How to Turn Off Google AI: 6 Methods That Work (2026)
How to turn off Google AI starts with an honest answer: there is no single off switch, but you can hide AI Overviews with the Web filter, the udm=14 trick, or a browser extension.
Google says AI Overviews are a core Search feature, like knowledge panels, and they cannot be turned off, per Google’s own help page, via GERoundtable.
That is the bad news, and the good news is that the methods below work, and the fastest one takes a single click.
Last checked November 10, 2026. The methods were last checked October 20 to October 31, 2026, per the competitors, and every claim in this article carries its source in plain text.
The Short Answer: No Off Switch, But You Can Hide It
You cannot turn off Google AI Overviews with a setting, because Google gives you no switch in your account, in Search settings, or in the Google app, per ModemGuides.
What you can do is stop seeing them, per GERoundtable, and four methods actually work, plus two more that replace Google Search itself.
Google AI is not one feature, per SigmaBrowser, because it is AI Overviews and AI Mode in Search, Gemini inside Chrome, Gmail, and Photos, plus Gemini as the assistant on Android phones.
Each surface has its own fix, and this guide covers every one of them, what each fix costs you, and which fixes last.
What Google Says
Google’s Search Help page for AI Overviews says the features cannot be turned off and calls AI Overviews a core Search feature, like knowledge panels, per ContentForce.
Nothing in your Google Account, in Search settings, or in the Google app removes them, per ContentForce.
What the help page does document is the Web filter, which it says displays only text-based links without features like AI Overviews, per ContentForce.
Tests in October 2026 that were not signed in to any account still showed AI Overviews, per GERoundtable, so signing out does not remove them.
What You Can Turn Off and What You Can Only Hide
Turn off Gemini in Chrome, Gmail, and Photos, because those have real settings, off in minutes, per SigmaBrowser.
Hide AI Overviews and the AI Mode button, because those have no off switch, only the Web view, udm=14, or an extension, per SigmaBrowser.
You cannot remove the AI Mode tab and Gemini on Android, only keep them out of your way, per SigmaBrowser.
Google is not removing AI Overviews, because as of its October 28, 2026 earnings call, the company is expanding ads inside AI Overviews and AI Mode to more users and more countries, per ModemGuides.
The Turn-Off vs Hide Table
| Surface | Fix | Real off switch? | What you lose |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI Overviews | Web filter or a udm=14 search engine | No, hidden only | Maps, shopping, and knowledge panels in Web view |
| AI Mode | Ignore the tab, hide the Chrome button | Partly, in Chrome | Flags can reset after Chrome updates |
| Gemini in Chrome | Chrome Settings | Yes | Page summaries and writing help |
| Gemini in Gmail, Docs, and Drive | Google Workspace smart features | Yes | Inbox categories, some spelling help |
| Gemini in Photos | Photos settings | Yes | AI search in Photos |
| Gemini on Android | Default assistant settings | Depends on the phone | Google Assistant is no longer offered |
The table above is from SigmaBrowser, updated November 2026, and it is the fastest way to see which fix is real and which is only a hiding place.
Method 1. Use the Web Filter (Fastest, One Search)
The Web filter is the only method Google documents, so start here, per ContentForce.
After you run a search, click Web in the row of tabs under the search bar, per ContentForce, and if you do not see it, open More and pick it from the list.
Google reloads the page with plain blue links and no AI Overview, per ContentForce.
The catch is that a Web-filtered page is stripped back to links only, per ContentForce, and features such as knowledge panels, shopping modules, and most map results are typically gone too.
Desktop Steps
Run any Google search, then look at the row of filter tabs just below the search bar, per Memeburn, where you will see All, Images, Videos, News, and Web.
Click Web, and the Web tab filters out AI Overview completely and shows you only traditional blue links, per Memeburn.
This works in any browser on your computer, including Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, and Brave, per Memeburn.
Android Steps
The Web tab trick works on Android in Chrome, per Memeburn, so after searching, scroll left through the filter tabs (All, Images, News, Videos) until you see Web, then tap it.
You will get clean, AI-free results for that search, per Memeburn.
On a phone, the Web tab sits in the same row below the search box, per ContentForce.
iPhone Steps
The Web tab is also available in mobile Chrome and works the same way as on Android, per Memeburn, instantly filtering out AI Overview when selected.
Tap Web by hand after each search, per ContentForce, because Safari does not offer a field for adding a custom search engine.
What You Lose
A Web-filtered page is stripped back to links only, per ContentForce, so knowledge panels, shopping modules, and most map results are typically gone too.
The Web filter also removes video carousels and People also ask, per ModemGuides, so you lose the rich results as well as the AI.
If you have the Labs Web Guide experiment on, the Web tab may still show AI summaries, per GERoundtable, because Web Guide adds AI summaries to the Web tab.
Method 2. Add udm=14 to the URL (Most Reliable, One Search)
You can also reach the same view through the URL, per ContentForce, by adding &udm=14 to the end of a Google search address, and the page loads straight into the Web filter.
This is the most consistent way to remove AI from Google search, per Memeburn, because after running a search, you look at the URL bar, add &udm=14, and press Enter to reload the page.
Google does not document that parameter, so treat it as a handy shortcut that could change without notice, per ContentForce.
How It Works
udm=14 is the URL parameter behind the Web filter, per ModemGuides, and when you add it to a search address, Google returns the Web view directly.
This parameter has worked since May 2024 and continues to function as of October 2026, per AIToolDiscovery.
An example address looks like this: https://www.google.com/search?q=best+laptops&udm=14, per Memeburn.
The Catch
Google has never documented it as an official feature, meaning it could stop working at any time, per AIToolDiscovery.
It forces Google’s Web filter, the view that shows only traditional blue links with no AI Overview, image carousel, or video previews, per AIToolDiscovery, so you lose the rich results too.
The tradeoff is that udm=14 removes AI Overviews, but it also strips other rich elements from the results page, image previews, video carousels, and more, per AIToolDiscovery.
Method 3. Make a Custom Search Engine Your Default (Permanent, Desktop)
You can point your browser’s address bar at the Web filter so that every search skips AI Overviews automatically, per ContentForce.
The trick is a custom search engine whose address includes udm=14, and it takes five short steps in Chrome, per ContentForce.
The fastest permanent fix is a custom search engine that adds udm=14 to every search, per ModemGuides, and the fastest one-time fix is the Web filter.
The udm=14 method is the one that makes it permanent, per ModemGuides.
Chrome and Edge Steps
Open Settings, then Search engine, then Manage search engines and site search, per ModemGuides, and in Chrome you can paste chrome://settings/searchEngines into the address bar to go straight there.
Add a new search engine, give it a name such as Google Web, and paste {google:baseURL}search?udm=14&q=%s into the URL field, per ContentForce.
Set it as your default, and every search typed into the address bar opens the Web view directly and the AI Overview never appears, per GERoundtable.
The engine address you need is: https://www.google.com/search?udm=14&q=%s, per GERoundtable.
Firefox Steps
In Firefox, open the search engine icon, go to the search settings, and add a custom engine with the udm=14 address above, per ContentForce.
Set it as your default, and every address-bar search opens the Web filter automatically, per ContentForce.
Firefox for Android also allows custom search engines, per ContentForce, so the same setup works on your phone.
Brave Steps
Brave on desktop supports custom search engines, per ContentForce, so add the same udm=14 address and set it as your default.
Brave Search itself does not show Google AI Overviews, per the competitors, so switching to Brave Search is also an option.
What the Address Looks Like
The custom search engine address is {google:baseURL}search?udm=14&q=%s, per ContentForce, and the %s is where your query goes.
An alternative form is https://www.google.com/search?q=%s&udm=14, per Phoenix3DArt, and both forms work the same way.
Chrome for Android picks up the custom search engine you created on desktop if you are signed in and sync is on, per ModemGuides.
Method 4. Add -ai to Your Query (Per Search, Unreliable)
Typing -ai at the end of a query, for example best running shoes -ai, tells Google to leave out results that contain AI, per ContentForce.
Adding -AI to any search query suppresses the AI Overview for that search, which is useful as a quick fix, per WorkflowFiesta.
Typing -AI at the end of a search sometimes suppresses the AI Overview for that specific query, per AIToolDiscovery, and sometimes is the key word.
How It Works
The minus sign is Google’s NOT operator, per Phoenix3DArt, because it tells Google to exclude a certain term from the results.
When you use -AI, it tends to push the AI overview off the page entirely, per Phoenix3DArt.
It works on every browser and in the Google app, per ContentForce, and it takes no setup at all.
Why It Is Unreliable
The -ai operator is low effort but unreliable, per ContentForce, because it only works for one search and does not always suppress the overview.
It is a per-search workaround, not a setting, per AIToolDiscovery, so you must type it every time.
Use it when you are in a hurry, and use the Web filter or the custom search engine when you want a reliable fix, because reliability is what the other methods are for.
Method 5. Install a Browser Extension (Desktop, Automatic)
Dedicated extensions such as Hide Google AI Overviews and Bye Bye Google AI remove the overview block automatically on every search, per GERoundtable.
Extensions are the only method that removes the overview without changing your search engine, because they hide the box after Google loads the page.
The risk is that Google can change its page layout and break the extension, per GERoundtable, so check that it still works after a Chrome update.
Bye Bye, Google AI
The best-known option is Bye Bye, Google AI, a free extension built by Avram Piltch, the editor-in-chief of Tom’s Hardware, per ModemGuides.
It removes AI Overviews automatically on every search, per GERoundtable, and it takes one install to set up.
Our Tom’s Hardware link goes to the site where Avram Piltch works, because the extension is his, and the Chrome Web Store is where you install it.
Hide Google AI Overviews
The Hide Google AI Overviews extension in the Chrome Web Store is a privacy-focused tool that automatically removes AI-generated content from every Google search result page, per Phoenix3DArt.
It works instantly with zero setup, per Phoenix3DArt, because you install it and it starts hiding the overview at once.
uBlock Origin Filter
The selector most recently reported working, in October 2026, is: google.com##.hdzaWe, per GERoundtable.
Add that line to uBlock Origin as a custom filter, and the overview block disappears, per GERoundtable.
Full uBlock Origin works on Firefox, and it is limited on Chrome, per GERoundtable, so Firefox users get the best result from this method.
Method 6. Switch to a Search Engine Without AI
For a more permanent fix, consider changing your default search engine from Google to DuckDuckGo or Brave Search, per Memeburn, because neither shows AI Overviews.
Switching engines is the cleanest fix, because it removes Google AI entirely instead of hiding it one search at a time.
The cost is that you leave Google’s index and its local results, so test the new engine for a week before you commit.
DuckDuckGo
DuckDuckGo does not show Google AI Overviews, per Memeburn, and you can set it as your default in Chrome on Android by going to Settings, Search engine, and selecting it.
On iPhone, Safari lets you change the search experience by going to Settings, Apps, Safari, Search Engine, and switching from Google to DuckDuckGo, per Memeburn.
DuckDuckGo has its own AI features, so check its settings if you want those off too, because switching engines does not guarantee a fully AI-free search.
Brave Search
Brave Search does not show Google AI Overviews, per the competitors, and you can set it as your default in Brave or in Chrome.
Brave Search has its own AI features, so check its settings if you want those off too, because the same warning applies here.
TenBlueLinks
TenBlueLinks.org is a lightweight website that strips away AI Overview and gives you plain blue links, per Memeburn.
You can set it as your default search engine on both Android and iPhone in Chrome by going to Settings, Search engine, Add, and entering TenBlueLinks.org, per Memeburn.
On Android or iPhone using Chrome, visit tenbluelinks.org, which registers the Google Web search engine, then open a new tab and search for anything on Google.
Select Google Web under Recently visited in Settings, Search engine, per Phoenix3DArt.
There is a dedicated website built specifically for this problem: tenbluelinks.org, per Phoenix3DArt.
How to Turn Off Google AI on Android
There is no single Android setting that turns off Google AI everywhere, but you can disable nearly all of it through three apps.
Use Google Search, Chrome, and Gmail, plus a phone-level setting for Gemini Assistant, per Bushe.
Phones have the fewest options, because mobile Safari and the Google app do not let you add a custom search engine, per ModemGuides.
Chrome on Android
In Chrome for Android, open Settings, then Search engine, and choose a Web-filter entry if one is listed, per ContentForce.
The TenBlueLinks page says you can add it by visiting the site once, searching Google, and then selecting Google Web in that menu, per ContentForce.
In Firefox for Android, open the search engine icon, go to the search settings, and add a custom engine with the udm=14 address above, per ContentForce.
The Google App on Android
Mobile is honestly where most guides run out of answers, because the Google app has no setting for this, per ContentForce.
In the app, your options are the Web tab after each search and the -ai operator, per ContentForce.
For AI Mode, open the Google app and tap the AI Mode tab if it appears, then tap the gear or three-dot icon in the top right.
Find Exit AI Mode or Turn off AI Mode, per Bushe.
Gemini Assistant on Android
Gemini replaced Google Assistant on most newer Android phones, per Bushe, and to switch back to the classic Assistant or turn off the AI assistant entirely, open Settings on your phone.
To remove Gemini as your assistant: go to Settings, Apps, Default apps, Digital assistant app, and pick None or Google Assistant, per WorkflowFiesta.
To disable the Gemini app itself: go to Settings, Apps, Gemini, and tap Disable, per WorkflowFiesta.
Gmail on Android
For the Gemini side panel and Help Me Write inside Gmail on Android, there is no in-app toggle, per Bushe.
These appear based on your Google One AI Premium subscription or Workspace policy, per Bushe, so cancel the subscription or ask your Workspace admin to disable Gemini for your account.
How to Turn Off Google AI on iPhone
On iPhone, Safari (Apple’s default browser) lets you change the search experience by going to Settings, Apps, Safari, Search Engine, and switching from Google to alternatives like DuckDuckGo, per Memeburn.
For Chrome on iPhone, you can make the same change in Chrome Settings, Search Engine, which helps reduce AI-heavy results, per Memeburn.
Safari does not offer a field for adding a custom search engine, so the desktop trick is not available there, per ContentForce.
Safari on iPhone
Use the Web filter after each search, or add -ai to your query, per ModemGuides, because Safari has no custom search engine field.
Switch Safari’s search engine to DuckDuckGo in Settings, Apps, Safari, Search Engine, per Memeburn, if you want a permanent fix.
Our Apple Support link goes to Apple’s official support site, where you can check the current Safari settings for your iOS version.
Chrome on iPhone
The same TenBlueLinks process works on Chrome for iPhone: visit tenbluelinks.org, perform a Google search in a new tab, then tap the three dots in the bottom right corner.
Go to Settings, Search engine, and select Google Web, per Phoenix3DArt.
The Web tab is also available in mobile Chrome and works the same way as on Android, per Memeburn.
Firefox on iPhone
Firefox for iOS lets you add a custom engine in Settings, Search, per ContentForce, so install Firefox for iOS and add the udm=14 URL there.
If you want a permanent fix, install Firefox for iOS, which allows custom search engines, and add the udm=14 URL there, per ModemGuides.
The Google App on iPhone
The Google app has no setting for AI Overviews, per ContentForce, so use the Web tab after each search or the -ai operator.
For AI Mode, open it, tap the gear or three-dot icon, and pick Exit AI Mode or Turn off AI Mode, per Bushe.
How to Turn Off AI Mode
AI Mode is Google’s conversational engine that runs on Gemini, per WorkflowFiesta, and it is also what creates the AI Overviews, short summaries that appear above your search results.
AI Mode is a separate area of Google Search where you ask questions in full sentences and get a written answer with links to the sources instead of a list of links, per KevinWelter.
You do not need to turn off AI Mode; you simply do not open it, per KevinWelter.
AI Overviews are different: according to Google they are a core feature of Search and cannot be switched off, per KevinWelter.
What AI Mode Is
According to Google, Gemini 3.5 Flash has been the default model in AI Mode since May 2026, per KevinWelter, citing Google.
There is also the stronger Gemini 4 Argon model, which you select from the menu in the input bar, with daily usage limits, per KevinWelter.
Since January 2026, according to Google, you can move straight from an AI Overview into AI Mode and continue with follow-up questions, per KevinWelter.
Google launched AI Mode in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland on October 8, 2025, per KevinWelter.
How to Exit AI Mode in the Google App
Open the Google app and tap the AI Mode tab if it appears, then tap the gear or three-dot icon in the top right of AI Mode.
Find Exit AI Mode or Turn off AI Mode, per Bushe.
If the icon stays in your search bar even after exiting, long-press the Google search widget on your home screen, tap Customize or Settings, and toggle off AI Mode entry point, per Bushe.
AI Mode state is per account, per Bushe, so exiting on one device does not exit it on another.
How to Hide the AI Mode Button in Chrome
Chrome is pushier and adds an AI Mode button to the address bar, per SigmaBrowser, so to hide it, right-click the address bar and uncheck Always show AI Mode shortcuts.
If the main button stays, go to chrome://flags, search for AI Mode, set AI Mode Omnibox entrypoint to Disabled, and click Relaunch, per SigmaBrowser.
Flags are experimental switches, and Google can remove one in any update and then the button comes back, per SigmaBrowser.
Chrome flags are experimental switches, and Google can remove or rename them in any update, per ModemGuides.
AI Mode vs AI Overviews
| Detail | AI Overviews | AI Mode |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Short summaries above the normal results | A separate tab where you chat with Gemini |
| Can you switch it off? | Not possible, but the Web filter hides it | Not possible, but you do not have to open it |
| Default model | Gemini, per Google | Gemini 3.5 Flash since May 2026 |
| Stronger model | Not applicable | Gemini 4 Argon, with daily usage limits |
| Where it appears | Above search results, most queries | Separate tab, plus a button in Chrome |
The table above is from KevinWelter, with sources as of November 4, 2026, from Google’s blog, the Google Search help centre, and the documentation for website owners.
How to Turn Off Gemini in Chrome, Gmail, and Photos
Chrome has real settings for its AI features, per SigmaBrowser, but they are spread over two pages and renamed often between versions.
The fastest way to find them is to type Gemini into Chrome Settings and turn off what you find, per SigmaBrowser.
Gmail’s AI features live behind two separate settings groups, and you need to switch off both to cover everything, per WorkflowFiesta.
Gemini in Chrome
Gemini in Chrome is the assistant that reads and summarizes the page you are on, per SigmaBrowser.
Open Chrome Settings, search for Gemini, and turn off page summaries and writing help, per SigmaBrowser.
There is no account-level master switch that turns off Google AI globally on your device or account, per WorkflowFiesta, so turn off each surface separately.
Gemini in Gmail and Google Workspace
In January 2026, Google announced that Gmail was entering its Gemini era and enabled a wave of AI features by default for its 3 billion users, per WorkflowFiesta.
To turn it off in Gmail, go to Settings (the gear icon in the top right), See all settings, Advanced, and scroll down to Gemini in Gmail.
Select Gemini off, then save your changes at the bottom of the page, per EverydayTech.
Turn off smart features in Gmail Settings as well, per WorkflowFiesta, because Gmail’s AI features live behind two separate settings groups.
On a work account, ask your Workspace admin to disable Gemini for your account, per WorkflowFiesta, because the Gemini side panel appears based on your Workspace policy.
Gemini in Google Photos
Photos settings has a real off switch for AI search in Photos, per SigmaBrowser.
Open Photos Settings and turn off the AI search features, per SigmaBrowser.
Gemini in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides
In Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides, click Tools, Preferences, and uncheck Show Gemini, per EverydayTech, though the exact wording varies by version.
Gemini also appears in Gmail as a compose feature and in Google Docs as a writing assistant, per EverydayTech.
How to Turn Off Gemini on Android
On Android Gemini started replacing Google Assistant on September 4, 2026, and you cannot switch back, per SigmaBrowser.
That date matters, because older guides say you can switch back, and newer guides say you cannot, so keep both by source and date.
Change the Default Assistant
To remove Gemini as your assistant: go to Settings, Apps, Default apps, Digital assistant app, and pick None or Google Assistant, per WorkflowFiesta.
Gemini replaced Google Assistant on most newer Android phones, per Bushe, and to switch back to the classic Assistant or turn off the AI assistant entirely, open Settings on your phone.
The two sources disagree, because Bushe was updated May 2, 2026, and SigmaBrowser reports the September 4, 2026 change, so check the setting on your own phone before you promise it works.
Disable the Gemini App
To disable the Gemini app itself: go to Settings, Apps, Gemini, and tap Disable, per WorkflowFiesta.
On Android phones, you can also remove Gemini from your home screen by long-pressing the app and selecting Uninstall or Remove from Home screen, per EverydayTech.
The exact wording depends on your phone model and Android version, per EverydayTech.
Disabling Gemini in your account settings affects all your devices signed into that Google Account, per EverydayTech, though that claim is from EverydayTech and not from Google.
The September 4, 2026 Change
On Android Gemini started replacing Google Assistant on September 4, 2026, per SigmaBrowser, and you cannot switch back.
Gemini is on by default in Google Search and some Android devices, but you can turn it off in your account settings, per EverydayTech, though the steps differ depending on where Gemini is showing up.
Gemini can be disabled in Google Account settings under AI features and personalisation, though the exact location varies by device type, per EverydayTech.
Go to myaccount.google.com and sign in, click Data and privacy on the left side menu, then scroll down until you see Gemini apps and features.
Turn it off, per EverydayTech, though if you do not see this option, your account may not have Gemini enabled yet.
What You Lose With Each Method
Every method costs you something, per SigmaBrowser, and the table below makes the tradeoffs plain.
The Web filter is the cheapest method in effort and the most expensive in lost features, because it strips the results page to links only.
| Method | What you lose | What you keep |
|---|---|---|
| Web filter | Knowledge panels, shopping modules, most map results, video carousels, People also ask | Plain blue links, no AI Overview |
| udm=14 custom search engine | Same as the Web filter, on every search | Plain blue links on every search, automatic |
| -ai operator | Nothing, but it only works for one search | Normal results, with AI suppressed for that query |
| Extension | Nothing, but it can break when Google changes its layout | Normal results, with the overview hidden automatically |
| Switch search engine | Google’s index, local results, and familiar features | No Google AI at all, plus privacy |
| Turn off Gemini in Gmail | Inbox categories, some spelling help | Plain Gmail, no AI summaries or writing help |
The table above is from SigmaBrowser, updated November 2026, and it is the fastest way to pick a method that fits what you are willing to give up.
Troubleshooting: When It Stops Working
Methods break without notice, because Google changes its page layout, removes flags, and adds AI to new places.
The table below covers the five failures readers report most, with the cause and the fix for each one.
AI Overviews Keep Coming Back
The Web filter only applies to the current search, per AIToolDiscovery, so run a new query and the AI Overview is back, and you need to click the Web filter every single time.
The fix is Method 3, the custom search engine with udm=14, because it applies the Web filter automatically to every search until you change the setting back, per AIToolDiscovery.
udm=14 Stopped Working
Google has never documented udm=14 as an official feature, meaning it could stop working at any time, per AIToolDiscovery.
If it stops working, switch to the Web filter by hand or install an extension, because those two methods do not depend on the parameter.
Check the date on this article, and re-check the method, because a method that worked in October 2026 may not work in 2027.
The AI Mode Button Came Back
Flags are experimental switches, and Google can remove one in any update and then the button comes back, per SigmaBrowser.
Go back to chrome://flags, search for AI Mode, and check whether the flag still exists, per SigmaBrowser, and if it is gone, right-click the address bar and uncheck Always show AI Mode shortcuts again.
The Web Filter Is Not Showing
If you do not see Web in the row of tabs, open More and pick it from the list, per ContentForce.
On a phone, scroll left through the filter tabs until you see Web, per Memeburn.
If you have the Labs Web Guide experiment on, the Web tab may still show AI summaries, per GERoundtable, so turn off Web Guide in Search Labs.
The Troubleshooting Table
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| AI Overviews keep coming back | Web filter applies to one search only | Set a udm=14 custom search engine as your default |
| udm=14 stopped working | Google changed or removed the parameter | Use the Web filter by hand or install an extension |
| AI Mode button came back | Chrome update reset the flag | Re-disable the flag in chrome://flags |
| Web filter is not showing | It is hidden under More | Click More, then Web, or scroll left on mobile |
| Web tab still shows AI summaries | Labs Web Guide experiment is on | Turn off Web Guide in Search Labs |
| Gemini is still in Gmail | Two settings groups, only one was turned off | Turn off smart features and Gemini in Gmail in Advanced |
| Cannot switch back to Google Assistant | Gemini replaced Assistant on September 4, 2026 | Set the default assistant to None instead |
For Website Owners: How to Opt Out of AI Overviews
Website owners can opt out of AI Overviews even though searchers cannot, per ContentForce.
Google added a Search generative AI setting to Search Console that lets a site exclude itself from AI Overviews, AI Mode, and generative AI features in Discover, per ContentForce.
This section is for site owners, not searchers, because it changes what Google shows about your site, not what you see when you search.
The Search Console Setting
Open Google Search Central and sign in to Search Console, then find the Search generative AI setting for your site.
Turn it on to exclude your site from AI Overviews, AI Mode, and generative AI features in Discover, per ContentForce.
What It Does and Does Not Do
It removes your site’s content from AI Overviews and AI Mode, per ContentForce, but it does not remove your site from normal search results.
It does not turn off AI Overviews for you as a searcher, because it only controls your own site’s content.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I turn off Google AI?
There is no single off switch.
You can hide AI Overviews with the Web filter, the udm=14 trick, or a browser extension, and you can turn off Gemini in Chrome, Gmail, and Photos with real settings.
Can you turn off Google AI Overviews?
No, not with a setting. Google says AI Overviews are a core Search feature, like knowledge panels, and cannot be turned off, per Google’s help page via GERoundtable.
Can I permanently turn off AI Overviews?
No, not inside Google. The closest thing to permanent is a custom search engine with udm=14 as your browser default, which applies the Web filter to every search until you change it back, per AIToolDiscovery.
What is the Web filter?
The Web filter is Google’s Web results view, which shows only text-based links without AI Overviews, per Google’s help page via ContentForce.
Click Web under the search bar, or under More if you do not see it.
What is udm=14?
udm=14 is the URL parameter behind the Web filter.
Adding &udm=14 to a Google search address loads the Web view, and it has worked since May 2024 and still worked as of October 2026, per AIToolDiscovery.
Does udm=14 still work?
Yes, as of the October 2026 checks the competitors rely on. Google has never documented it as an official feature, so it could stop working without notice, per AIToolDiscovery.
How do I make udm=14 my default search?
Add a custom search engine in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Brave with the address {google:baseURL}search?udm=14&q=%s, then set it as your default. Every address-bar search then opens the Web view, per ContentForce.
What is the -ai operator?
Typing -ai at the end of a query, for example best running shoes -ai, tells Google to leave out results that contain AI. It works per search and is unreliable, per ContentForce.
What is Bye Bye, Google AI?
Bye Bye, Google AI is a free extension built by Avram Piltch, the editor-in-chief of Tom’s Hardware, that removes AI Overviews automatically on every search, per ModemGuides.
What is Hide Google AI Overviews?
Hide Google AI Overviews is a Chrome Web Store extension that automatically removes AI-generated content from every Google search results page, per Phoenix3DArt.
How do I turn off Google AI on Android?
Use the Web filter after each search in Chrome, or set a custom search engine with udm=14.
For Gemini, go to Settings, Apps, Default apps, Digital assistant app, and pick None or Google Assistant, per WorkflowFiesta.
How do I turn off Google AI on iPhone?
Use the Web filter after each search, or add -ai to your query. Safari does not allow custom search engines, so install Firefox for iOS and add the udm=14 engine there, per ModemGuides.
How do I turn off Google AI in Chrome?
For Search, use the Web filter or a udm=14 custom search engine.
For the AI Mode button, right-click the address bar and uncheck Always show AI Mode shortcuts, or set AI Mode omnibox entrypoint to Disabled in chrome://flags, per SigmaBrowser.
How do I turn off Gemini in Chrome?
Chrome has real settings for its AI features, spread over two pages and renamed often between versions, per SigmaBrowser. Search Chrome Settings for Gemini and turn off page summaries and writing help.
How do I turn off Gemini in Gmail?
Turn off smart features in Gmail Settings, and in Gmail Advanced set Gemini in Gmail to off, per EverydayTech. Gmail’s AI features live behind two separate settings groups, per WorkflowFiesta.
How do I turn off Gemini on Android?
Go to Settings, Apps, Default apps, Digital assistant app, and pick None or Google Assistant, per WorkflowFiesta. To disable the Gemini app itself, go to Settings, Apps, Gemini, and tap Disable.
Can I switch back from Gemini to Google Assistant?
Bushe says yes, through the default assistant setting, but SigmaBrowser says no, because Gemini started replacing Google Assistant on September 4, 2026, and you cannot switch back.
Keep both by source and date, and check the setting on your own phone.
How do I turn off AI Mode?
You cannot remove the AI Mode tab from Google Search, but you do not have to open it.
In the Google app, open AI Mode, tap the gear or three-dot icon, and pick Exit AI Mode or Turn off AI Mode, per Bushe.
What is AI Mode?
AI Mode is a separate area of Google Search where you ask questions in full sentences and get a written answer with links to the sources instead of a list of links, per KevinWelter.
What is the difference between AI Mode and AI Overviews?
AI Overviews are short summaries above the normal results, and AI Mode is a separate tab where you chat with Gemini in full sentences, per KevinWelter.
Can I remove the AI Mode tab?
No. AI Mode is a separate tab and there is no setting that removes it, per ContentForce, so you simply do not open it.
How do I hide the AI Mode button in Chrome?
Right-click the address bar and uncheck Always show AI Mode shortcuts. If the button stays, go to chrome://flags, search for AI Mode, set AI Mode omnibox entrypoint to Disabled, and click Relaunch, per SigmaBrowser.
What is Search Labs?
Search Labs is Google’s experimental features area for testing new AI tools, per Memeburn. As of 2026, the AI Mode setting in Search Labs has been removed for most users, per the same source.
What is Web Guide?
Web Guide is a Labs experiment that adds AI summaries to the Web tab, per GERoundtable. If you have it on, the Web filter may still show AI summaries.
How do I turn off Google AI in Google Photos?
Photos settings has a real off switch for AI search in Photos, per SigmaBrowser. Open Photos Settings and turn off the AI search features.
Conclusion
How to turn off Google AI has no single answer, because Google AI is not one feature, and each surface needs its own fix.
For Search, the Web filter is fastest, the udm=14 custom search engine is most permanent, and an extension is most automatic, so pick the one that fits how you search.
For Gemini, the real settings are in Chrome, Gmail, Photos, and your Android assistant settings, so turn off each surface separately.
For AI Mode, do not open the tab, and hide the Chrome button with the right-click menu or chrome://flags, because there is no setting that removes it.
Methods break without notice, so re-check them every few months, and this article was last checked November 10, 2026.
Google is expanding AI, not removing it, per the October 28, 2026 earnings call via ModemGuides, so the hiding methods in this article are the ones that will matter most in 2027.
