# Google Gemini 2.5 Flash (preview 05-20) — deprecation status

> Yes — Gemini 2.5 Flash (preview 05-20) is retired. Google shut it down on November 18, 2025; API requests to it now fail. The recommended replacement is Gemini 3.6 Flash.

The May 2025 preview of 2.5 Flash, and the first Gemini to expose a configurable thinking budget. Shut down November 2025, six months after release.

## Facts

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Provider | Google |
| Model id | `gemini-2.5-flash-preview-05-20` |
| Status | Retired |
| Released | May 20, 2025 |
| Shutdown | November 18, 2025 (254 days ago) |
| Last verified | July 30, 2026 |

## Replacement

- **Gemini 3.6 Flash** (`gemini-3.6-flash`) · recommended — https://modeldeprecations.dev/google/gemini-3.6-flash
  - The thinking-budget parameter this preview introduced has changed shape twice since; check the current thinking docs rather than porting config.
  - Parameters it accepts: https://modelparams.dev/models/google/gemini-3.6-flash

```diff
- "model": "gemini-2.5-flash-preview-05-20"
+ "model": "gemini-3.6-flash"
```

## FAQ

### When did Google Gemini 2.5 Flash (preview 05-20) shut down?

Google Gemini 2.5 Flash (preview 05-20) shut down on November 18, 2025. API requests to it fail from that date onward.

### What replaces Google Gemini 2.5 Flash (preview 05-20)?

Google recommends Gemini 3.6 Flash (`gemini-3.6-flash`) as the replacement for Google Gemini 2.5 Flash (preview 05-20). The thinking-budget parameter this preview introduced has changed shape twice since; check the current thinking docs rather than porting config.

### Is Google Gemini 2.5 Flash (preview 05-20) still available?

No. Google Gemini 2.5 Flash (preview 05-20) is retired and no longer served — it was shut down on November 18, 2025. Calls to it return an error.

### How do I migrate from Google Gemini 2.5 Flash (preview 05-20) to gemini-3.6-flash?

Swap the model id in your API call: replace "gemini-2.5-flash-preview-05-20" with "gemini-3.6-flash". The thinking-budget parameter this preview introduced has changed shape twice since; check the current thinking docs rather than porting config.

## Sources

- [Gemini API deprecations](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/deprecations) — accessed 2026-07-30

---

Canonical page: https://modeldeprecations.dev/google/gemini-2.5-flash-preview-05-20
JSON: https://modeldeprecations.dev/api/v1/models/google/gemini-2.5-flash-preview-05-20.json