GeminiFree, with limits4 min7 steps

How to run a chain of prompts in Gemini

A chain is a list of prompts that AI Toolbox sends to Gemini one after another. Open the round AI Toolbox button, click Manage Chains, then New chain. Add a prompt for each step and click Add. To run it, type .. in Gemini's message box and pick the chain. The free plan keeps 2 chains.

By Adi Leviim, Co-Founder at Infi Developments Last updated

Also onChatGPTClaudeGrok

Step by step

  1. Open Manage Chains

    Go to gemini.google.com. Click the round AI Toolbox button in the bottom-right corner of the page. A window called AI Toolbox opens with a list of features.

    Click Manage Chains.

    You should see: A window called Manage Chains.

  2. Start a new chain

    Click the New chain button (it has a + in front).

    You should see: A Name box and a Steps section with one empty step.

  3. Write the steps

    Type a name, for example Blog post. In the first step box, write the first prompt, for example Suggest 5 titles about home coffee.

    Click Add step for each next prompt. Each step is sent after Gemini finishes answering the one before.

    You should see: Numbered step boxes, one for each prompt.

    Use a blank like {{topic}} in any step. You type the value once and it fills every step.

  4. Save the chain

    Click Add at the bottom of the form.

    You should see: Your chain in the list, with the number of steps it has.

  5. Start the chain with ..

    Close the window. Click in Gemini's message box and type .. (two dots). Add a space first if there is text before it.

    Click the chain in the list, or use the arrow keys and press Enter or Tab.

    You should see: A list of your chains above the message box.

    You can also click Run next to a chain in the Manage Chains window.

  6. Fill in the blanks (if asked)

    If your chain has blanks like {{topic}}, a window called Fill in prompt variables opens. Type each value once and click Run.

    You should see: The first step is sent to Gemini.

  7. Let it run

    A small bar near the bottom of the page shows the progress, for example Step 1/3. Wait while each step is sent and answered.

    To stop early, click Stop on that bar.

    You should see: Gemini answers every step in order, then the bar goes away.

That's it. You have finished every tutorial in this section.

If something doesn't look right

Typing .. does nothing

Put a space or a new line before the two dots and type them again. If the list still does not open, open the AI Toolbox button, click Settings, and under Prompts make sure Prompt tools is on. Then refresh the page.

The bar says Timed out

Gemini took too long to answer a step, often because the answer was very long or you reached Gemini's own usage limit. Click Retry on the bar to send that step again, or Dismiss to stop.

An upgrade window opened when I saved a chain

The free plan keeps 2 chains. Click Maybe later to go back to your form, then delete an old chain in Manage Chains to make room, or upgrade to Premium.

It says a name and at least one step are required

Give the chain a name and write a prompt in at least one step box, then click Add again.

Free and Premium

The free plan keeps 2 chains. Premium keeps an unlimited number.

  • Free: 2 saved chains.
  • Premium: unlimited chains.
  • Up to 25 steps per chain on every plan. When you reach 25, the Add step button turns off.

What Gemini does on its own

Gemini's Gems keep a set of instructions that apply to every message in a chat with that Gem. You still write and send each message yourself.

An AI Toolbox chain sends a whole list of prompts for you, in order, waiting for Gemini to finish each answer before sending the next. It works in normal chats and in chats with Gems.

Source: Gemini Apps Help: Use Gems in Gemini Apps

Questions people ask

What is a prompt chain in Gemini?

A prompt chain is a saved list of prompts that AI Toolbox sends to Gemini one after another. Each step waits until Gemini finishes its answer, then the next prompt goes out. It is handy for tasks you repeat, like outline, then draft, then edit.

How do I run a chain in Gemini?

With AI Toolbox, type two dots in Gemini's message box and pick a chain from the list, or click Run next to it in Manage Chains. A small bar near the bottom shows which step is running. Click Stop on that bar to end the chain early.

How many prompt chains are free?

AI Toolbox's free plan keeps 2 prompt chains, and you can run them as often as you like in Gemini, ChatGPT, Claude and Grok. Premium keeps an unlimited number of chains. Delete a chain you no longer use to free a slot on the free plan.

Can a chain ask me for a value first?

Yes. Write a word in double curly braces, like {{topic}}, in any step of an AI Toolbox chain. When the chain starts, a window asks for each value once, and AI Toolbox fills it into every step before sending. You never type the same value twice.

Can I stop a chain halfway?

Yes. While an AI Toolbox chain runs in Gemini, a small bar near the bottom of the page shows the step number with a Stop button. Click Stop and no more steps are sent. The answers Gemini already gave stay in the chat.

Related tutorials

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