Google's AI Overview appears at the top of your search results by default, and you can disable it in your account settings

Google's AI Overview (formerly called Search Generative Experience, or SGE) summarizes search results using artificial intelligence. It shows up above the traditional blue links when you search on Google.com or use Google on your phone. If you find it slows down your searches, uses more battery, or you straightforward prefer the old layout, you can turn it off in a few clicks.

The setting lives in your Google Account preferences, not in your browser. This means the change applies across all your devices — phone, tablet, desktop — as long as you're signed into the same Google Account. If you use multiple accounts or browse without signing in, you'll need to adjust the setting on each one separately.

Key Takeaways

  • AI Overview is controlled through your Google Account settings, not your browser, so one change affects all your devices.
  • You can turn it off by going to Google Search settings and unchecking the AI Overview option, then saving your changes.
  • If you're signed out of your Google Account, you won't see AI Overview regardless of your settings.
  • Disabling AI Overview does not affect your search results themselves — you'll still see the same websites and links you always did.
  • The setting may reappear or change as Google updates the feature, so check back if you notice AI Overview returning.

Steps to disable AI Overview on desktop

Start by going to google.com and signing into your Google Account if you're not already. In the top right corner, click your profile picture or initial, then select Settings from the dropdown menu.

On the Settings page, click Search settings in the left sidebar. Scroll down until you find the section labeled AI Overview or Generative AI features. Uncheck the box next to "Show AI Overview" or the equivalent option. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save. Your changes take effect when ready.

If you don't see an AI Overview option on your settings page, Google may not have rolled out the feature to your account yet, or it may have been disabled already. You can also check by doing a test search — if no AI summary appears at the top, the feature is off.

How to disable AI Overview on your phone

On Android or iPhone, open the Google app (not Chrome, but the standalone Google Search app). Tap your profile picture in the top right corner and select Settings. Tap General, then look for AI Overview or Generative AI in the list. Toggle it off.

If you use Google Search through Chrome on your phone instead of the Google app, the desktop method above still applies — sign into your Google Account in Chrome, go to google.com, and adjust the setting there. The change will carry over to Chrome searches.

What happens when you turn AI Overview off

When you disable AI Overview, Google Search returns to the layout you saw before the feature rolled out. You'll see the search box at the top, then the traditional list of blue links and website snippets. The search results themselves don't change — you're only removing the AI-generated summary that appeared above them.

Turning off AI Overview does not affect other Google features like autocomplete suggestions, knowledge panels (the boxes that appear for famous people or places), or news results. Those remain unchanged. You're only removing the paragraph-length AI summary.

Why you might want to disable it

Some people turn off AI Overview because it slows down search results — the AI needs a moment to generate the summary, which can add a second or two to load time. On older phones or slower internet connections, this delay is more noticeable. Others disable it because they prefer to read the original sources themselves rather than a summary, or because they find the AI summary sometimes misses important details or combines information in confusing ways.

Battery drain is another reason. On mobile devices, generating AI summaries uses more power than displaying a static list of links. If you're trying to extend your phone's battery life, turning off AI Overview is one small step among many.

If AI Overview keeps coming back

Google occasionally re-enables features or rolls out new versions of existing ones. If you disabled AI Overview and it reappears weeks or months later, Google may have updated the feature or reset your settings during an account maintenance. straightforward go back to your Search settings and turn it off again using the same steps above.

You can also check whether Google has made changes to the feature by visiting the Google Search Help Center (support.google.com/websearch). Google publishes updates there when they launch or modify major features.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does disabling AI Overview affect my search results or rankings?

No. Turning off AI Overview only removes the summary that appears at the top of the page. The websites that show up in your search results, their order, and everything else about how Google ranks pages remains exactly the same. You're only changing what you see, not how Google searches.

Will this setting work if I'm not signed into my Google Account?

No. Your Google Account settings only explore when you're signed in. If you search on Google without signing in, you'll see whatever the default experience is for unsigned users. To keep AI Overview off, stay signed into your account while searching.

Can I disable AI Overview just in Chrome, not on other browsers?

No, because the setting is tied to your Google Account, not to a specific browser. If you want AI Overview off in Chrome but on in Firefox, that's not possible — the account-level setting controls both. You would need to use different Google Accounts for different browsers.

What if I want to turn AI Overview back on later?

Go back to your Google Search settings, find the AI Overview option, and check the box to turn it back on. Save your changes. It will reappear at the top of your search results on your next search.

Does this work the same way on Google Images or Google Maps?

This setting controls AI Overview on Google Search (the main search engine). Google Images and Google Maps have their own separate features and settings. If you're seeing AI summaries in those products, you would need to look for settings within those specific apps or services.