Guides ·
Search Gemini history locally
Chat Transfer lets you search Gemini history locally by saving the open thread into an on-device Library archive, finding it later by title, snippet, or Site, then continuing that archive into ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, or Gemini — without cloud sync and without replacing Gemini’s own account history UI or a Google Takeout archive.
Version 0.4.0 is live on the Chrome Web Store. Soft Auto-Send stays opt-in and default off. Library bodies stay in chrome.storage.local (large bodies may use IndexedDB). Add to Chrome
What “search Gemini history locally” means here
People search “search Gemini history,” “find old Gemini chat,” or “Gemini history search” for two different jobs. Chat Transfer only does the second:
| Job | Where it lives | Chat Transfer |
|---|---|---|
| Find a thread inside your Google Gemini account | Gemini’s history / recent chats UI on gemini.google.com (account-side data) | No — that UI stays on Gemini |
| Download Gemini Apps activity as an account archive | Google Takeout for Gemini Apps data (hours to days; email link active 7 days per Gemini Apps Help) | No — that is Google’s bulk path |
| Search archives you saved on this Chrome profile | Chat Transfer Library (CT Memory JSON) in chrome.storage.local / IndexedDB on this device | Yes — title, snippet, or Site |
| Continue a found archive on another AI | Paste (and optional file attach for huge chats) into ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, or Gemini | Yes — Continue from Library |
| Cloud sync / account migration | Upload chats to a Chat Transfer backend, or move memories between Google and other accounts | No. There is no Chat Transfer backend |
If you only need Gemini’s built-in history list, use Gemini. Use this guide when you want a local archive you can search offline from the extension, then hop or continue into another composer. Siblings: Search ChatGPT history locally, Search Claude history locally, Search Grok history locally. Related: Export Gemini chat to Markdown (one-thread file) and Local only.
How Library search differs from hopping
Hop and Library search share the same Chrome extension and the same local-only rule. They are not the same job.
| Dimension | Hop (open Gemini thread) | Library search |
|---|---|---|
| Corpus | The chat already open on gemini.google.com (legacy bard.google.com hosts also match) | Only chats you Export (or long hops that write CT Memory) into the extension |
| Payload | Full / Last N (default 10; presets 4, 8, 16) / last assistant | The saved archive (optional notes + continue prompt as a preamble) |
| When | Now — paste the current extract into a Target Site | Later — find a row by title, snippet, or Site = Gemini, then Continue |
| Search | None. You already have the thread open | library-search plus the Site select (library-platform) |
| Send | Paste never silent-sends. Soft Auto-Send is opt-in, default off | Same for Continue from Library |
Use hop when the Gemini tab is already the thread you want. Use Library when you need to find a Gemini chat you archived last week. Hop walkthroughs: Hop Gemini to ChatGPT, Hop Gemini to Claude, Hop Gemini to Grok.
How Library search differs from Gemini history / Takeout
This comparison is from how Chat Transfer 0.4.0 stores and filters archives — not from Google product docs claiming parity.
| Dimension | Gemini history / Takeout | Chat Transfer Library |
|---|---|---|
| Corpus | Threads already saved to your Google Account on gemini.google.com; Takeout covers Gemini Apps activity as a bulk archive | Only chats you Export (or long hops that write CT Memory) into the extension |
| Search fields | Gemini’s own recent/history UI; Takeout is a download, not an in-extension search box | Title, snippet, and Site (ChatGPT / Claude / Gemini / Grok) inside the popup or side panel |
| Where results open | Back into gemini.google.com, or a Takeout zip on disk | Open archive details locally, or Continue into a chosen Target Site composer |
| Device bound | Follows your Google login across browsers | Bound to this Chrome profile’s local storage (optional folder index if you grant File System Access) |
| Privacy surface | Account-side data under Google’s product; Takeout delivery may use email / Drive / Dropbox / OneDrive / Box | No Chat Transfer upload; see privacy |
Chat Transfer does not scrape your full Gemini history in the background. Extract and Export run when you act — popup, side panel, in-page button, hop, Copy, or Export. Empty new chats are not useful archives. Temporary / Incognito chats that Gemini never paints into lasting history are also not in the Library unless that tab still shows turns you export yourself.
Library loop: archive → search → continue
- Archive. On an open Gemini thread at gemini.google.com, Export to Library (popup, side panel, or the optional in-page CT button). That writes a CT Memory JSON archive (
kind: ct-memory) with title, Site = Gemini, notes, continue prompt, and message text. Large bodies may spill into IndexedDB (ct-memory). Export can also download Markdown, plain text, JSON, CSV, HTML, PDF, State, or ZIP — Library is the durable on-device list. A Markdown export from Export Gemini chat to Markdown writes the same Library row. - Search. Open Library in the popup or side panel. Type into the search field (
library-search). Rows filter by title, snippet, or Site. Set the Site select (library-platform) to Gemini to hide ChatGPT / Claude / Grok archives. Pin or delete locally. Import brings a saved archive, Markdown, or text file back in. - Continue. Select a row → Continue. Chat Transfer opens the Target Site and pastes the saved archive (optional notes + continue prompt as a preamble). Huge chats may also attach the CT Memory JSON. Soft Auto-Send stays opt-in; Send is never silent.
Optional folder index: if you grant File System Access to a local folder, that handle and a file list stay in IndexedDB (ct-folder-index). Denied or cancelled permission leaves the in-extension Library as-is. Optional Shrink filler (Export checkbox, default off) strips common filler from the archive copy; fenced code and URLs stay intact; Copy is unchanged.
Long Gemini threads that have not painted every turn yet need Scroll & extract first. It scrolls toward the bottom until the turn count stops growing or 12 passes are done, then reads the visible turns. It never clicks Send. The Gemini adapter is a best-effort DOM reader (prefers custom elements such as user-query and model-response, then related text hooks). Thought containers (model-thoughts, thoughts-container, and related test ids) are skipped. If those hooks are missing, it does not invent messages; Copy and Export stay off until real turns appear.
Steps: search a Gemini archive on this device
- Add Chat Transfer from the Chrome Web Store (0.4.0).
- Open the Gemini chat you care about (a finished thread on gemini.google.com — not an empty new chat). Wait until the last reply has finished streaming.
- Export to Library — popup, side panel, or in-page button (Export to Library). Confirm the row appears under Recent with Site = Gemini.
- Later: open Library → type a word from the title or snippet (or filter by Site = Gemini) → select the row.
- Continue on ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, or Gemini. Preview the paste. You press Send — unless Soft Auto-Send is on and you confirm once.
Longer install walkthrough: How to use. For hopping the currently open Gemini thread without using Library first, use hop Full / Last N / last assistant from the Gemini hop guides (for example Hop Gemini to ChatGPT). For a one-thread .md file of the open chat, see Export Gemini chat to Markdown.
Soft Auto-Send stays opt-in (default off)
Continue-from-Library paste does not silent-send. Soft Auto-Send is opt-in (hopSoftAutoSend in chrome.storage.local, default off). After a successful paste it asks once: “Send this hop now?” Confirm presses destination Send once; Cancel leaves the paste; a failed paste never asks. No upgrade turns the box on for existing installs. Full walkthrough: Soft Auto-Send.
Local only — chrome.storage, no backend
Chat Transfer is a local-only Chrome extension. Settings and Library archives stay on this device. There is no Chat Transfer backend; the marketing site does not receive archive text. Host access is only Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grok domains — including gemini.google.com and legacy bard.google.com. Soft Auto-Send adds no host_permissions and no downloads permission. Same facts as the privacy policy.
Searching the Library does not open a tunnel into Google account data you never exported. Threads you never archived remain only in Gemini’s own history (or in a Takeout archive if you requested one).
When not to use Library search
- You need every Gemini thread ever — Library only holds what you exported (plus useful long hops that write CT Memory). For a bulk Gemini Apps archive, use Google Takeout for Gemini Apps data.
- You want the same archive list on another computer without moving files — there is no cloud sync; use Export / Import or a folder you copy yourself.
- You need images, files, or Gemini tool outputs rebuilt inside the destination — Continue pastes text (and may attach CT Memory JSON for huge chats); it does not rebuild binaries.
- You need an ongoing mirror between Gemini and another account — see Hop vs migration.
FAQ
Can I search Gemini history locally without uploading chats?
Yes. Chat Transfer stores Library archives in on-device chrome.storage.local / IndexedDB. There is no Chat Transfer chat-upload backend.
Is this a replacement for Gemini’s history search or Takeout?
No. Gemini’s history UI still owns account-side history, and Takeout owns the bulk Google Account archive. Library search only covers archives you saved into the extension on this Chrome profile.
Does Continue from Library silent-send?
No. Paste never silent-sends. Soft Auto-Send is opt-in, default off, and asks once after a successful paste.
What can I search by?
Title, snippet, and Site. Filter Site = Gemini to hide ChatGPT / Claude / Grok archives. Pin or delete rows locally. Import restores a saved archive, Markdown, or text file.
Which Gemini hosts can I archive from?
Primary: gemini.google.com. Legacy: bard.google.com. Host permissions match those patterns.
Sources
- Gemini — source app / account history UI
- Download your Gemini Apps data — Gemini Apps Help (Takeout path)
- Google Takeout
- Download your Google data — Google Account Help
- Chat Transfer on the Chrome Web Store
- Chat Transfer privacy policy — Library / CT Memory storage notes
- Search ChatGPT history locally — sibling Library guide
- Search Claude history locally — sibling Library guide
- Search Grok history locally — sibling Library guide
Related
Product · Guides · Export Gemini chat to Markdown · Search ChatGPT history locally · Search Claude history locally · Search Grok history locally · Hop Gemini to ChatGPT · Hop Gemini to Claude · Hop Gemini to Grok · Soft Auto-Send · How to use · Local only · Hop vs migration · Privacy · Add to Chrome