Gemini File Search Adds a Media ID and Page Numbers to Grounding
The 5 May 2026 API note says File Search can embed images with gemini-embedding-2, and grounding metadata gains media_id and page_numbers.
Direct answer
The Gemini API release notes for 5 May 2026 say File Search can embed and search images with gemini-embedding-2. Grounding metadata now includes media_id for visual citations and page_numbers for where the information was found.
The Gemini API release notes put one File Search update under 5 May 2026. File Search can natively embed and search through images using the gemini-embedding-2 model. Grounding metadata now includes media_id for visual citations and page_numbers that indicate where information is found. The note points to the File Search guide and does not paste a sample metadata object on the changelog itself.
Those two fields are citation handles. A visual citation is tied to a media_id. A text location is tied to page_numbers. The changelog line does not say that every answer will show both, and it does not publish a rate for how often an image result carries a page number. It states that the metadata can include them.
Web search is a different row
An earlier table on the same changelog, under a tools comparison, lists web search as google_search(queries) and marks that tool unchanged. The 5 May File Search note is about files and images already in File Search, not about that web-search tool. The page does not merge the two into one citation format.
Source: Gemini API release notes.
FAQ
- Which embedding model does the note name?
- gemini-embedding-2.
- What do the new metadata fields point at?
- media_id is for visual citations. page_numbers indicate where the information is found.