How to Use Google Bard Extensions: A Step-by-Step Guide

Google Bard, which was launched as a direct competitor to ChatGPT, is constantly receiving new features. In a recent update, Google added support for extensions on Google Bard, similar to ChatGPT plugins. Extensions for Google Bard improve the chatbot’s capabilities and help it interact with other services.

This guide is about installing and using extensions for Google Bard. Let’s dive in straight away.

What Are Extensions in Google Bard?

Extensions are small software programs that extend the functionality of the software without changing the actual program. Simply put, extensions are something like add-ons for the existing software that you can use for certain tasks.

Google Bard extensions allow you to connect Google apps and services to Google Bard. Bard can find and display relevant information for you from Google services. Currently, Google Bard only supports a limited number of extensions that only include Google Apps such as Gmail, Docs, Drive, Google Maps, YouTube, and Google Flights and Hotels. Support for third-party extensions is in the works. The extensions are free, optional for Google Bard, and available in English for all users.

If you’re worried about your privacy, it’s no surprise that Google states it won’t use your personal data accessed by Bard to train the model for advertising purposes. And content from Gmail, Docs, and Drive won’t be viewed by human reviewers.

How to Access and Enable Extensions on Google Bard

Extensions are available in English for all uses. You can access the Google Bard Extensions through the new extension store.

• Open your favorite browser and go to Google Bard.
  
• Click on the extension icon in the top right corner of the toolbar. Alternatively, you can access the extension via a pop-up. After you visit the website, a pop-up should appear, allowing you to try out the new Google Bard extensions. Click “Next” to get started.
  
• Now click Show Me More and Continue to get to the next screen.
• Connect your Google Workspace account to the Bard to access the Google Bard Extensions. Don’t worry if you don’t have one yet. You can click Connect to continue.
• Here, you can see a list of available extensions for Google Bard. Currently, there are only a handful of extensions available from Google. Support for more extensions from Google and partners outside Google will come soon.
  
• The extensions are automatically enabled by default. You can enable the extensions using the toggle switch in the top corner of each extension.
  

How to Use Google Bard Extensions

Using extensions in Google Bard is pretty simple. After you enable the extensions, you can type the prompt. Google Bard will automatically detect the prompt and use precise extensions to get the job done. You can also mention specific extensions by typing @ in the prompt. Here, you will learn how to use the extensions in different ways.

Using The Default Method:

With the default method, you don’t have to mention the extension to get the job done explicitly. You can type the prompt, and Google Bard will automatically use the exact extension and fetch the data for you. Make sure your prompt is more detailed so that Google Bard can understand you better. Here is an example:

• Open Google Bard and enter the text prompt. Make sure that extensions are enabled in your account.
• Enter the text prompt. For example, I asked Google Bard to find the cheapest flights from New Delhi to Vishakapatnam.
• Google Bard automatically used the Google Flights extension and found the cheapest flight from New Delhi to Vishakapatnam.
  
• You can extend the conversation by asking for specific flight and departure details. If you want to access multiple information, you can enter a detailed query, and Google Bard will use multiple extensions and find relevant information for you.

Mention @ to use the Extensions:

You can also mention targeted extensions to use on Google Bard. Just type @ (at symbol). You will see a list of enabled and disabled extensions in a popup. You can tap on any extension to use it. When you mention specific extensions, users have more control over the extensions and can customize their experience to their needs. Here’s how to use extensions with @.

• Go to Google Bard Chatbot and enter the prompt in the text box. You can type @; Google Bard will show you the list of enabled and disabled extensions in your account.
• You can tap on any extension; the extension will be automatically added to the text prompt. You can add multiple extensions to the prompt. Oddly, you can’t mention the extension when editing the prompt.
• I asked Google Bard to use @Google Flights to find cheap flights from Vizag to Delhi, and to use @Googlehotels to find cheap hotels.
  
• Google Bard listed all the cheap flights from Vizag to Delhi and the cheapest hotels. You can extend the conversation by asking for details about specific hotels in specific locations, using Google Maps to find out how long it takes to reach the hotel and more.
  

How to Disable Extensions in Google Bard

You can disable extensions that you no longer need in Google Bard. To do this:

• Go to https://bard.google.com/extensions. Or, if you are on the home page, click on the extensions icon in the upper left corner.
• Now, you will see the list of Google Bard extensions that you can disable. Turn off the button to the right of each extension.
• At the time of writing this article, there is no option to disable all extensions at once. Since there are only a limited number of extensions, you can disable the extensions you need one by one. In case you don’t want Bard to use an extension to give results for a particular prompt, You can click on the drop-down results at the top. Here, you can see the list of extensions by the Google Bard to answer the particular query. You can tap on the top. Try again without extensions to get results without using extension.
  

Pull In Your Personal Information with Google Bard Extensions

AI ChatBots can do more than answer your questions and compose your emails. With extension support, both Google Bard and ChatGPT (extensions are called plugins in ChatGPT) have created new ways to interact with chatbots and use them as a common interface to interact with various apps and services. Extensions are the next big thing in AI chatbots. Google is taking a slightly different approach. I hope you find this tutorial helpful. Extensions on Google Bard are free, and you can install and use them right away. If you have any problems, you can leave a comment, and we will help you.

FAQs on Google Bard Extensions

1. How does Google ensure the privacy of my data when using Bard Extensions?

Google ensures that human reviewers do not see content from Gmail, Docs, and Drive that Bard does not use for advertising purposes and that the data is not used to train the Bard model. Extensions for Google Bard are options; you can disable them in Extensions. We have described how you can disable Google Bard extensions in this post.

2. How do Bard Extensions work, and which Google apps do they integrate with?

Bard Extensions extends the functionality of the ChatBot. With the new support for extensions, Google Bard is no longer limited to answering questions. It can also interact with other apps and services and provide information in a single place. Currently, Google Bard can pull information from various Google apps and services such as Gmail, Docs, Drive, Google Maps, YouTube, and Google Flights and Hotels. Support for third-party extensions in Google Chrome is also expected to come soon.

3. What is the difference between Google Bard Extension and ChatGPT plugins?

Both Google Bard extensions and ChatGPT plugins allow ChatBots to interact with other services. However, they differ slightly in their functionality. The Google Bard extension helps you connect with other Google services like Gmail, Docs, Drive, and Flights and provide relevant information. ChatGPT, on the other hand, supports hundreds of third-party plugins, including services like Open Table, Zapier, and more. You can use ChatGPT plugins to interact with third-party plugins. Moreover, Google extensions are free and available for all users, while ChatGPT plugins are only available for premium subscribers. Moreover, the information retrieved with ChatGPT can be used to train the models.

4. Can I use Google Bard extensions on other platforms or browsers?

Yes, you can use the Google Bard extension in any browser. They are browser-independent. You can install and use Google Bard plugins in any browser.

5. What should I do if an extension causes issues or malfunctions?

You can uninstall and reinstall the plugin if it causes problems or malfunctions. At the time of writing, Google Bard only supports extensions from Google. It’s very unlikely that you’ll run into problems using these extensions. If you still have problems, you can disable and re-enable the extension from the Extensions tab.