Here’s the honest take: You cannot fully turn off every AI feature in Google with a single master switch. Google AI Overviews in Search cannot be disabled globally. Still, you can avoid them by using the Web filter, turning off AI Mode in Search Labs, switching off Search personalisation, disabling Gemini activity, and turning off smart features in Gmail or Google Workspace, where available.

This guide explains how to turn off AI on Google, where Google offers a real setting, and how to reduce or bypass it when it does not. It covers Google Search, AI Overviews, AI Mode, Gemini, Gmail smart features, Android assistant settings, and account privacy controls. The advice below is based on current Google settings and the practical reality that Google uses different AI controls in different products.

The important distinction is simple: some Google AI features are optional account features, while others are built into the default search experience. Treating them as one thing is where most bad advice starts.

What you can and cannot turn off

Google AI feature	Can you turn it off?	Best practical option
AI Overviews in Google Search	Not fully	Use the Web filter after searching
AI Mode in Search Labs	Yes, if enabled through Labs	Turn off AI Mode in Search Labs
Gemini app activity	Yes	Turn off or delete Gemini Apps Activity
Gmail and Workspace smart features	Yes, with limits	Disable smart features in Gmail settings
Gemini for a workplace or school account	Usually controlled by admin	Ask the Google Workspace admin to disable Gemini app access
Gemini or Assistant on Android	Usually yes	Change the default assistant or disable assistant features

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How to turn off AI Overviews in Google Search

The frustrating answer is that Google does not currently offer a normal account setting that permanently removes AI Overviews from all standard Google Search results. AI Overviews are part of the main Search results page when Google decides they are useful for a query.

What you can do is use Google’s Web filter. This gives you a cleaner results page focused on normal text links, without Search features such as AI Overviews.

Use the Web filter on desktop.

1. Search for something on Google as you normally would.
2. Look below the search bar, where Google shows filters such as All, Images, Videos, News, Shopping, and More.
3. Click More if you do not see Web immediately.
4. Select Web.

This is the cleanest built-in route. The downside is that Google may still default back to the standard All tab for your next Search. That means it is a bypass, not a permanent off switch.

Use the Web filter on mobile.

1. Run your Search in the Google app, Chrome, Safari, or another mobile browser.
2. Swipe across the filter row under the search box.
3. Tap Web if it appears.
4. If you do not see it, tap More and look for Web.

On mobile, this can feel slightly hidden because Google changes the visible filter order depending on the query and screen size. If the Web filter is not obvious, check under More before assuming it is unavailable.

How to make Google Search feel closer to the old results page

If you want Google to feel less AI-heavy, the Web filter is the most reliable official option. Some users also create a custom browser search shortcut that sends searches directly to Google’s Web results view. This usually involves adding a search URL with Google’s web-filter parameter in browser settings.

That workaround can be useful, but it is not a formal Google product setting. Google can change result parameters, filter names, or layout behaviour without notice. I would not build a business workflow around it, but for a personal browser, it can reduce the daily irritation of AI Overviews.

A safer long-term habit is to use the Web filter for searches where source checking matters: medical topics, money queries, legal topics, technical debugging, product research, and anything where you want to compare sources rather than read a generated summary.

How to turn off AI Mode in Google Search Labs

AI Mode is not the same as AI Overviews. AI Overviews appear inside normal Search when Google chooses to show them. AI Mode is a more conversational search experience, and if you enabled it through Search Labs, you can turn it off.

Turn off AI Mode on the desktop

1. Open Google in your browser.
2. Make sure you are signed in to the Google Account where AI Mode is enabled.
3. Open Search Labs from the Google page or the new tab page.
4. Choose Manage.
5. Find AI Mode.
6. Toggle it off.

Turn off AI Mode on Android or iPhone.

1. Open Google in a browser or the Google app.
2. Sign in to the correct Google Account.
3. Open Search Labs.
4. Tap Manage.
5. Toggle off AI Mode.

If you still see AI Overviews after doing this, nothing has gone wrong. Turning off AI Mode does not disable AI Overviews in ordinary Search. That is the most common misunderstanding with this setting.

How to turn off Search personalisation

Search personalisation does not remove AI Overviews on its own, but it can reduce how much Google tailors Search and AI-related experiences based on your activity. This is worth doing if your main concern is not just the AI box but the amount of account history that feeds Google’s results.

1. Go to your Google Account settings.
2. Open Data and privacy.
3. Look for Search personalisation.
4. Turn off personalised Search if you do not want Search results adjusted around your account activity.
5. Review Web & App Activity as well, because that setting affects activity saved from Google sites and apps.

The trade-off is convenience. Search history can help Google autocomplete queries, continue previous searches, and personalise results. Turning it off gives you a cleaner privacy posture, but it may also make Search feel less tailored.

How to turn off Gemini activity

If by “Google AI” you mean Gemini rather than Search AI Overviews, use the Gemini Apps Activity setting. These controls save Gemini activity and give you the option to turn it off or delete existing activity.

1. Go to gemini.google.com.
2. Open the menu.
3. Select Activity.
4. Find the setting that shows Gemini Apps Activity as on.
5. Choose Turn off or Turn off and delete activity.

You can also open Gemini Apps Activity from the Gemini mobile app by tapping your profile picture or initial, then choosing Gemini Apps Activity.

Be aware of the limitations. Turning off Gemini activity is not the same as deleting every trace instantly from every internal system. Google may still retain recent conversations for a short period to keep the service running, process feedback, and maintain safety. For most users, the practical point is that Gemini history will no longer be saved in the normal Gemini Apps Activity view once the setting is off.

How to turn off Gemini connections to Google apps

Gemini can connect to Google services such as Gmail, Drive, Docs, Maps, YouTube, Calendar, and other apps, depending on the account type, region, and settings. If you do not want Gemini to use the connected app context, review Gemini’s connected apps and extensions.

1. Open Gemini.
2. Tap or click your profile picture or initial.
3. Open Apps, Extensions, or the closest available connected apps menu.
4. Turn off connections you do not want Gemini to use.
5. Check Workspace, Gmail, Drive, Maps, YouTube, and other Google services individually if they appear.

Menus change across Android, iPhone, desktop, personal accounts, and Workspace accounts. The principle is more important than the exact label: look for any setting that lets Gemini connect to other Google services, then disable the services you do not want it to reference.

How to turn off AI features in Gmail, Chat, Meet, and Workspace

Google’s smart features are easy to confuse with Gemini’s. Some are older Gmail conveniences, such as Smart Compose, summary cards, event extraction, and inbox personalisation. Others now overlap with Gemini or Workspace AI features. If you want less AI and less automated processing inside Google apps, check both smart feature settings.

Turn off Gmail smart features.

1. Open Gmail on desktop.
2. Click the settings cog.
3. Choose See all settings.
4. Stay on the General tab.
5. Find Smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet.
6. Turn the setting off.
7. Save changes if Gmail asks you to.

Turn off Workspace smart features.

1. In Gmail settings, stay on the General tab.
2. Look for Google Workspace smart features.
3. Open the Manage Workspace smart feature settings.
4. Turn off Smart features in Google Workspace.
5. Turn off Smart features in other Google products if you do not want Workspace data used for personalised features.

This can remove useful conveniences. For example, Gmail may stop surfacing some travel details, Calendar may stop pulling events from email, and Google products may feel less connected. That is the privacy-versus-convenience trade-off. For some users, that is exactly the point.

How Workspace admins can turn off Gemini for users

If you use a work or school Google account, you may not be able to control Gemini access yourself. A Google Workspace administrator can turn the Gemini app on or off for everyone, an organisational unit, or a group.

The admin route is usually:

1. Open the Google Admin console.
2. Go to Generative AI.
3. Open the Gemini app.
4. Click Service status.
5. Set the service to off for the relevant users, group, or organisational unit.
6. Save the change.

This is the right route for schools, agencies, finance teams, legal teams, and any organisation that needs a consistent policy rather than relying on every user to change their own settings. If Gemini is still visible after a change, allow time for the setting to apply across accounts.

How to turn off Gemini or Google Assistant on Android

On Android, Google AI may appear as Gemini, Google Assistant, voice search, screen context, or app suggestions. The exact path depends on your phone manufacturer and Android version, but these are the places to check.

Change the default assistant app.

1. Open Settings on your Android phone.
2. Search for Default apps.
3. Open the Digital Assistant app or the Default Digital Assistant app.
4. Select None, or choose a different assistant if your phone allows it.

Turn off Google Assistant features

1. Open the Google app.
2. Tap your profile picture or initial.
3. Go to Settings.
4. Open Google Assistant or Gemini.
5. Turn off assistant features you do not want.

Some Pixel and Samsung phones add their own AI features outside the standard Google menus. If you still see AI suggestions after changing Google settings, check the phone manufacturer’s settings as well. This is especially common with keyboard suggestions, call features, photo editing tools, and screen search.

What not to waste time on

Some common “fixes” for turning off Google AI are unreliable. They may work for a few searches, but later fail because they are not real product settings.

• Adding -AI to every Search: Sometimes this changes the query enough to avoid an AI Overview, but it is not a proper off switch.
• Using Incognito only: Incognito can reduce account-based personalisation, but it does not guarantee an AI-free Google Search page.
• Turning off Gemini only: This affects Gemini activity and connected Gemini features, not AI Overviews in Search.
• Installing random browser extensions: Some extensions hide AI boxes with CSS or redirects, but you are trusting them with your browsing environment. Use caution.
• Changing ad settings: Ad personalisation settings are not the main control for AI Overviews or Gemini.

Best setup if you want the least AI-heavy Google experience

For most people, the best setup is not one setting. It is a combination of small controls:

1. Use the Web filter when you want classic link-based search results.
2. Turn off AI Mode in Search Labs if you previously enabled it.
3. Turn off Search personalisation if you do not want your account activity to shape results.
4. Turn off Gemini Apps Activity if you do not want your Gemini history saved.
5. Disable Gemini-connected apps you do not use.
6. Turn off Gmail and Workspace smart features if you do not want automated features using Workspace content.
7. Change your Android default assistant if Gemini keeps appearing on your phone.

That combination will not remove every AI element Google may show, but it gives you the most control available without leaving Google Search entirely.

If you are comparing Google’s AI features with dedicated assistants, see our guide to the best AI productivity tools. A separate assistant can be easier to control than AI features embedded across an account, a browser, a phone, and an email inbox.

Should you switch search engines instead?

If your main complaint is AI Overviews, using Google’s Web filter may be enough. If your complaint is broader – too much personalisation, too many generated answers, too many account-linked features – then trying another search engine may be cleaner than fighting Google settings every week.

That said, switching search engines has its own trade-offs. Google is still strong for local intent, fresh indexing, technical queries, images, shopping, and navigational searches. Privacy-first alternatives can feel calmer, but they may be weaker for some location-specific or very recent queries.

A practical middle ground is to keep Google available, set a less AI-heavy search engine as your default, and use Google only when it gives better results. That sounds boring. It works.

FAQs

Can I completely disable AI Overviews in Google?

No, not with a normal Google account setting. AI Overviews are part of Google Search when Google chooses to show them. The best built-in workaround is to use the Web filter after searching.

Does turning off AI Mode remove AI Overviews?

No. AI Mode and AI Overviews are separate. AI Mode is a Search Labs or conversational Search feature that can be toggled off if enabled. AI Overviews can still appear in standard Search results.

Does turning off Gemini stop Google Search AI?

No. Turning off Gemini Apps Activity affects Gemini history and related Gemini settings. It does not remove AI Overviews from Google Search.

How do I turn off Google AI in Gmail?

Open Gmail settings, go to the General tab, and turn off smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet. Then open Google Workspace smart feature settings and turn off smart features in Google Workspace and other Google products if those controls are available on your account.

Can I turn off Google AI on Android?

Usually, yes for assistant-style features. Go to Android Settings, open Default apps, then change the default digital assistant app. You can also check the Google app settings for Gemini or Google Assistant controls. Phone-specific AI features may need to be disabled separately.

Is the Web filter the same as turning off AI?

No. The Web filter changes the type of search results you see for that Search. It does not disable AI Overviews across your whole Google Account.

Will turning off Web & App Activity remove Google’s AI?

No. It can reduce saved activity and personalisation, but it does not remove AI Overviews from Search. Treat it as a privacy and personalisation control, not an AI Overview kill switch.

The practical takeaway

There is no single “turn off Google AI” button. The closest honest answer is to separate the problem: use Web results to avoid AI Overviews, switch off AI Mode in Search Labs, turn off Gemini activity if you do not want Gemini history saved, and turn off smart features in Gmail or Workspace if you want fewer automated features touching your content.

For quick searches, that may be enough. For sensitive research, use the Web filter and check sources directly. For privacy, review account activity and Workspace settings. The cleaner your goal, the easier it is to pick the right switch.