How to Disable Official Gemini in Chrome on iOS, Android & Desktop | 2025 Complete Guide

Understanding Official Gemini in Chrome

Starting from Chrome version 140+, Google has integrated Gemini as a native feature of Chrome, rather than an optional extension. The official Gemini in Chrome includes:

• Gemini in Chrome - AI assistant in the browser sidebar

• AI innovations - AI-related features in Chrome settings

• AI Mode - Omnibox functionality in the address bar

• Experimental AI features - Experimental features

Important Distinctions:

• Gemini Side Panel is NOT an official extension—it's a third-party product

• Official Gemini in Chrome is managed through Chrome settings

• Google officially allows users to configure (show/hide) these features

Method 1: Turn Off "Show Gemini at the top of the browser" (Most Official Method)

Applies to: Windows, macOS, Linux desktop users

Prerequisites: Chrome version 140+

Step 1: Open Chrome Settings

1. Open Chrome browser

2. Click the three dots menu icon in the top right corner

3. Select Settings from the dropdown menu

Step 2: Navigate to AI innovations

1. In the Settings left sidebar, find the AI innovations option

   • If the menu is hidden, click the Menu button first to expand it

2. Click on AI innovations

Step 3: Turn Off Gemini in Chrome

1. On the AI innovations page, you'll see the Gemini in Chrome option

2. Click to open that option's settings

3. In the Preferences section, find these options:

   • Show Gemini at the top of the browser - toggle this OFF

   • Show Gemini in Mac menu bar and turn on keyboard shortcut (Mac users) - toggle this OFF

   • Show Gemini in system tray and turn on keyboard shortcut (Windows users) - toggle this OFF

4. Change these toggles to OFF (gray)

Step 4: Manage Permissions (Optional)

1. On the same page, find the Permissions section below

2. Turn off unnecessary permissions:

   • Precise location - OFF

   • Microphone - OFF

   • Page content sharing - OFF

Expected Result: The Gemini icon disappears from the top of Chrome, and you won't see Gemini UI elements in the browser.

Method 2: Disable Experimental AI Features in chrome://settings/ai

Applies to: All platforms

Step 1: Access the AI Settings Page

1. Open Chrome

2. Type in the address bar: chrome://settings/ai

3. Press Enter

Step 2: Disable Experimental AI Features

1. On the AI Settings page, you'll see multiple options including:

   • Experimental AI features

   • Topics

   • Related suggestions

2. Find the Experimental AI features option

3. There's a toggle switch to the right of this option

4. If the switch is enabled (blue), click to turn it OFF (gray)

Step 3: Restart Chrome (Recommended)

1. Close all Chrome windows

2. Reopen Chrome

3. This ensures the settings take full effect

Expected Result: Experimental AI features are disabled, and Chrome will no longer load related AI functionality.

Method 3: Disable AI Features Using chrome://flags (Experimental)

Warning: This method uses experimental flags and is not an officially stable method. It may change in future Chrome versions.

Applies to: Advanced users

Step 1: Access Chrome Flags Page

1. Open Chrome

2. Type in the address bar: chrome://flags

3. Press Enter

Step 2: Search for AI-Related Flags

1. In the search box at the top of the flags page, type: "generative ai"

2. Or search: "ai mode"

3. Or search: "omnibox entrypoint"

Step 3: Disable the Flags Found

1. Search results will show multiple AI-related flags

2. Each flag has a dropdown menu on the right

3. Click the dropdown menu and select: Disabled

4. Chrome will automatically prompt you to restart

5. Click Relaunch to restart the browser

Common Flags You Can Disable:

- Generative AI features

- AI mode Omnibox entrypoint

- Optimization Guide On Device Model

- Prompt API for Gemini Nano

Expected Result: These experimental AI features will be disabled.

Method 4: Manage Gemini's Connected Apps

Applies to: Users who want more granular control over Gemini

Step 1: Open Gemini in Chrome Settings

1. Open Chrome

2. Click the three dots menu in the top right

3. Go to Settings

4. Click AI innovations > Gemini in Chrome

Step 2: Manage Connected Apps

1. On the Gemini in Chrome settings page, find: Manage connected apps

2. Click to open

3. You'll see a list of apps Gemini can connect to:

   • Gmail

   • Drive

   • Docs

   • Sheets

   • Slides

   • Calendar

   • Contacts

   • Meet

   • And other apps...

Step 3: Disable App Connections

1. Find an app you want to disconnect from Gemini

2. Click the toggle switch next to the app

3. Change it to OFF (gray)

4. This prevents Gemini from accessing that app

5. Repeat for other apps as needed

Expected Result: Gemini cannot access the apps you've disconnected.

Method 5: Turn Off AI Overviews in Google Search

Note: This is not a Chrome setting, but rather a Google Search setting itself.

Step 1: Go to Google Search

1. Open google.com

2. Log in with your Google account

Step 2: Access Search Labs

1. On the Google homepage or search results page, find Search Labs

   • Usually appears at the top of the page or as an experimental features option

2. Click to enter Search Labs

Step 3: Disable AI Overviews

1. On the Search Labs page, you'll see several experimental features

2. Find the AI Overviews or Gemini related option

3. There's a toggle switch next to this option

4. If enabled (blue), click to turn it OFF (gray)

5. Return to Google Search to verify

Expected Result: Google search results no longer show AI-generated summaries at the top.

Method 6: Disable Gemini in Chrome on Android

Applies to: Android device Chrome browser users

Step 1: Open Chrome Settings

1. Open Chrome on Android

2. Tap the three dots menu in the top right

3. Select Settings from the menu

Step 2: Navigate to AI innovations

1. In Settings, scroll down to find AI innovations

2. Tap to open

Step 3: Turn Off Gemini

1. In AI innovations, find the Gemini in Chrome option

2. Tap the toggle switch to turn it OFF

Expected Result: Gemini features are disabled in Android Chrome.

Method 7: iOS Users - Limited Options

Important Note:

• Google removed Gemini support from the iOS Google app in February 2025

• iOS users need to use the standalone Gemini app to access Gemini

• There is no native "Gemini in Chrome" feature in iOS Chrome

How to Disable Gemini in Chrome on iOS

1. Open the Google app

2. Tap the profile picture in the top right

3. Go to Settings > General

4. Find the Gemini option

5. Toggle it OFF

Delete the Gemini App (If Installed Separately)

1. Long-press the Gemini app icon

2. Select Remove App

3. Confirm the deletion

Method 8: Google Workspace Enterprise Administrators

Requires admin privileges

Step 1: Access Admin Console

1. Sign in with an admin account to: admin.google.com

2. Enter the Admin Console

Step 2: Navigate to Generative AI Settings

1. In the Admin Console menu, find Generative AI

2. Click on Gemini app

Step 3: Disable Gemini in Chrome

1. On the Gemini app page, click Service status

2. You'll see the current status (likely "On for everyone")

3. Click Off for everyone to disable

4. The system will ask for confirmation

5. Click Save

Step 4: Apply to Specific Departments (Optional)

1. Next to Service status, select Organizational unit

2. Choose the department where you want to disable Gemini

3. Click Off for this unit

4. Save the settings

Time to Take Effect: Changes may take up to 24 hours to apply across all user accounts.

Understanding "Cannot Fully Disable" Statement

According to Google's official information:

Why Gemini in Chrome Cannot Be Completely Removed:

1. System-Level Integration - Starting with Chrome 140+, Gemini is deeply integrated into Chrome itself

2. Google's Official Policy - Google treats Gemini as a core feature of Chrome, not an optional add-on

3. Security Reasons - Chrome users can control Gemini's display and permissions through configuration

What Users CAN Do:

• ✅ Turn off "Show Gemini" option - Hide the UI (recommended)

• ✅ Disable experimental features - Turn off experimental AI functionality

• ✅ Limit permissions - Disable location, microphone, and other permissions

• ✅ Manage connected apps - Control which apps Gemini can access

• ✅ Enterprise management - Admins can disable through Admin Console

What Users CANNOT Do:

• ❌ Completely uninstall Gemini (system-level integration)

• ❌ Fully disable backend functionality through Chrome settings alone

• ❌ Use Chrome 140+ without any Gemini code

Complete Verification Checklist

After completing all official methods, verify these items:

•  Turned off "Show Gemini at the top of the browser"

•  Disabled experimental features in chrome://settings/ai

•  Closed related toggles in AI innovations

•  Disabled AI Overviews in Search Labs (Google Search)

•  Limited Gemini's permissions (location, microphone, etc.)

•  Managed connected apps (optional)

•  For Workspace accounts, configured through Admin Console

After completing these steps, Gemini's visibility and functionality in your Chrome will be significantly reduced.

Alternative Considerations Using Alternative Browsers

If the above methods don't fully meet your needs, consider:

1. Ungoogled-Chromium - Chromium-based but with all Google dependencies removed

2. Firefox - Independently developed browser

3. Safari - Apple's browser (macOS/iOS only)

4. Brave - Privacy-focused Chromium-based browser

About Third-Party Extensions

Although this guide doesn't cover third-party extensions (like "Hide Gemini and Google AI"), users can choose to use them at their own discretion. Note:

• They only hide UI elements, not backend functionality

• Require regular updates to adapt to Google's interface changes

• May have privacy/security considerations

Summary

Google officially allows users to configure and control the display and permissions of Gemini in Chrome, but does not allow complete uninstallation since Gemini is a native system feature starting with Chrome 140+.

The most official and recommended methods are:

1. Disable Display - Turn off "Show Gemini" in AI innovations settings

2. Disable Experimental Features - Turn off experimental AI in chrome://settings/ai

3. Limit Permissions - Grant only necessary permissions

4. Manage App Connections - Control Gemini's access to other applications

All of these are officially supported by Google, and users can change these settings back at any time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Will disabling Gemini affect other Chrome features?

A: No. Disabling Gemini only affects AI-related features. All other Chrome functionality remains unaffected.

Q: Can I completely remove Gemini from Chrome?

A: No. Gemini is system-level integrated starting with Chrome 140+. You can hide it and disable its features, but cannot completely uninstall it.

Q: If I change my mind, can I re-enable Gemini?

A: Yes. All these settings are reversible. You can re-enable Gemini at any time through the same settings menus.

Q: How long does it take for changes to take effect?

A: Most settings take effect immediately after changing them. For Workspace accounts, changes may take up to 24 hours.

Q: Will Gemini still work in the background even if I disable it?

A: Disabling the display through "Show Gemini at the top of the browser" only hides the UI. Backend functionality may still be present, but it won't be accessible to you.

Q: What's the difference between "experimental flags" and official settings?

A: Experimental flags are unstable and may change or be removed in future Chrome versions. Official settings in AI innovations are stable and officially supported by Google.

Q: Can I disable Gemini for specific websites?

A: The current official methods disable Gemini globally. For website-specific control, you would need third-party browser extensions or alternative browsers.

Q: What should I do if the settings don't appear in my Chrome?

A: If AI innovations doesn't appear in your Settings:

1. Ensure Chrome is updated to version 140 or later

2. Check your Chrome version: Chrome menu > About Chrome

3. If your version is correct, try restarting Chrome completely

4. If the issue persists, try clearing Chrome cache and cookies