Gemini 2.5 Pro missing in AI Studio? Check the access change

Gemini 2.5 disappearing from a selector does not, by itself, mean Google has discontinued the model. Google’s September 18, 2026 Gemini API release notes say access to the 2.5 models is being limited to users who actively used them in the past. The same notice explicitly says these models are not deprecated and will continue to be served until further notice.

For a new project, Google directs developers to newer models such as Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite or Gemini 3.8 Flash. If you are maintaining an existing integration, first identify which access path is failing. This guide separates the policy change from an API-key, project or request problem; it does not promise to restore eligibility.

Why the model can be missing without being shut down

A Google AI Developers Forum report describes Gemini 2.5 Pro disappearing from AI Studio on September 18. It is a concrete report of the symptom, not proof that every account lost access.

The official notice defines a previous-active-use condition but does not specify a public numeric eligibility threshold. Do not infer one from account age, a paid subscription or a single successful request. An AI Studio selector, a direct Gemini API request and a third-party provider’s model list are different surfaces.

This article concerns the Gemini API notice. It does not establish an identical restriction for Vertex AI, every Google subscription or every third-party provider.

Check account, project and model separately

First confirm that you are looking at the intended account and project. Teams often have more than one project, and a switch can look like a model removal. Record the context privately; do not post project identifiers, API keys or screenshots containing credentials in a public support thread.

Next, check the model string used by your application. A display name such as “Gemini 2.5 Pro” is not the same thing as the exact ID in a request. Use the provider’s documented model-list operation for the credentials and route you are troubleshooting. Keep the full error response when a call fails, including its request identifier if provided.

A successful model-list request still does not guarantee that every listed model accepts your intended operation. Check the supported generation method and input type. Likewise, a rejected generation request does not automatically prove that the model is retired: authorization, account eligibility, quota and malformed input are separate possibilities.

Do not solve the problem by repeatedly changing billing or creating accounts. Neither action is a documented eligibility fix in the cited notice. If the visible state conflicts with your known usage history, use Google support or the official forum with a minimal, redacted reproduction.

Keep a minimal incident record

Use a short record to avoid mixing unrelated failures:

Observed at (UTC):
Surface: AI Studio / Gemini API / provider gateway
Exact model ID:
Client or SDK version:
Account/project context confirmed: yes/no
Operation and input type:
HTTP status and redacted error body:
Request ID, if returned:
Last successful run and saved evidence:

This is a troubleshooting template, not a live test result. The last successful run is useful only when it refers to the same route and relevant account context. A screenshot of a model in another person’s selector is not evidence of your account’s entitlement.

If you need to migrate a workflow

Choose a replacement by the task rather than by its version number alone. Separate text generation, structured extraction, image input and tool use. Check supported parameters and response handling before switching production traffic.

For an extraction workflow, replay representative documents and verify both factual values and schema validity. For tool use, check the complete sequence of tool calls and results, not just the first assistant message. Preserve output limits, timeout handling and error handling in the test record.

If you previously depended on a specific preview model, review its separate lifecycle notice. A preview retirement and the September 18 access policy are not interchangeable explanations. Avoid a broad headline claiming that all Gemini 2.5 models have been shut down.

Our Gemini 3.8 Flash API guide provides a starting point for checking the newer route. The Gemini tool-call signature guide addresses a different migration failure that can occur even when model access itself works.

What an API gateway can and cannot establish

A gateway has its own catalog, credentials, billing and upstream routes. An available gateway entry does not prove that your direct Google project remains eligible, and a direct Google restriction does not prove that every gateway route is unavailable.

When evaluating Ofox or another provider, verify the exact supported model and request format at the time of use. Do not assume that switching the Base URL preserves every native Gemini feature. This guide does not assert that a particular Gemini 2.5 route is currently available on Ofox.