Nano Banana

Google's image family from Gemini: Pro for studio-quality work, 2 for Pro-level pictures at Flash speed, 2 Lite for the fastest and cheapest runs.

Whisperer's verdict: 4.4 / 5

What it nails

• Real words on posters and labels
• Edits in one plain sentence
• Up to 14 reference pictures

Watch out for

• Pro costs more: draft on a cheaper version first

Nano Banana is Google's image family, the same models behind image making in the Gemini app. Its big idea: you describe the picture in plain sentences, like briefing a designer, and it reasons about what you asked before it draws. That is why it handles things most image models get wrong: real words on posters, the same five people in one photo, and edits you ask for in a single sentence.

The Lab runs four versions, so you pick the right one per picture instead of paying Pro prices for every draft.

What Nano Banana is secretly great at

It writes real text, and designs around it

Put the exact words in quotes and say what font they should be in. Nano Banana 2 was built for "precision text rendering and translation", so headlines, dates and barcodes land where you asked.

A photo of a glossy magazine cover, the minimal blue cover has the large bold words Nano Banana. The text is in a serif font and fills the view. No other text. In front of the text there is a portrait of a person in a sleek and minimal dress. She is playfully holding the number 2, which is the focal point. Put the issue number and "Feb 2026" date in the corner along with a barcode. The magazine is on a shelf against an orange plastered wall, within a designer store.

Example by Google · source ↗

It explains things, not just draws them

Ask for an infographic the way you would ask a teacher. The model works out the content first, then lays it out, so the picture is right as well as pretty.

Create a vibrant infographic that explains photosynthesis as if it were a recipe for a plant's favorite food. Show the "ingredients" (sunlight, water, CO2) and the "finished dish" (sugar/energy). The style should be like a page from a colorful kids' cookbook, suitable for a 4th grader.

Example by Google · source ↗

It translates a finished design in one sentence

Hand it a picture with text and ask for another language. Say "do not change any other elements" and the layout, colours and drawings stay exactly as they were.

Update this infographic to be in Spanish. Do not change any other elements of the image.

Example by Google · source ↗ · This is an edit: add your own infographic as a reference picture first.

Up to 14 reference pictures in one prompt

Pro and 2 accept up to 14 reference images, and keep up to five people consistent. Upload one photo of each person, then describe the scene you want them in.

An office group photo of these people, they are making funny faces.

Example by Google · source ↗ · This is an edit: add your own photos of each person as a reference picture first.

Several styles in one frame

Pro understands mixed media: a photo, an anime character, a pencil sketch and a clay figure can share the same scene without the styles bleeding into each other.

A photo of an everyday scene at a busy cafe serving breakfast. In the foreground is an anime man with blue hair, one of the people is a pencil sketch, another is a claymation person

Example by Google · source ↗

Which Nano Banana to pick

How to prompt Nano Banana

These rules come from Google's own prompting guides.

1. Write sentences, not keyword lists. Cover the subject, what it is doing, where, the composition and the style.
2. Be specific. "A stoic robot barista with glowing blue optics" beats "a robot".
3. Say what you want, not what you don't. Write "an empty street" instead of "no cars".
4. Put text in quotes and describe the font: "bold, white, sans-serif".
5. Speak camera. Shot type, lens and light ("85mm, soft golden-hour window light") change the picture more than adjectives.
6. When editing, say what must stay the same, then refine in small follow-ups.

Photography that looks real

Describe the shot like a photographer would: who, what they are doing, the lens and the light. Even the original Nano Banana gets convincing portraits and product shots this way.

A photorealistic close-up portrait of an elderly Japanese ceramicist with deep, sun-etched wrinkles and a warm, knowing smile. He is carefully inspecting a freshly glazed tea bowl. The setting is his rustic, sun-drenched workshop. The scene is illuminated by soft, golden hour light streaming through a window, highlighting the fine texture of the clay. Captured with an 85mm portrait lens, resulting in a soft, blurred background (bokeh). The overall mood is serene and masterful. Vertical portrait orientation.

Example by Google · source ↗

A high-resolution, studio-lit product photograph of a minimalist ceramic coffee mug in matte black, presented on a polished concrete surface. The lighting is a three-point softbox setup designed to create soft, diffused highlights and eliminate harsh shadows. The camera angle is a slightly elevated 45-degree shot to showcase its clean lines. Ultra-realistic, with sharp focus on the steam rising from the coffee. Square image.

Example by Google · source ↗

Icons and brand assets

Short, exact briefs work for design assets. Say the background colour, the style and "no text" when you want a clean icon.

An icon representing a cute dog. The background is white. Make the icons in a colorful and tactile 3D style. No text.

Example by Google · source ↗

FAQ