gemini-2.5-flash — Available — shutdown October 20, 2026
For gemini-2.5-flash, provider is Google (Vertex AI); lifecycle status is Available; shutdown / retirement date is October 20, 2026; recommended replacement is Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite or Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite, recorded from its source on 2026-09-16.
- Provider
- Google (Vertex AI) our reading
- Model ID / API name
- gemini-2.5-flash verified
- Lifecycle status
- Available
- Release date
- June 17, 2025 verified
- Shutdown / retirement date
- October 20, 2026 verified
- Recommended replacement
- Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite or Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite verified
- Platform / deployment scope
- Gemini Developer API (ai.google.dev) per ai.google.dev
Values marked our reading are our classification of what the source says — the source does not print them in those words. The quote below is the evidence for each one; judge it yourself.
What the source says
gemini-2.5-flash | June 17, 2025 | October 20, 2026 | Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite or Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite |
— cloud.google.com, retrieved 2026-09-16
Where each value comes from
The value above is stated away from the sentence quoted with the answer, so the passage that states it is shown here too.
Release date
Model ID | Release date | Retirement date | Replacement model | gemini-3.5-flash-lite | July 21, 2026 | July 21, 2027 or later | | gemini-3.5-flash | May 19, 2026 | May 19, 2027 or later | | gemini-3.1-flash-lite | May 7, 2026 | May 7, 2027 or later | | gemini-2.5-pro | June 17, 2025 | October 20, 2026 | Gemini 3.5 Flash | gemini-2.5-flash | June 17, 2025 | October 20, 2026 | Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite or Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite |
— all from cloud.google.com, retrieved 2026-09-16
Sources disagree
More than one authority states this, and they do not state the same thing. Both are reproduced with the source each came from — deciding between them is yours, not ours.
Provider
cloud.google.com says provider is Google (Vertex AI), as of 2026-09-16.
gemini-2.5-flash | June 17, 2025 | October 20, 2026 | Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite or Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite |
https://cloud.google.com/vertex-ai/generative-ai/docs/learn/model-versioning
ai.google.dev says provider is Google (Gemini Developer API), as of 2026-09-16.
Gemini 2.5 Flash models Model | Release date | Shutdown date | Recommended replacement | gemini-2.5-flash | June 17, 2025 | No shutdown date announced | |
https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/deprecations
learn.microsoft.com says provider is Databricks, as of 2026-09-15.
Gemini 2.5 Flash | Pay-per-token: October 2, 2026 Provisioned throughput: October 2, 2026 | Gemini 3.1 Pro or Gemini 3.5 Flash |
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/databricks/machine-learning/retired-models-policy
Lifecycle status
cloud.google.com says lifecycle status is Available, as of 2026-09-16.
gemini-2.5-flash | June 17, 2025 | October 20, 2026 | Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite or Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite |
https://cloud.google.com/vertex-ai/generative-ai/docs/learn/model-versioning
learn.microsoft.com says lifecycle status is Deprecated, as of 2026-09-15.
Gemini 2.5 Flash | Pay-per-token: October 2, 2026 Provisioned throughput: October 2, 2026 | Gemini 3.1 Pro or Gemini 3.5 Flash |
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/databricks/machine-learning/retired-models-policy
Shutdown / retirement date
cloud.google.com says shutdown / retirement date is October 20, 2026, as of 2026-09-16.
gemini-2.5-flash | June 17, 2025 | October 20, 2026 | Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite or Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite |
https://cloud.google.com/vertex-ai/generative-ai/docs/learn/model-versioning
ai.google.dev says shutdown / retirement date is No shutdown date announced, as of 2026-09-16.
Gemini 2.5 Flash models Model | Release date | Shutdown date | Recommended replacement | gemini-2.5-flash | June 17, 2025 | No shutdown date announced | |
https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/deprecations
learn.microsoft.com says shutdown / retirement date is October 2, 2026, as of 2026-09-15.
Gemini 2.5 Flash | Pay-per-token: October 2, 2026 Provisioned throughput: October 2, 2026 | Gemini 3.1 Pro or Gemini 3.5 Flash |
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/databricks/machine-learning/retired-models-policy
Recommended replacement
cloud.google.com says recommended replacement is Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite or Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite, as of 2026-09-16.
gemini-2.5-flash | June 17, 2025 | October 20, 2026 | Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite or Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite |
https://cloud.google.com/vertex-ai/generative-ai/docs/learn/model-versioning
learn.microsoft.com says recommended replacement is Gemini 3.1 Pro or Gemini 3.5 Flash, as of 2026-09-15.
Gemini 2.5 Flash | Pay-per-token: October 2, 2026 Provisioned throughput: October 2, 2026 | Gemini 3.1 Pro or Gemini 3.5 Flash |
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/databricks/machine-learning/retired-models-policy
Sources
- cloud.google.comhttps://cloud.google.com/vertex-ai/generative-ai/docs/learn/model-versioning
- ai.google.devhttps://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/deprecations
- learn.microsoft.comhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/databricks/machine-learning/retired-models-policy