How to Turn Off Google AI on Android: Search, Chrome, and Gmail (2026)
April 24, 2026 · 9 min read
Android phones ship with the most Google AI features of any device, because Google controls both the operating system and the apps. The good news is that the same control means most AI features have a real off switch, not just a workaround. This guide walks through every Google AI surface on Android and the path to disable each one.
The Short Answer
There is no single Android setting that turns off Google AI everywhere, but you can disable nearly all of it through three apps: Google Search, Chrome (see our Chrome AI Mode guide), and Gmail. Plus a phone-level setting for Gemini Assistant. Doing all four covers more than 90 percent of the AI surfaces a typical Android user encounters.
Turn Off Google AI Overviews on Android
AI Overviews appear in the Google Search app and in Chrome on Android. The cleanest path is the Search Labs page in your account.
1. Open the Google app on your phone.
2. Tap your profile picture in the top right.
3. Tap Search Labs, or visit labs.google.com directly.
4. Find AI Overviews and toggle it off. If the toggle is missing because the feature is now default-on, scroll to the bottom and look for Leave Labs experiments (more detail in our AI Mode in Google Search guide).
5. Restart the Google app.
If the AI Overview persists after this, sign out of all Google accounts in the Google app, then sign in only to the account where you disabled the labs experiment. AI Overview state is per account.
Turn Off Google AI Mode on Android
AI Mode is the dedicated tab in Google Search that runs everything through Gemini.
1. Open the Google app.
2. Tap the AI Mode tab if it appears.
3. Tap the gear or three-dot icon in the top right of AI Mode.
4. Find Exit AI Mode or Turn off AI Mode and select it.
If the icon stays in your search bar even after exiting:
1. Long-press the Google search widget on your home screen.
2. Tap Customize or Settings.
3. Toggle off AI Mode entry point.
For Chrome on Android, AI Mode in the omnibox is controlled by a flag.
1. Open Chrome.
2. Type chrome://flags in the address bar.
3. Search for AI Mode or omnibox AI.
4. Set to Disabled.
5. Tap Relaunch.
Turn Off Gemini Assistant on Android
Gemini replaced Google Assistant on most newer Android phones. To switch back to the classic Assistant or turn off the AI assistant entirely:
1. Open Settings on your phone.
2. Tap Apps.
3. Tap Default apps.
4. Tap Digital assistant app.
5. Choose None, or select Google Assistant if you want the classic version.
On some Samsung phones the path is Settings, Apps, Choose default apps, Device assistance app. The end result is the same.
If you do not see Google Assistant as an option, install the Google app and the option will appear after a restart.
Turn Off AI on Samsung Phones
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Open in Chrome Web StoreSamsung adds its own AI layer on top of Android, called Galaxy AI. To disable it:
1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Advanced features.
3. Tap Advanced intelligence or AI features.
4. Toggle off the features you do not want.
For the AI lock screen on Samsung, where AI generates wallpapers or summaries on the lock screen:
1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Lock screen and AOD.
3. Tap Wallpaper services or AI wallpaper.
4. Switch back to a static wallpaper.
Google AI features on Samsung phones, like AI Overviews in Search, are still controlled through the Google app and Search Labs as described above.
Turn Off AI in the Gmail App on Android
1. Open the Gmail app.
2. Tap the menu icon in the top left.
3. Scroll down and tap Settings.
4. Tap your account email.
5. Tap Data privacy.
6. Toggle off Smart features and personalization.
7. Toggle off Smart features in other Google products.
This turns off AI summaries, Smart Reply, Smart Compose, and most Gemini suggestions in the Android Gmail app.
For the Gemini side panel and Help Me Write inside Gmail on Android, there is no in-app toggle. These appear based on your Google One AI Premium subscription or Workspace policy. Cancel the subscription or ask your Workspace admin to disable Gemini for your account.
Turn Off Suggested Replies in Other Android Apps
Android shows quick reply suggestions in the notification shade for messaging apps like WhatsApp, Messages, and Slack. To turn them off system-wide:
1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Notifications.
3. Tap Advanced settings or More.
4. Toggle off Suggested actions and replies.
For WhatsApp specifically, suggested replies are also controlled inside the app:
1. Open WhatsApp.
2. Tap the three-dot menu, then Settings.
3. Tap Chats.
4. Toggle off Show quick reply suggestions.
Turn Off Google AI Account-Wide
If you want every AI feature off across all devices signed into your account:
1. Go to myaccount.google.com.
2. Tap Data and privacy.
3. Tap Web and App Activity.
4. Turn it off, or pause it.
5. Go to Search Labs at labs.google.com.
6. Disable any AI experiments listed.
7. Go to Gemini Apps Activity in your account and turn it off.
Disabling Web and App Activity stops Google from logging your queries to feed AI features. It also turns off some non-AI personalization, so consider this if you are willing to lose those.
Key Takeaways
Android gives you more direct control over Google AI than iPhone does, but the controls are spread across multiple apps. Turn off Smart features in Gmail, disable AI Mode and AI Overview in Search Labs, switch your Digital assistant to None or classic Assistant, and on Samsung disable Galaxy AI in Advanced features. For desktop search cleanup, our Search Cleaner extension hides AI Overviews and 24 other Google search elements with individual toggles.
