Google AI Overview appears above your search results by default, but you can disable it in your search settings

Google AI Overview (formerly called Search Generative Experience) summarizes information from web pages and presents it at the top of your search results. If you do not want to see these AI-generated summaries, you can turn them off in a few clicks. The setting is in your Google Search settings, and the change applies across all your devices when you are signed into your Google account.

The process differs slightly depending on whether you use Google on desktop or mobile, but both routes take less than a minute. Once disabled, your search results will show only traditional links and snippets from websites, the way they appeared before Google added AI summaries.

Key Takeaways

  • AI Overview is turned on by default in Google Search, but you can disable it through your Search settings on any device.
  • On desktop, go to Google Search settings, scroll to "AI Overview," and select "Turn off" to disable it permanently.
  • On mobile, tap your profile picture in the Google Search app, go to Search settings, find AI Overview, and toggle it off.
  • Your setting syncs across devices when you are signed into your Google account, so you only need to change it once.
  • Disabling AI Overview does not affect your search history or other Google services — only what appears above your search results.

How to disable AI Overview on desktop

Open Google Search in your web browser and go to the search settings page. The fastest way is to click the gear icon in the top right corner of the Google homepage, then select "Settings" from the dropdown menu. If you do not see the gear icon, scroll to the bottom of any Google search results page and click "Settings."

Once in Settings, look for the section labeled "AI Overview" — it usually appears near the top of the page. Click the radio button next to "Turn off" to disable it. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click "Save" to confirm your choice. Your search results will no longer show AI summaries at the top.

How to disable AI Overview on mobile

Open the Google Search app on your phone or tablet. Tap your profile picture or initial in the top right corner, then select "Search settings" from the menu. On some Android devices, you may need to tap the three horizontal lines (menu icon) instead.

Scroll down until you find "AI Overview" and tap it. Select "Turn off" and return to the previous screen. Your setting will save automatically. The next time you search on that device, AI Overview will not appear above your results.

What happens when you disable AI Overview

When AI Overview is off, Google Search returns to showing only traditional search results — the blue links to websites, page titles, and short text snippets pulled from those pages. You will see the same layout you used before Google introduced AI summaries.

Disabling AI Overview does not change how Google stores your search history, what information Google collects about you, or how your data is used. It only removes the AI-generated summary box from the top of your results page. Your search history, saved searches, and other Google account settings remain unchanged.

Why you might want to disable AI Overview

Some people disable AI Overview because they prefer to read the original sources directly rather than a summary. Others find the summaries take up space on the results page, or they want to avoid AI-generated content altogether. Some users report that AI Overview occasionally includes inaccurate information, and they prefer to verify facts by clicking through to the original websites.

If you are concerned about how AI Overview uses your search data, disabling it removes that layer of processing. However, Google still collects and stores your searches the same way it did before AI Overview existed — turning off the feature does not reduce that data collection.

Re-enabling AI Overview if you change your mind

If you disable AI Overview and later want to turn it back on, follow the same steps and select "Turn on" instead of "Turn off." The setting is not permanent — you can switch between on and off as many times as you want.

You can also control AI Overview on a per-search basis. Even with the feature turned on globally, you can click "Show less" or "Hide" on individual AI Overview boxes to remove them from specific searches without changing your account settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does disabling AI Overview reduce how much Google tracks me?

No. Turning off AI Overview only removes the summary box from your search results. Google still collects, stores, and analyzes your searches the same way it did before the feature existed. If you want to reduce tracking, you would need to adjust your broader Google account privacy settings or use a different search engine.

Will my AI Overview setting work on all my devices?

Yes, if you are signed into the same Google account on all your devices. The setting syncs automatically across your phone, tablet, and computer. If you use Google Search without signing in, or on a different account, you will need to change the setting separately on that device or account.

Can I turn off AI Overview just for certain types of searches?

Not through the settings menu. Your choice applies to all searches. However, you can hide individual AI Overview summaries by clicking "Show less" or the X button on specific results, which removes that summary without changing your account setting.

What if AI Overview does not appear in my search results even though it is turned on?

Google does not show AI Overview for every search. It appears most often for broad questions and informational searches, but not for searches about current events, local businesses, or very specific queries. If you do not see it, it may straightforward not be available for that particular search rather than being disabled.

Does disabling AI Overview affect Google's other services like Gmail or Google Drive?

No. The AI Overview setting only controls what appears in Google Search results. It does not affect Gmail, Google Drive, Google Docs, or any other Google service. Those services have their own separate settings if they include AI features.