Gemini (Google) Setup Guide
This guide will help you configure your Google Gemini API Key in Chatbox to use Gemini 1.5 Pro, Gemini 2.0 Flash, and other models.
Gemini Model Features
Gemini is Google's multimodal AI model with these features:
- Powerful multimodal: Native support for text, images, video, audio
- Ultra-long context: Gemini 1.5 Pro supports up to 1 million Tokens
- Fast speed: Flash series has extremely fast response times
- Free quota: Generous free API call quota available
Getting an API Key
Step 1: Visit Google AI Studio
- Visit Google AI Studio
- Sign in with your Google account
- Accept the terms of service
Step 2: Create an API Key
- Click "Get API key" in the left menu
- Click "Create API key"
- Select or create a Google Cloud project
- Copy the generated API Key
Google AI Studio provides free quota, suitable for personal and development testing use.
Paid Usage (Optional)
For higher usage, you can enable the Gemini API in Google Cloud Console and set up a billing account.
Configure in Chatbox
Step 1: Open Settings
- Open the Chatbox app
- Click the "Settings" entry in the bottom left
- Select "AI Provider" or "Model Settings"
Step 2: Add Google Gemini
- Click "Add Provider"
- Select "Google Gemini"
- Paste your key in the "API Key" field
- Keep API Host as default
Step 3: Select a Model
After saving, you can choose from these models:
| Model | Features | Use Cases |
|---|---|---|
| gemini-2.0-flash | Latest Flash model, extremely fast | Daily chat, quick responses |
| gemini-2.0-flash-thinking | Flash with reasoning support | Tasks requiring reasoning |
| gemini-1.5-pro | Million-token context, powerful | Long documents, complex analysis |
| gemini-1.5-flash | Fast and cheap | Simple tasks, high volume |
Pricing
Google AI Studio typically provides a free tier, and paid usage is token-based. Exact limits and prices can change by model, tier, and region.
- Check current pricing and limits on Google's official pricing page
- Check your real-time quota usage in Google AI Studio before high-volume usage
Common Issues
API Key Not Working
Possible causes:
- Key has been deleted or disabled
- Free quota limit exceeded
- Region not supported
Solutions:
- Check key status in AI Studio
- Check if free quota is exceeded
- Generate a new key
"Quota Exceeded" Error
Cause: Free call limit exceeded
Solutions:
- Wait for quota reset (usually daily)
- Use Flash models with higher free quota
- Set up paid account for higher quota
Network Connection Issues
Solutions:
- Confirm network can access Google services
- Check proxy settings
- Try configuring proxy in Chatbox
Multimodal Features
Gemini supports image input. In Chatbox:
- Select a Gemini model with vision support
- Upload images in the conversation
- The model will recognize and analyze image content
Usage Tips
-
Make the most of free quota:
- Use
gemini-1.5-flashorgemini-2.0-flashfor daily use - Free quota is sufficient for personal use
- Use
-
Leverage long context:
- Gemini 1.5 Pro supports 1 million Tokens
- Great for processing very long documents, codebase analysis
-
Multimodal scenarios:
- Image analysis, OCR recognition
- Chart interpretation, visual Q&A
-
Monitor quota usage:
- Check usage in AI Studio
- Avoid making too many requests in a short time