Where to find and disable Google's AI tools

Google has built AI features into several of its products — Search, Gmail, Docs, and others — but you can turn most of them off. The steps differ depending on which product you use and which AI feature bothers you. Some turn off in your account settings, others in the app itself, and a few require you to switch to a different view or mode.

The most common reason to disable these features is that they slow down your device, use data you want to save, or simply clutter the interface. Google's AI tools are on by default for most users, but they are not mandatory — you can work without them.

Key Takeaways

  • Google's AI features in Search, Gmail, Docs, and other products can be turned off individually through account settings or app preferences.
  • Disabling AI in Google Search requires switching to the "Essential" experience in Search settings, which removes AI Overviews and other generated summaries.
  • Gmail's AI writing suggestions and smart reply can be turned off separately in Gmail settings under "Smart Compose" and "Smart Reply."
  • Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides have a "Help me write" feature that can be disabled in the Tools menu or by turning off Gemini in your Google account.
  • Some AI features require you to sign out of your Google account or use Incognito mode to avoid them entirely.

Disable AI Overviews in Google Search

Google Search now shows AI-generated summaries called "AI Overviews" at the top of search results. To turn this off, go to Google Search on your computer, click the Settings gear icon in the bottom right, and select "Search settings." Scroll down to find "AI Overviews" and click the toggle to turn it off. Save your changes.

On mobile, the process is similar but the menu location differs slightly. Open Google Search, tap your profile picture in the top right, go to "Search settings," and look for the AI Overviews toggle. If you do not see it, your region or account may not have this feature yet — Google rolls it out gradually.

If you want to keep Search but avoid AI summaries without changing settings each time, use Incognito mode. Google does not show AI Overviews in private browsing sessions on most accounts.

Turn off Smart Compose and Smart Reply in Gmail

Gmail's "Smart Compose" suggests words and phrases as you type, while "Smart Reply" offers three pre-written response options below incoming messages. Both can be disabled separately. On your computer, open Gmail, click the Settings gear in the top right, and select "See all settings." Go to the "Advanced" tab and find "Smart Compose" — set it to "Off." Then go to the "General" tab, find "Smart Reply," and turn that off too.

On the Gmail mobile app, tap the three-line menu, go to "Settings," select your account, scroll to "Smart Compose," and toggle it off. Smart Reply settings are in the same menu under a separate toggle. These changes sync across all your devices once you save them.

If you want to keep these features but use them less often, you can set Smart Compose to "Suggest when writing" instead of "On," which makes it less intrusive.

Disable "Help me write" in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides

Google's "Help me write" feature uses AI to generate text, rewrite passages, and adjust tone in Docs, Sheets, and Slides. To turn it off, open any of these apps, click "Tools" in the menu bar, and look for "Help me write" or "Gemini" options. Click to open the submenu and select "Turn off" or "Disable."

Alternatively, you can disable Gemini across all Google products at once through your account settings. Go to myaccount.google.com, click "Manage your Google Account," select the "Data & privacy" tab, scroll to "Gemini," and toggle it off. This removes AI writing assistance from Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Gmail at the same time.

If you disable Gemini in your account settings, the "Help me write" button will disappear from these apps entirely. If you only turn it off within a single app, it remains available in the others.

Disable AI features in Google Photos

Google Photos uses AI to organize, search, and edit your images automatically. Features like "Magic Eraser," "Face Grouping," and "Search by object" all rely on machine learning. To reduce AI processing, go to your Google Photos settings on your phone or computer, find "Photos settings," and look for toggles related to "Face grouping," "Search suggestions," or "Auto-enhance." Turn off whichever features you do not want.

You cannot disable all AI in Google Photos without losing core functionality — the app uses AI for basic organization. However, you can turn off specific features that process your images most heavily. If you want to avoid AI processing of your photos entirely, consider using a different photo app or storing photos locally instead of uploading them to Google's servers.

Disable AI in Google Chrome and other browsers

Google Chrome includes AI features like "Help me write" in text fields and search suggestions powered by machine learning. To turn these off, open Chrome, click the three-dot menu in the top right, go to "Settings," and select "Privacy and security." Look for "Browsing features" or "AI features" and toggle off any options you see. The exact menu names vary depending on your Chrome version.

If you use a different browser like Firefox or Safari, Google's AI features do not appear in the same way. However, Google Search still shows AI Overviews when you search from these browsers — you will need to disable that in Search settings as described above, not in your browser settings.

What happens when you disable these features

Turning off Google's AI features does not break anything. Your email still works, your documents still save, and your search results still appear — they just look different. Without AI Overviews, Google Search shows traditional blue links and snippets instead of generated summaries. Without Smart Compose, you type your own sentences in Gmail. Without "Help me write," you write your own content in Docs.

Disabling AI may actually speed up your device slightly, since these features require processing power. It also means Google collects less data about your writing and search habits, though Google still collects other information based on your account activity.

If you change your mind later, you can turn any of these features back on using the same steps. There is no penalty for disabling and re-enabling them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does disabling AI in Google Search affect my search results?

No. Turning off AI Overviews removes the generated summary at the top of results, but the regular search results below remain the same. You still see the same websites and links — you just do not see Google's AI-written summary of them.

Can I disable AI for my entire Google account at once?

Partially. Turning off Gemini in your account settings disables "Help me write" across Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Gmail. However, you still need to separately disable AI Overviews in Search settings and other features in individual apps, since they are controlled in different places.

If I disable AI features, will Google still collect my data?

Yes. Disabling AI features reduces the amount of writing and search data Google processes through its AI models, but Google still collects information about your account activity, location, and device. To limit data collection more broadly, adjust your privacy settings in myaccount.google.com under "Data & privacy."

Why do some AI features keep reappearing after I turn them off?

Google sometimes re-enables features during updates or rolls out new versions of existing features. If you notice an AI feature you disabled has returned, check your settings again — you may need to turn it off once more. This is most common with Search features, which Google updates frequently.

Can I disable AI without signing out of my Google account?

Yes. All the settings described above work while you remain signed in. You only need to sign out if you want to avoid AI features temporarily — signing out disables most Google AI features, but you also lose access to your email, documents, and other account features.