How to Remove Meta AI From Your Facebook and Instagram

You can turn off Meta AI on Facebook and Instagram, but you cannot fully delete it from your account

Meta AI is a chatbot built into Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger. You cannot remove it entirely — Meta does not offer a deletion option — but you can hide it from your interface and prevent it from appearing in your search results and message suggestions. The steps differ slightly between Facebook and Instagram, and the setting may reappear after major app updates.

If you want Meta AI gone from your daily use, the most effective approach is to hide it in your search results and turn off message suggestions. This removes the visible buttons and prompts without requiring you to contact Meta support or deactivate your account.

Key Takeaways

Meta AI cannot be permanently deleted from your account, but you can hide it from search results and message suggestions on both Facebook and Instagram.
On Facebook, go to Settings, then Preferences, and toggle off "Show Meta AI in search" and "Show Meta AI in messages."
On Instagram, open Settings, select Preferences, and turn off the same toggles for search and messages.
The setting may reappear after app updates, so you may need to repeat these steps periodically.
Disabling Meta AI in your settings does not affect other users or prevent Meta from collecting data about your account.

How to hide Meta AI on Facebook

Open the Facebook app or website and tap the three horizontal lines (menu icon) at the bottom right on mobile, or the down arrow at the top right on desktop. Select Settings and privacy, then Settings. Scroll down and tap Preferences.

Look for the section labeled Meta AI. You will see two toggles: one for "Show Meta AI in search" and another for "Show Meta AI in messages." Turn both toggles off by tapping them. Once disabled, Meta AI will no longer appear when you search on Facebook or receive message suggestions featuring the chatbot.

If you do not see these toggles, your version of the app may not have rolled out the setting yet. Meta releases features gradually, so the option may appear after you update the app or wait a few days.

How to hide Meta AI on Instagram

Open Instagram and tap your profile icon at the bottom right. Tap the three horizontal lines (menu icon) at the top right, then select Settings and privacy. Tap Preferences.

Find the Meta AI section and toggle off "Show Meta AI in search" and "Show Meta AI in messages." These are the same toggles as Facebook, but Instagram's menu structure places them in a slightly different location. After you turn them off, Meta AI will stop appearing in your search results and message suggestions on Instagram.

What happens when you disable Meta AI

Turning off Meta AI in your settings removes the visible chatbot from your search results and message suggestions. You will no longer see the Meta AI button when you search, and it will not appear as a suggested contact in your messages. The change takes effect immediately on the device where you made the change.

Disabling the setting does not delete your conversation history with Meta AI if you have used it before. Those conversations remain on Meta's servers. If you want to delete past conversations, you must do that separately through the chat history, though Meta does not provide a bulk delete option for AI conversations.

Other people using Facebook or Instagram will still see Meta AI in their own search results and messages. Your choice to hide it affects only your account and your devices.

Why Meta AI reappears after updates

Meta regularly updates its apps, and some updates reset user preferences or reintroduce features that were previously disabled. After a major Facebook or Instagram update, the Meta AI toggles may turn back on automatically, or the setting may disappear entirely and then reappear in a later version.

If Meta AI shows up again after you disabled it, repeat the steps above to turn it off again. There is no permanent way to prevent it from reappearing, since Meta controls the feature and can change its behavior with each release.

Alternatives if you want more control

If hiding Meta AI is not enough and you want to avoid the feature entirely, you can use the web version of Facebook or Instagram instead of the mobile app. The web versions sometimes have different feature rollouts, and Meta AI may not be available on desktop in all regions yet. However, this is not a may provide solution, as Meta is expanding the feature across all platforms.

Another option is to use third-party apps or browser extensions that block or hide certain elements of Facebook and Instagram, though these tools may violate Meta's terms of service and could result in account restrictions. The safest approach is to simply disable the toggles in your settings and repeat the process if the feature reappears.

What Meta AI collects and stores

Disabling Meta AI in your settings does not stop Meta from collecting data about your account. Meta tracks your activity across Facebook, Instagram, and other services regardless of whether you use the AI chatbot. Turning off the visible toggles only removes the interface — it does not change Meta's data collection practices.

If you have concerns about data privacy, review your Meta privacy settings separately. You can limit what information Meta shares with third parties, control who sees your posts, and manage your ad preferences. These settings are independent of the Meta AI toggles and require their own adjustments.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I permanently delete Meta AI from my account?

No. Meta does not offer a permanent deletion option for Meta AI. You can only hide it from your search results and messages by toggling off the settings in Preferences. The feature may reappear after app updates.

Will disabling Meta AI affect my friends or followers?

No. Your choice to hide Meta AI affects only your own account and your own devices. Other users will still see Meta AI in their search results and messages unless they disable it themselves.

What if the Meta AI toggles do not appear in my settings?

Meta rolls out features gradually by region and device. If you do not see the toggles, update your Facebook or Instagram app to the latest version. If the toggles still do not appear, the feature may not be available in your region yet, or your account may not have been selected for the rollout.

Can I delete my past conversations with Meta AI?

You can delete individual conversations by opening the chat and selecting delete, but Meta does not provide a way to bulk delete all AI conversations at once. Conversations are stored on Meta's servers even after you disable the visible feature.

Does disabling Meta AI stop Meta from collecting my data?

No. Turning off the Meta AI toggles only removes the visible chatbot from your interface. Meta continues to collect data about your account activity through Facebook, Instagram, and other services. To limit data collection, adjust your privacy and ad settings separately.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.