How to Disable Gemini on Every Google App for Peace

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AI is everywhere these days, from simple to-do list apps to your phone’s gallery. Google apps are no exception. Google has been strategically integrating Gemini into its apps for a while now. While some might love these additions, for others, it can be irritating and even ruin the experience. For example, AI Overviews can be inaccurate and push search results further down, and Google Messages now has a new floating Gemini button. Thankfully, Google allows you to disable Gemini or any other AI features in their apps. Here’s how. 

1. Turn Off Gemini In Android

Gemini has replaced the Google Assistant on Android phones. It is now the default assistant model, whether you like it or not. So if you wish to get rid of it entirely, there are two ways to do it:

Disable Gemini App:

1. Open the Settings app on your phone.
2. Navigate to the Apps section and tap on App Management.
3. Scroll down and look for Gemini.
4. Tap on the Uninstall or Disable button.

This will remove the Gemini app on your phone, and you won’t have to see the new assistant anymore. But what if you wish to use Google Assistant instead of Gemini? Here’s how you can do so:

Replace Gemini with Google Assistant

1. Open the Google app on your phone.
2. Tap on the profile picture icon in the top right corner.
3. Press the Settings icon and navigate to Google Assistant.
4. Scroll down and you tap on the Digital Assistant from Google.
5. Select Google Assistant here, and you are good to go.

2. Disable Gemini On Google Workspace Account

If you have a Gemini Workspace account, you can disable the assistant in your Workspace. Do note that you need super admin access to deactivate the feature. If you are not a Super Admin, you need to get custom admin permission.

Here’s how you can do so:

1. Open Google in your browser and tap on the profile picture in the top right corner.
2. Scroll down and tap on the Admin console.
3. Choose Generative AI option from the dropdown menu.
4. Tap on Gemini to disable access to the virtual assistant for your team across apps.
5. Tap on Gemini for Workspace.
6. Here you can disable Gemini functionality built in for every app, such as Gmail, Docs, etc.

If the Gemini for Workspace option doesn’t appear in your account, this means Google hasn’t rolled out the feature for your account. You need to request that the company enable the feature for your Workspace account.

3. Disable Gemini With Power Button Press

Gemini can also be summoned when you press the power button of your phone. This means whenever you press the power button, the virtual assistant will appear. However, you can easily get rid of it by following these steps:

1. Open Settings on your phone and tap on the search bar.
2. Type “Press and hold” and choose the “Press and hold the power button” option.
3. Here, you can choose to activate the power menu to get rid of it entirely or tap on the default Digital Assistant option.
4. You can also select Google Assistant here instead of Gemini.

4. Disable Gemini On Lockscreen

Gemini can be summoned directly from the lock screen of your phone. However, you can easily get rid of it by following the steps below:

1. Open the Gemini app on your phone.
2. Tap your Profile picture > Settings.
3. Select Gemini on lock screen.
4. Toggle off the switch for Responses on lock screen.  

5. Disable Gemini On Samsung Phone

Gemini is an integral part of most Android phones including Samsung devices. If you wish to disable the virtual assistant on Samsung devices, here’s how you can do so:

1. Open Settings and scroll down to tap on the Apps section.
2. Press Choose default apps option.
3. Tap on the Digital Assistant tab.
4. Now press again on the Digital Assistant app.
5. Here you can set it to Google Assistant instead of Gemini.

6. Disable Gemini On Chromebook

On most modern Chromebooks, Gemini is a built-in part of ChromeOS and cannot be uninstalled. The best way to disable it is to change the default assistant. You can unpin Gemini by right-clicking the icon on the shelf and unpinning it.

But if you wish to change the default assistant on Chromebook, here’s how to do so:

1. Open the Settings on your Chromebook.
2. Go to Google settings and select Google Assistant.
3. Scroll to find the Digital assistants from Google option.
4. Select Google Assistant to set it as the default, which will stop Gemini from acting as the primary assistant

7. Disabling Gemini in Google Messages

Google Gemini is now a separate chat on Google Messages and can help you brainstorm ideas, answer basic questions, draft messages, or have fun conversations. If you don’t need these features, 

1. Open the Google Messages app.
2. Tap your account icon in the upper-right corner.
3. Select Messages settings.
4. Go to Gemini in Messages.
5. Toggle off the switch to disable Gemini features.

8. Turning Off Gemini in Gmail

Gmail integrates AI to offer smart replies and email organization through Google Workspace. If you’d rather type out your own responses and manage emails manually, follow these steps:

1. Open the Gmail app or website.
2. Tap the menu icon (three lines) in the upper-left corner.
3. Scroll down and select Settings.
4. Choose your email account. 
5. Select Google Workspace smart features.
6. Uncheck the boxes beside Smart features in Google Workspace. Also, disable Smart features in other Google products. 

This will disable Gemini on Gmail and other Workspace apps. Other smart features, such as automatically adding events to Calendar from Gmail, personalized search, and similar features, will also be disabled. 

9. Disabling AI in the Google Phone App

The Google Phone app uses assistive features like call screening and suggestions. To disable them:

1. Open the Google Phone app.
2. Tap the three-dot icon in the upper-right corner.
3. Select Settings.
4. Under Assistive, turn off unwanted AI features such as Hold for me or call screen. 

Also Read:

• You Can Now Use Gemini Within Chrome’s Search Bar – Here’s How
• Forget GitHub Copilot! Google Just Made Their Gemini Code Assist Free
• How to Switch Back to Google Assistant From Gemini on Android

10. How to Disable Gemini in Google Photos

Google Photos uses AI to help organize, enhance, and even suggest edits to your photos. Last year, they also announced Ask Photos features that let you search for your photos in natural language, which will also join the mix later this year. To turn off these features:

1. Open Google Photos.
2. Tap your account icon in the upper-right corner and go to Photos settings.
3. Navigate to Preferences > Gemini features in Photos.
4. Toggle off any AI features you don’t want.

11. Disabling AI Overviews in Google Search

Currently, Google is directly showing AI answers on Google searches before the recommended web pages. To switch back to classic search results:

1. Visit TenBlueLinks.org on your browser (e.g., Chrome).
2. Open a new tab and search for anything on Google. Don’t skip this step. 
3. Tap the three-dot menu icon and go to Settings > Search engine.
4. Select Google Web to disable AI Overviews.

The only downside is that, along with AI Overviews, this will also remove Google widgets, meaning you cannot directly check details about celebrities, movies, stocks, and more with a simple search. 

12. Disabling On-Device AI in Pixel Screenshots (For Pixel Users)

If you have a Google Pixel, you might see AI suggestions when viewing screenshots. To disable this:

1. Launch the Pixel Screenshots app.
2. Tap the cog icon in the upper-right corner.
3. Turn off Search your screenshots with on-device AI.

A Few Final Tips

AI features can make life easier, but if you prefer a simpler, more manual experience, taking these steps can help you reclaim control over your phone. You can also uninstall the Gemini app and proceed with disabling AI on other apps. Just remember, some settings might revert after updates, so it’s good to double-check your preferences now and then.