For your information governance plan, you can control how long Gemini app messages are retained. Use retention rules to set how long to keep messages and when to delete them, if ever. For example, you can specify that some messages should be kept for 7 years.
To keep data that matches specific conditions for a set time, create a custom retention rule. To keep all service data for all licensed accounts for a set time, create a default retention rule.
On this page
- Important information about Gemini app & retention
- Start of a retention period
- Create a custom Gemini app retention rule
- Create a default Gemini app retention rule
- Delete a Gemini app retention rule
Important information about the Gemini app & retention
Before you set retention rules, we strongly recommend you read about how retention works and review Gemini app messages supported in Vault.
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How data is retainedAdmin settings—You can use the Gemini conversation history setting in the Admin console to decide whether Gemini app conversations are saved and for how long before they’re automatically deleted. However conversations are saved, admins can retain, hold, search, and export Gemini app conversations with Vault. For details on managing Gemini conversation history, go to Manage Gemini conversation history.
User settings—Regardless of whether a user's action or setting causes the deletion of Gemini app conversations, admins can retain, hold, search, and export Gemini app conversations with Vault. For details on managing Gemini Apps activity, go to Manage Gemini activity.
Vault retention rules and holds—You can set custom or default retention rules to keep Gemini app conversations (comprising user prompts and Gemini app responses) for specific periods or indefinitely. You can also set a hold on users' data.
Vault retention rules and holds, if active, take precedence over Admin console (such as Gemini conversation history setting) or user settings. Any Admin console setting or user setting will only hide conversations from users' view where there is a retention rule or hold in place.
- When you create or update a retention rule, it can take up to 24 hours for the rule to propagate. Vault doesn't retain Gemini app messages that are deleted by users during this propagation period.
- When a retention coverage period expires and the rule is set to purge messages, it can take hours to days for affected messages to be removed from the user’s view and it will take at least 30 days for affected messages to be purged from all Google systems.
To keep data that matches specific conditions for a set time, create a custom retention rule. To keep all service data for a set time, create a default retention rule.
For details, go to Types of retention rules.
Start of retention period
For the Gemini app, the retention period begins when the last prompt or response is sent or received in a Gemini conversation. The admin can select the number of days after the last activity that a Gemini conversation (consisting of prompts and responses) should be kept. When that period expires, the entire conversation is purged.
Create a custom retention rule for Gemini app messages
- Sign in to vault.google.com.
- Click Retention
Custom Rules
- For Service, select Gemini app
- Next to Scope, select an organizational unit that the custom retention rule will apply to and click Continue.
- Choose how long to keep Gemini app messages:
- To permanently retain messages covered by this rule, select Indefinitely.
- To discard all messages after a set time, select Retention period and enter the number of days, from 1 to 36,500.
Warning: When you submit a new rule, Vault allows the Gemini app to immediately purge messages that exceed the retention period. The purged data can include data that users expect to keep. Don't proceed to the next step until you’re sure the rule is configured correctly. - Click Create.
- If you set a retention period, Vault asks you to confirm that you understand the rule's effects. Check the boxes and click Accept.
Create a default retention rule for Gemini app messages
- Sign in to vault.google.com.
- Click Retention. The list of default rules opens.
If there are no default rules, the Gemini row will say No default retention.
- Click Gemini app.
- Choose how long to keep Gemini app messages:
- To permanently retain messages covered by this rule, select Indefinitely.
- To discard all messages after a set time, select Retention period and enter the number of days, from 1 to 36,500.
Warning: When you submit a new rule, Vault allows the Gemini app to immediately purge messages that exceed the retention period. The purged data can include data that users expect to keep. Don't proceed to the next step until you’re sure the rule is configured correctly. - Click Create.
- If you set a retention period, Vault asks you to confirm that you understand the rule's effects. Check the boxes and click Accept.
Delete a Gemini app messages retention rule
- Sign in to vault.google.com.
- Click Retention, then select Default Rules or Custom Rules.
- To delete a rule, on Custom rule or Default rule, point to the rule and click Delete.
Warning: Data that is covered by this rule but isn't protected by holds or other retention rules might be immediately purged.
- To confirm, click Delete.