Introduction
Plan Mode is AI Studio's planning phase for complex briefs, multi-step work, important creative decisions, or costly workflows. It gives the default Studio agent time to research and organize the work before media generation and other irreversible actions begin.
When planning is useful, AI Studio enters Plan Mode automatically and presents a proposal for you to review. The proposal can include the goal, creative direction, products or source assets, prompts, a shot list when relevant, key decisions, and the scope of work.
How to Set Up
Prerequisite: Use the default Studio agent in AI Studio. Plan Mode is not available in other agent modes.
Open AI Studio and start a new chat.
Keep Studio selected, then describe the result you want. Include important products, source assets, constraints, references, and decisions the agent should consider. If you want a plan before any creation begins, say so in your brief.
Send the brief. For work that benefits from planning, AI Studio enters Plan Mode and shows a Planning mode status.
Let the agent research and prepare the proposal. If planning pauses, select Continue planning to resume or Skip planning to return to execution.
Review the plan when the Plan ready card appears. Check the goal, creative direction, assets, prompts, shot list, decisions, and scope that apply to your request.
The default Studio composer before Plan Mode begins. There is no separate Plan Mode toggle in a new chat.
How to Move from Planning to Execution
Plan Mode is not a publish step. It ends when you approve, reject, cancel, skip, or turn off planning.
Add feedback (optional). Use the feedback field to clarify a decision or request a change before choosing an action.
Approve the plan. Select Approve to return the chat to execution and tell AI Studio to proceed with the plan.
Request a revision. Select Reject to send your feedback as a revision request and remain in Plan Mode.
Cancel the proposal. Select Cancel to leave Plan Mode without starting the proposed work.
Turn off Plan Mode. While planning is active, use the Plan mode control (labeled Turn off plan mode in the toolbar) to return to execution.
Best Practices
Describe the desired outcome before listing tools or models. This helps the plan stay focused on the job you need completed.
Provide constraints early, including format, aspect ratio, product details, brand requirements, source assets, and any step that should require review.
Review costly or hard-to-reverse decisions before approving, especially generation volume, publishing, automations, bulk work, or external actions.
Use Reject when you want AI Studio to revise the proposal. Use Cancel when you want to stop the proposal without continuing.
Troubleshooting / FAQs
Why don't I see a Plan Mode toggle?
Plan Mode is not a persistent control in a new composer. It appears only after the default Studio agent enters the planning phase. If you switch to another agent mode, the chat returns to execution.
What can AI Studio do while Plan Mode is active?
The agent can research, search, analyze, and inspect the available context so it can prepare the proposal. Media generation and many irreversible actions wait until execution resumes.
What should I do if planning pauses?
Select Continue planning to let the agent finish the proposal. Select Skip planning if you want to return to execution instead.
How do I change a plan?
Add your feedback and select Reject. AI Studio sends the feedback as a revision request and stays in Plan Mode so it can prepare an updated proposal.
Does Approve publish or activate anything?
Approve tells AI Studio to proceed with the proposed work. Review the plan before approving. Any later publish, activation, or external action depends on the workflow described in the plan and its applicable confirmation step.
How do I stop Plan Mode?
Select Cancel on the Plan ready card, choose Skip planning if planning has paused, or use the active Plan mode control to turn planning off.