⚡ Gemini 3 Flash is now in Gemini CLI!

[srithreepo]

PR: #15196

We’ve integrated Gemini 3 Flash directly into Gemini CLI, bringing our fastest, most efficient model to your terminal. Gemini 3 Flash achieves a SWE-bench Verified score of 78% for agentic coding, outperforming not only the 2.5 series, but also Gemini 3 Pro.

This integration is designed for developers who need near-instantaneous responses without sacrificing intelligence. Gemini 3 Flash delivers low-latency performance while performing at the level of the Pro-model families.

🚀 Immediate Access

Gemini 3 Flash is available starting today in Gemini CLI for:

• All paid users.
• Paid Gemini API key holders
• A large percentage of the Free tier user base (the rest of our Free tier users will also start getting access in the coming days. If you applied to the waitlist you should already have access)

🏁 Start Using Gemini 3 Flash

If you are a paid user, you can start using Flash immediately by updating to version 0.21.1 or later:

npm install -g @google/gemini-cli@latest

To enable:

1. Run /settings in your terminal.
2. Toggle Preview features to true.
3. Select Auto (Gemini 3) from your model settings or Manual -> gemini-3-flash-preview

We’re excited to see how much faster you can build with Gemini 3 Flash! Drop a comment below and let us know how the latency feels in your local environment.

🏎️ Defaulting to Gemini 3

Lastly starting later today we will start moving all our Paid users (Google AI Pro and Google AI Ultra) to default to Preview features enabled. This means you will soon start seeing your Gemini CLI default to Auto routing for the 3 model family.

🌉Generate a ready-to-deploy app with 3D graphics

We used Gemini 3 Pro in Gemini CLI to build a 3D Voxel simulation of the Golden Gate Bridge, treating the prompt as both a creative brief and a technical specification. But can Gemini 3 Flash do the same?

Previously, generating this level of functional code in a single pass was a job more suited for Pro models. Gemini 2.5 Flash, for example, often struggled with this complexity, resulting in broken logic. While Gemini 3 Pro's state-of-the-art reasoning creates a more visually appealing result, Gemini 3 Flash can still handle the task with precision, demonstrating that a rapid prototyping tool doesn't have to compromise code quality.

Demo_1_Golden_Gate_Flash_studio.mp4

[YdayangY]

Hi, I'm a free tier user of Gemini. I received an email a couple of hours ago saying I was granted access to Gemini 3 on Gemini-CLI. But when I try to enable this feature and test it, it says I don't have permission. Do you know how to resolve this issue?

[YdayangY]

By the way, I’ve tried logging in again and deleting the state.json file in the ~/.gemini directory.

[ArtemChik103]

same, bro

[damao33]

the rest of our Free tier users will also start getting access in the coming days

I assume the "coming days" means a month. But can't blame it cuz I didn't pay

[mbell2122]

region locked is likely the case. no telling how long we'll have to wait, or if we'll get to use it at all

[sheikhsajid69]

I literally asked the Gemini CLI which model you are and it didn't gave me the exact name what he's name!
like what gemini itself dont know what model he is!

[n-ce]

Google's models aren't allowed to disclose their internal details. You can manually set it with /model command though.

[Vitallity]

Hi,
I'm experiencing an issue similar to what's described here.
On December 17th, I received an email confirming that my account (which previously received
access for Gemini 3 Pro) now also has access to Gemini 3 Flash for use in the Gemini CLI. The
email instructed me to update the CLI to version 0.21.1+ and enable 'Preview Features'.

I have confirmed the following:

1. My Gemini CLI version is @google/[email protected] (latest).
2. previewFeatures is set to true in my settings.json.
3. I have restarted the CLI.

However, when I use the /model command, I still see "Gemini 3 is coming soon." and only
options for Gemini 2.5 models (Pro, Flash, Flash-Lite) and "Auto (Gemini 2.5)". I do not see a
explicit options for Gemini 3 Pro or Gemini 3 Flash.

It seems there's a disconnect between the access granted to my account and what the CLI
displays. All my local configurations are correct according to the email's instructions.

[thedude898]

same, but i got email in november. before it said that "Gemini 3 is here" but i couldnt use it

[sheikhsajid69]

WHATS GOING ON! reinstalled @gemini-cli-robot and asked which model again and it replied: gemini-1.5 flash!!!!!!!!!!! Atleast could have updated this with 2.5 flash!!