026-02-05

Step-by-step setup for the free tier of Gemini Code Assist in VS Code or JetBrains.

Prerequisites

• VS Code, IntelliJ, PyCharm, or other supported JetBrains IDE
• A Google Account (personal or Workspace)
• Internet connection

Installation Flow

flowchart LR
    A[Open Extensions] --> B[Search Gemini Code Assist]
    B --> C[Install]
    C --> D[Restart IDE]
    D --> E[Click spark icon]
    E --> F[Login to Google]
    F --> G[OAuth in browser]
    G --> H[Done]

VS Code Setup

1. Open Extensions (Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + X)
2. Search Gemini Code Assist
3. Click Install
4. Restart VS Code if prompted
5. Click the spark icon in the activity bar
6. Click Login to Google
7. Authorize in your browser
8. Review the privacy notice

You should see the spark icon in the status bar showing "Active".

JetBrains Setup (IntelliJ, PyCharm, etc.)

1. Go to Settings > Plugins
2. Click Marketplace tab
3. Search Gemini Code Assist
4. Click Install then Restart IDE
5. Click spark icon in activity bar > Sign in
6. Select your Google Account in the browser

Verification Checklist

• [ ] spark icon visible and active in status bar
• [ ] Gemini chat panel opens from activity bar
• [ ] Ghost text suggestions appear while coding
• [ ] Chat responds to questions

Privacy Settings

Opt-out available

You can opt out of Google using your data for ML training at any time.

VS Code: Chat pane > ... More > Privacy settings

IntelliJ: Click spark icon > Privacy settings OR Settings > Gemini

What's Next

• Learn code generation
• Set up keyboard shortcuts
• Try agent mode