How to turn off Gemini in your Gmail, Photos, Chrome, and more – it’s easy to opt out of AI

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ZDNET's key takeaways

• You can completely disable Gemini in Gmail, Docs, Drive, and more.
• Google Photos has separate Gemini settings you must turn off, too.
• Chrome users can also disable Gemini directly in browser settings.

Are you frustrated by Google's insistence on injecting Gemini into everything? While some do enjoy Google's latest AI tools and smart features, which seem to roll out every week, others might prefer things the way they were before.

If that's you, you'll be happy to know there's a way out.

How to get rid of Gemini in Google's apps

Google somewhat buries a Gemini toggle in settings. If you know where to look, you can find it and turn off Gemini in Gmail, Google Docs, Google Photos, and every other Google product you know and love. Here's how.

1. Turn off Gemini in Gmail, Docs, and Drive

You'll need to disable 'Google Workspace smart features'

Go to your Gmail account on the web, as it's the easiest place to turn it off. You can also do this through other Google Workspace apps like Drive or Calendar via settings, but Gmail is the most straightforward.

1. Go to Gmail. Make sure you're logged in with your Google account.
2. Open settings. Look for the Settings cog (gear icon), and click it.
3. Select All Settings. At the top of the settings pane, click All Settings.
4. Find Smart Features. Under the General tab, scroll down until you see "Google Workspace smart features."
5. Click "Manage Workspace smart feature settings." This will open controls for Google's smart features.

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Once you're there, you'll see two toggles (pictured above):

• The top toggle is for smart features in Google Workspace products (like Gmail, Docs, Drive, etc.). When you turn this setting on, you agree to let Gemini "summarize content, create drafts, and find key information."
• The bottom toggle is for other Google products that interact with your Workspace data (like Maps or Wallet). When you turn this setting on, you agree to get "suggestions and answers in the Gemini app."

Other examples are listed for both, but we're here for the Google Workspace smart features. Toggle that one off.

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If you want to be thorough, disable the bottom toggle for "other Google products" as well. Just keep in mind that turning that one off removes Gemini assistance across all Google products, along with other convenient features like automatic calendar entries and smart suggestions, since they're bundled together.

When I disabled smart features in Workspace products, the little Gemini icons were still visible, like the "Help me write" button. But clicking any of them prompted Google to ask me to turn smart features back on to re-enable Gemini. I didn't see any AI-generated summaries or Gemini-powered suggestions across my apps.

From what I could tell, Gemini was gone entirely -- with a couple of exceptions.

2. Turn off 'Use Gemini' in Google Photos

There are a few more toggles you'll need to disable

One exception I found was Google Photos.

Even after disabling Google Workspace smart features through Gmail, the Ask Gemini function in the Photos app (often just called Ask Photos) continued to work normally, along with a few other smart features. It turns out Google Photos has its own separate settings you'll need to turn off. Here's how to find them:

1. In the Photos mobile app, tap your profile icon.
2. Go to Google Photos Settings > Preferences > Gemini features in Photos.
3. Turn off the option labeled "Use Gemini in Photos." It should disable all the Gemini features in Photos, including "Search with Ask Photos" and "Gemini-powered memories."
4. You may be asked to confirm you want to turn off Gemini in Photos.

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Once I did this, the classic Google Photos experience -- including the old search bar -- became my only option, and the AI "Ask" feature disappeared.

3. Turn off Gemini in Chrome

Finally, disable Google's AI in your browser

Gemini in Chrome is rolling out gradually and isn't available to everyone yet. To use it, you must be 18 or older, in the US, and signed in to the latest English (US) version of Chrome on a Mac or Windows computer.

Gemini in Chrome lets you chat with Google's AI directly from your browser through a floating window, where you can ask questions, summarize articles, or get personalized help as you browse. After opting in, you can even connect Google Workspace apps so Gemini can summarize emails, add tasks, or create calendar events.

If you're satisified with all that and have decided to disable Gemini in your browser, open Chrome and go to More (three-dot icon) > Settings > AI innovations. Click each of the options below and toggle them off:

• History search, powered by AI
• Help me write

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