How to Use Nano Banana: A Step-by-Step Guide

TL;DR

• Nano Banana refers to AI image generation models developed by Google. Nano Banana is a nickname for Google's AI image generator, officially called Gemini Flash Image. There are multiple versions of these models — namely Nano Banana 2.1 and Nano Banana Pro.
• Nano Banana is free in the Gemini app. You can create images with Nano Banana 2 for free if you have an account with Google. Nano Banana 2 is included up to 1K exports.
• You can use four Nano Banana models in Overchat AI. The Overchat AI image generator has Nano Banana 2.1, Nano Banana Pro and two older versions. You can add up to four reference images to one prompt and export images in up to 4K.

What is Nano Banana?

Nano Banana is the nickname of Google's AI image models. Officially, these models are called Gemini Flash Image, but before releasing the first iteration, Google tested it anonymously on LMArena as "nano-banana", and the name stuck.

You can use Nano Banana to create new images from a text description or to edit your own photos. The table below shows all Nano Banana versions Google has released so far:

The current versions are made for different tasks:

• Nano Banana 2.1 is the newest model and the main one for everyday images and edits. In the Gemini API, it replaces Nano Banana 2.
• Nano Banana Pro is a more expensive model for professional images.
• Nano Banana 2 Lite is the fastest and cheapest version made for quick drafts.

Where can you use Nano Banana?

You can use Nano Banana in three types of apps:

1. Google's own apps. The main one is the Gemini app, where you can use Nano Banana for free. Nano Banana is also built into other Google products, such as Flow and NotebookLM.
2. All-in-one AI apps. Apps like Overchat AI connect to Nano Banana through the API. You can use it next to other image models and try the same prompt on several models with one subscription.
3. Google AI Studio and the Gemini API. These tools are made for developers. You can test prompts in AI Studio and pay for each image through the API.

Below, we show how to use Nano Banana in the Gemini app and in Overchat AI, step by step.

How to use Nano Banana in Gemini

Step 1: Open the Images page in Gemini

To get started, open a page for image generation in Gemini. Go to gemini.google.com, open the sidebar and click Images.

Here, you can get started by writing a prompt or by using ready-made templates, like Marble and Chibi. If you upload a photo, you can also edit it with Nano Banana.

Let's start by creating an image from text. To do this, click + next to the prompt box and choose Create image.

Step 2: Describe the image and choose the aspect ratio

Now, describe the image you want to create. Write in full sentences, the way you'd describe the picture to a photographer: who is in the frame and what the light is like.

For example, we used this prompt from Google:

Then choose the aspect ratio in the menu under the prompt box and send the prompt. We chose 4:3.

Gemini created the image in about 20 seconds. Warm window light falls on the man's face, and the shelves behind him are blurred, just like we asked in the prompt.

Step 3: Edit the image with follow-up messages

If you want to change something in the image, just write it in the next message. You don't need to repeat the whole prompt. It works best when you change one thing at a time.

For example, we asked Gemini to change the glaze on the tea bowl to deep cobalt blue and keep everything else the same. Only the bowl changed, and the rest of the image stayed as it was.

Step 4: Upload your own photo to edit it

Now let's edit a real photo. Click + next to the prompt box, choose Upload files and describe what you want to change.

We uploaded a photo of a woman in a denim jacket on a city street and asked Gemini to change the jacket and the season:

In the edited photo, the woman looks the same, but now she's wearing a camel coat, and there's snow on the street.

Step 5: Download the image

When you're happy with the result, click the download icon in the top right corner of the image. On the free plan, you can download images in 1K. On paid Google AI plans, you can download them in 2K.

If you have a paid plan, you can also recreate the image with Nano Banana Pro. To do this, click More under the image and choose Redo with Pro.

How to use Nano Banana in Overchat AI

Overchat AI is an all-in-one AI app with Nano Banana and other image models, like GPT Image 2.5 and Seedream 5 Pro. Compared to the free Gemini app, it gives you more control over the result:

• You can choose the Nano Banana version, including Nano Banana 2.1 and Nano Banana Pro.
• You can create images in up to 4K.
• With Nano Banana 2.1, you can add up to four reference images to one prompt.
• You can run the same prompt on several models at once and compare the results.

Step 1: Open the image generator and choose a Nano Banana model

To get started, open the image generator in Overchat AI and click the model name in the prompt box. In the Models tab, you'll see four Nano Banana versions and their prices in credits:

For this guide, we chose Nano Banana 2.1, the newest version.

If you want to compare versions, turn on Multiple selection and tick several models. You'll get one image from each model with the same prompt.

Step 2: Add reference images and write the prompt

Next, add the photos you want Nano Banana to use. Click Add References and upload them from your device. You can also pick images you created earlier in Overchat AI.

When you write the prompt, refer to each photo by its tag, like @Image1 or @Image2. This way, Nano Banana knows what to take from each photo.

For example, we added the photo of the woman from the Gemini step and a photo of white sneakers. Then we asked Nano Banana 2.1 to combine them into a fashion ad:

Step 3: Choose the resolution and aspect ratio

Then click the settings icon next to the model name. Here, you can change the image settings:

• Resolution can be 1K, 2K or 4K.
• Aspect ratio goes from vertical 9:16 to wide 16:9.
• Count can be from 1 to 8 images per prompt.

If you choose a higher resolution, the image costs more credits. For example, a Nano Banana 2.1 image costs 100 credits in 1K and 144 credits in 2K. We chose 2K and a vertical 3:4 frame.

Step 4: Generate the image and keep editing

Now click the button with the credit price to generate the image. It will appear in the feed above the prompt box.

Nano Banana 2.1 kept the woman's face and her denim jacket from the first photo and put the sneakers from the second photo on her feet.

If you want to change something, open the image and describe the change in the prompt box under it. You can also use the editing tools at the top, like Erase and Change background.

To animate the image, click Make video. The image becomes the first frame of the video, and you can choose a video model like Kling 4.0 or Seedance 2.5.

How much does Nano Banana cost?

In Gemini

On the free plan, you can create a limited number of images a day and download them in 1K. On paid Google AI plans, the daily limit is higher, and you can download images in 2K. Here are the prices of all plans:

In the Gemini API

If you'd like to generate via the Gemini API, the pricing is per image. Here's a table that breaks down the prices:

In Overchat AI

On the free plan, you get 100 credits a day, which is enough for one Nano Banana 2.1 image in 1K. On paid plans, you get 2,000 credits a week or 8,000 credits a month, depending on the plan. Here's a table for more details:

On the monthly plan, one Nano Banana 2.1 image costs about $0.19 in 1K and $0.27 in 2K.

Tips for writing Nano Banana prompts

These tips work both in Gemini and in Overchat AI:

1. Use photography terms for realistic images. Words like "85mm portrait lens" or "golden hour light" tell Nano Banana how to frame and light the shot.
2. Put text in quotes. If you want text in the image, write the exact words in quotes and add the font style, like "bold sans-serif".
3. Say which reference is which. When you upload several photos, tell Nano Banana what to take from each one. In Overchat AI, use the @Image1 and @Image2 tags. In Gemini, write something like "the woman from the first photo" and "the sneakers from the second photo".
4. Leave room for text. If you plan to add a headline later, ask for empty space and say where the subject should be, for example in the bottom right corner.
5. Describe what you want to see. If you don't want cars on the street, write "an empty street" instead of "no cars".

FAQ

Is Nano Banana free?

Yes, you can use Nano Banana for free in the Gemini app with a Google account. On the free plan, there's a daily limit, and you can download images in 1K. In Overchat AI, you get 100 free credits a day, which is enough for one Nano Banana 2.1 image.

Is Nano Banana a separate app?

No. Nano Banana is an image model, and you can use it inside the Gemini app. You can also use it in other apps, like Overchat AI.

What is the newest Nano Banana model?

The newest model is Nano Banana 2.1. Google released it on October 6, 2026. It replaces Nano Banana 2 in the Gemini API and costs half as much per image.

What's the difference between Nano Banana 2.1 and Nano Banana Pro?

Nano Banana 2.1 is the main model for everyday images and edits. Nano Banana Pro is made for professional images with a lot of text, like posters and infographics, and it costs more.

How many images can I upload to Nano Banana?

In Overchat AI, you can add up to four reference images to one prompt with Nano Banana 2.1. If you use the Gemini API, you can send up to 14 reference images in one request.

Does Nano Banana add a watermark?

Yes, but you won't see it. Every Nano Banana image has an invisible SynthID watermark that shows it was created with AI. The image we downloaded from Gemini on the free plan had no visible watermark.