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Gemini Nano won't download, or the panel says AI unavailable

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Symptom

The status pill reads AI unavailable or Needs Chrome AI, or Downloading never finishes.

Chrome's diagnostics point at the problem; once it's fixed, the LED goes green.
  • Needs Chrome AI: this Chrome can't run Gemini Nano. Update to desktop Chrome 138 or newer on Windows, macOS, Linux or a Chromebook Plus. Chrome on phones can't run it.
  • AI unavailable: the computer doesn't meet a requirement Check your computer can run Gemini Nano: 22 GB free on the Chrome profile's drive, a GPU with more than 4 GB of video memory or 16 GB of RAM with 4 or more cores, and an unmetered connection for the download. Click Open Chrome's AI diagnostics (chrome://on-device-internals) to see which one Chrome reports.
  • Download stuck: keep Chrome open and on Wi-Fi or Ethernet, and free up disk space if you're near 22 GB. If the pill reads Set up AI again, click it to restart the download.

Once the message says Gemini Nano is ready. Press Enter to riff., nothing is downloaded again and Riff works offline.

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