Google Limits Free Gemini Pro Access Amid High Demand
▼ Summary
– Google has limited free user access to Gemini 3 Pro and Nano Banana Pro due to high demand, changing daily prompt and image generation limits.
– Free users initially had up to 5 prompts per day with Gemini 3 Pro and 3 images per day with Nano Banana Pro, matching previous model access levels.
– Current free access to Gemini 3 Pro is now described as “Basic access” with fluctuating daily limits, while Nano Banana Pro has a fixed 2 images per day limit.
– NotebookLM temporarily removed Nano Banana Pro-powered Infographics and Slide Decks for free users and added limits for Pro users due to capacity constraints.
– No changes were made to Google AI Pro or Ultra usage limits, with the company planning to restore normal access once capacity issues are resolved.
Google has recently adjusted the access terms for its free Gemini Pro services, responding to what appears to be exceptionally high user demand. This shift follows the introduction of Gemini 3 Pro and Nano Banana Pro, with the company now revising what unpaid users can expect.
Initially, when Gemini 3 Pro became available, individuals using the service for free, or those not subscribed to a Google AI plan, received a daily allowance of up to five prompts. This mirrored the access level previously offered for Gemini 2.5 Pro. They also had the ability to utilize Nano Banana Pro for image generation and editing, capped at three images per day.
Over the last several days, Google has quietly updated these terms. Free users are now only assured “Basic access” to the Thinking with 3 Pro feature, accompanied by a notice that daily limits could change often. While this wording leaves room for interpretation, the broader industry pattern of scaling back free offerings in high-demand situations suggests a reduction is underway.
Adding weight to this assumption, the access policy for Nano Banana Pro has been formally set at a firm “2 images / day.” A message now states, “Image generation & editing is in high demand. Limits may change frequently and will reset daily,” clearly signaling the strain on resources.
In a related development, NotebookLM temporarily withdrew access to its new Infographics and Slide Decks features, which are powered by Nano Banana Pro. This change, implemented on Tuesday, resulted in free users losing this functionality entirely. Meanwhile, Pro subscribers saw “additional limits” applied to their usage.
A statement from the company addressed the situation, explaining, “Due to the overwhelming demand, we’re experiencing some capacity constraints… however we plan on bringing everything back to normal as soon as we can!”
The Infographics tool, found as a new option in the Studio tab, enables the creation of professional visual summaries from source materials. Users can customize these graphics by selecting a landscape, portrait, or square layout and choosing a detail level ranging from concise to detailed, which is currently in beta. A dedicated prompt field allows for further specification of style, color palette, and focal points.
Similarly, the Slide Decks feature is designed for crafting presentations or generating comprehensive documents for reading. It offers two distinct formats: a Detailed Deck that contains complete text and is ideal for distribution via email or independent study, and Presenter Slides, which provide clean, visually-oriented slides with essential talking points to assist during a live speech.
It is important to note that these adjustments have not affected the usage limits for subscribers of the paid Google AI Pro or Ultra plans, which remain unchanged.
(Source: 9to5 Google)
