How to Turn Off AI? The Easy Guide to Disabling Unwanted Features
AI features have quietly taken over nearly every device you own. Your phone summarises your texts without asking. Your search results lead with a paragraph you never requested. Your email drafts replies before you’ve finished reading the one you got.
If you’re here, you’ve probably had enough of at least one of these, and you want a straight answer on how to turn off AI, not a lecture on why AI is actually great. This guide walks through the real, current steps for every major platform where AI features show up uninvited, including Google Search, iPhone, Android, Samsung, Windows, Gmail, and Meta’s apps. We’ll also cover two related questions people search for constantly: how you actually use AI in the first place, and what AI glasses do, since a lot of the confusion around AI right now comes from not knowing what these tools do before deciding whether to keep them on.
Why So Many AI Features Are Now On By Default
A few years ago, AI tools were optional extras. You had to seek them out, download an app, or opt into a beta. That’s changed fast.
Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Samsung have all shifted toward making AI features the default experience rather than something you turn on. Recent iPhone and Android updates ship with AI assistants active out of the box. Google folded AI Overviews directly into search results for roughly half of all queries. Microsoft built Copilot into the Windows taskbar and Office apps.
This matters because it changes the whole nature of the “turn off AI” question. A few years ago, it meant closing an app you didn’t want. Now it usually means hunting through settings menus to switch off something that was turned on for you without a clear request.
How to Turn Off Google AI Overviews in Search
This is the most-searched version of this question, and it comes with some bad news up front. Google has never offered one official, permanent switch for this. AI Overviews are treated as a core part of Search, the same way featured snippets or knowledge panels are, so there’s no toggle buried in your account settings.
That said, several reliable workarounds exist.
Use the Web Tab
After running a search, look for the row of tabs below the search bar, labeled All, Images, News, and Videos. Click Web, or if you don’t see it, click More and select Web from the dropdown. This strips out the AI summary and shows the traditional results list. You’ll need to repeat this for every new search.
Add the udm=14 Parameter.
This is the most reliable method for anyone comfortable editing a URL. After searching, add &udm=14 to the end of the URL in the address bar and hit Enter. This forces Google to show web-only results without AI Overviews. You can also set your browser’s default search engine to something like google.com/search?q=%s&udm=14 so every search skips the AI summary.
Try the -ai Search Modifier.
Adding -ai to the end of any query, for example, best hiking boots -ai, tells Google to exclude AI-related content from that search. It’s not officially documented as an AI Overview blocker, but many users report that it reliably suppresses the summary box.
Switch Search Engines
If none of the above feel worth the hassle, DuckDuckGo and Brave Search both avoid AI-generated summaries by default and are worth trying as a full replacement, at least for searches where you want straightforward links.
How to Turn Off AI on iPhone
Apple built its AI features, branded as Apple Intelligence, into a single toggle, making it one of the easiest platforms to manage.
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Apple Intelligence & Siri.
- Tap the toggle next to Apple Intelligence and confirm when prompted.
This single switch disables writing tools, notification summaries, image generation, and most of the AI features layered across Messages, Mail, and Photos. If you’d rather keep some AI features and trim others, scroll down in the same menu and disable individual items like Siri Suggestions or specific app permissions under “Learn from this App,” which controls what Siri and Apple Intelligence are allowed to learn from your usage in each app.
How to Turn Off AI on Android and Samsung Phones
Android phones vary more than iPhones because manufacturers layer their own AI tools on top of Google’s.
Stock Android and Pixel Phones
Google’s Gemini assistant has largely replaced the older Google Assistant on newer devices. To manage it, tap your profile icon in the Gemini app, go to Gemini Apps Activity, and choose to turn it off. You can also revisit Connected Apps in the same menu to control which apps Gemini has access to.
For smaller, specific features, open Settings, go to Sound & Vibration, and turn off Live Caption and Now Playing if you don’t want the phone constantly analyzing audio in the background. In Google Messages, go to Settings, then Suggestions, to turn off Smart Reply.
Samsung Galaxy AI
Samsung centralized its AI tools into a single hub, making this the most straightforward device to manage on this list.
- Open Settings.
- Tap Galaxy AI.
- Tap any feature in the list to see its specific toggle, or use the main switch at the top to disable an entire category at once.
If you have a newer Galaxy S-series phone, scroll to the bottom of the Galaxy AI settings to find the “Process data only on device” option, which keeps AI processing local rather than sending anything to Samsung’s servers, a solid middle ground if you want some AI features without cloud processing.
How to Turn Off AI in Gmail, Google Docs, and Microsoft Office
Workplace tools have some of the most persistent AI prompts, mostly because they’re tied to subscription tiers that companies want you to notice.
In Gmail and Google Docs, Gemini features usually live under a small sparkle icon in the toolbar or sidebar. Go to your Google Workspace settings, look for Gemini or Smart Features, and disable the relevant toggles. In personal Gmail accounts, go to Settings, then General, and switch off Smart Compose and Smart Reply if you don’t want suggested text while typing. If you are using third-party tools alongside built-in AI, check out our guide to the Merlin Chrome Extension to manage AI features and Gmail integration effectively.
For Microsoft Copilot in Word, Excel, or Outlook, open the app, go to Preferences (or Options on Windows), find Authoring and Proofing Tools, and look for a Copilot section with a checkbox to clear. On Windows itself, Copilot is sometimes baked so deeply into the operating system that you’ll need to right-click its Start menu entry and select Uninstall, or remove it via Settings> Apps.
How to Turn Off Meta AI in WhatsApp and Instagram
This is the one entry on this list without a clean solution, and it’s worth being upfront about that. Meta has confirmed that Meta AI cannot be fully removed from WhatsApp, Instagram, or Messenger. It’s built into the app itself rather than offered as an optional feature.
What you can do is limit how visible and active it is. In Messenger, open the Meta AI chat, tap the info button, and mute it. In Instagram, you can do the same from the Meta AI icon in your messages. Archiving the muted chat removes it from your main inbox view. Turning on Advanced Chat Privacy in individual WhatsApp conversations also blocks Meta AI from being used within that specific chat.
Common Mistakes People Make When Trying to Turn Off AI
Assuming one toggle disables everything. Most platforms split AI features across several settings menus. Turning off one assistant, such as Siri suggestions, doesn’t necessarily disable a separate feature, such as AI photo editing.
Forgetting that updates can reset settings. Windows Copilot and some Android AI features have been known to reappear after a major software update. If a feature you disabled comes back, it’s usually not a bug; it’s the update reinstalling a default you’d previously turned off.
Not checking app-level settings separately from system settings. Disabling Apple Intelligence system-wide won’t necessarily remove Copilot from a specific Microsoft Office app installed on the same device. Each major app often needs its own separate opt-out.
Expecting a full opt-out where none exists. Google Search AI Overviews and Meta AI in WhatsApp are the two clearest examples right now of AI features that don’t have an official complete off switch, only workarounds that reduce how often you see them.
What AI Glasses Actually Do
Smart glasses come up constantly in AI conversations right now, and a lot of people asking how to turn off AI on their phone are also curious what these wearables actually do, since they represent AI moving from a screen you look at to something built directly into your field of vision.
Meta currently dominates this category, holding an estimated 80% share of the AI smart glasses market through its Ray-Ban Meta line and newer standalone Meta Glasses models. Depending on the specific model, AI glasses typically handle a mix of the following.
Hands-free assistance. You can ask the glasses questions out loud and get spoken answers, similar to talking to a phone assistant but without pulling out your phone.
Real-time translation and object recognition. Point your gaze at a menu in a foreign language or an unfamiliar landmark, and the glasses can identify it and explain what you’re looking at through audio feedback.
Photo and video capture. Built-in cameras let you record what you’re seeing hands-free, useful for content creators, hikers, or anyone who wants to capture a moment without holding up a phone.
Navigation and notifications. Higher-end models with an in-lens display, like Meta’s Ray-Ban Display glasses, can show walking directions, incoming notifications, and captions directly in your line of sight.
Messaging and calls. Many models let you send messages, take calls, and get audio summaries of conversations without touching your phone.
If you’re wondering whether AI glasses count among the AI features covered in this guide, most models include a companion app where individual features can be toggled off, similar to a phone’s AI settings, though the core assistant functionality usually can’t be fully disabled without limiting the glasses to basic audio playback.
How Do You Use AI, Really
If you’ve spent this whole article turning things off, it’s worth pausing on the flip side. A lot of people ask how to use AI simply because the tools showed up before anyone explained what they’re actually good for.
At a basic level, using AI well comes down to giving it a clear, specific task rather than a vague one. Asking a chatbot to summarise a long document, draft a first version of an email, explain a confusing topic in plain language, or organize a list of ideas tends to produce genuinely useful results. Asking it to make an important decision for you, or trusting its output without fact-checking, is where people run into trouble.
Most AI assistants, including those built into your phone or search engine, work best as a fast first draft or a starting point, not as a final answer. Treating suggestions as something to review and edit, rather than something to accept automatically, is the difference between AI saving you time and AI quietly introducing mistakes into your work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn off AI on my phone permanently?
On iPhone, yes, Apple Intelligence has a single toggle that stays off until you turn it back on. On Android, it depends on the manufacturer. Samsung’s Galaxy AI settings persist reliably, while some Google Assistant and Gemini features can reset after major software updates.
Why can’t I fully turn off Google AI Overviews?
Google has stated publicly that it treats AI Overviews as a standard part of Search rather than an optional add-on, similar to other search features like featured snippets. No official account setting removes them entirely, which is why the workarounds in this guide exist.
Does turning off AI features break anything on my device?
No. Disabling Apple Intelligence, Gemini, or Windows Copilot only removes the AI-specific functions. Core features like calling, texting, browsing, and using your other apps continue working exactly as before.
Do AI glasses record everything I see all the time?
No. Most AI glasses require an active voice command, a tap, or a specific gesture to start recording or take a photo. Continuous passive recording isn’t how these devices are designed to work, and many models include a visible recording light as a privacy indicator.
Is it worth using AI features instead of turning them off?
It depends entirely on the task. AI features tend to save real time on repetitive work like summarising, drafting, or organizing information. They tend to cause more frustration than help with tasks that require precision, nuance, or a personal touch, which is exactly why so many people want the option to turn specific features off rather than accept an all-or-nothing default.
Conclusion
There’s no single master switch that turns off every AI feature across every device you own, and honestly, that’s unlikely to change anytime soon given how much these companies have invested in making AI the default experience. But you do have real, working control over most of it.
Apple gives you one clean toggle. Samsung centralizes everything into a single settings hub. Google Search requires a workaround rather than an official setting, but the workarounds are reliable. Meta AI is the one true holdout, mutable but not removable.
Start with the platform bothering you most, work through the steps above, and check back periodically, since these settings do shift as companies update their apps. Between knowing how to turn off AI where you don’t want it and understanding what tools like AI glasses actually offer, you’re in a much better position to decide what stays on and what doesn’t, rather than just accepting whatever a software update handed you.
For a broader look at how these assistant technologies work under the hood, the Wikipedia entry on virtual assistants offers useful background on how the category evolved into what shows up on your devices today.