Updated 2026-06 — AI tools change fast; we re-verify details regularly.

How to turn off AI features

We compare AI tools for the people who want them — but plenty of you just want them gone. AI is now switched on by default in Windows, your browser and the apps you message in. Here's how to disable or limit it, in plain English.

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Before you start

A recurring theme: most of these AI features can be hidden or limited far more easily than they can be truly removed. Vendors re-enable them through updates, and a few (Meta AI, Google's AI Overviews) have no genuine off switch at all. Where that's the case we say so honestly, rather than pretend a toggle does more than it does.

Editing the Windows registry or Group Policy can affect system stability — back up or create a restore point first. These steps were verified in June 2026; AI features change monthly, so if something's moved, tell us.

Windows 11 — Copilot

Copilot now ships as an app, a taskbar pin and a deeper system feature, so a clean removal needs a layered approach. Hiding the icon is cosmetic; the durable fix combines an uninstall with a policy or registry block, because Windows Update can silently re-add it.

Hide the taskbar button (quick, reversible)

  1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
  2. Go to Personalization → Taskbar.
  3. Under Taskbar items, turn Copilot Off.

Note: Cosmetic only — the app stays installed and Win + C may still open it.

Uninstall the app

  1. Open Settings → Apps → Installed apps.
  2. Find Microsoft Copilot, open its menu and choose Uninstall.
  3. (Optional) Uninstall the separate "Microsoft 365 Copilot" app too.

Note: Also removes the File Explorer context-menu entry.

Block it permanently — Windows 11 Pro / Enterprise

  1. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc and press Enter.
  2. Go to User Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Windows Copilot.
  3. Double-click "Turn off Windows Copilot" and set it to Enabled.

Block it permanently — Windows 11 Home (registry)

  1. Create a system restore point first.
  2. Press Win + R, type regedit and press Enter.
  3. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsCopilot (create the key if missing).
  4. Create a DWORD (32-bit) named TurnOffWindowsCopilot, set it to 1, then restart.

Note: To stop silent reinstalls, set SilentInstalledAppsEnabled to 0 under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager.

Firefox

Firefox 148 (February 2026) added an "AI Controls" panel with a single master switch that blocks current and future AI features, plus per-feature control. Settings persist across updates.

Block everything at once

  1. Open the menu (≡) → Settings.
  2. Select AI Controls in the left sidebar.
  3. Turn on the "Block AI enhancements" toggle.

Note: Also stops pop-ups nudging you to try AI features.

Manage features individually

  1. In Settings → AI Controls, find the feature list (translations, PDF alt text, tab-group suggestions, link previews, sidebar chatbot).
  2. Set any feature's dropdown to Blocked.

Remove just the sidebar chatbot

  1. Open the sidebar, click the settings button.
  2. In the Customize sidebar panel, uncheck AI chatbot under Firefox tools.

Chrome — Gemini

Chrome splits its AI across several toggles, so disabling the Gemini sidebar alone does not stop page content being sent to Google. AI Overviews in Search have no Chrome setting — that's a separate Google Search preference.

Turn off the Gemini side panel

  1. Go to chrome://settings and search for "Gemini".
  2. Toggle off "Gemini in Chrome".
  3. Alternatively, right-click the toolbar Gemini icon and choose Unpin.

Stop page content sharing & remove the on-device model

  1. In chrome://settings under AI features, toggle off "Page content sharing".
  2. Go to System and toggle off "On-device AI" to remove the ~4GB Gemini Nano model.

Note: Deleting the model file manually doesn't stick — only the toggle stops it re-downloading.

Hide AI Overviews in Google Search

  1. Run a search, then go to Settings → Search settings → AI Overviews and choose "Don't show AI Overviews and suggestions".
  2. Or append -ai to your query, or install an extension like "Hide Gemini and Google AI".

Note: Google treats AI Overviews as a core Search feature; these are presentation filters, not a true off switch.

Edge — Copilot

Edge has its own Copilot sidebar separate from the Windows app, so disable it inside the browser even after removing system Copilot.

Disable the Copilot sidebar

  1. Open Edge → menu (…) → Settings.
  2. Go to Appearance → Copilot and Sidebar (or Sidebar).
  3. Switch off "Show sidebar button", then open the Copilot app-specific settings and disable that too.

WhatsApp — Meta AI

Meta AI is baked into WhatsApp and cannot be fully removed. You can stop it appearing in individual chats and mute its thread.

Block Meta AI per chat

  1. Open a chat and tap the contact or group name at the top.
  2. Tap Advanced Chat Privacy and toggle it on.
  3. Test by typing @Meta — you should see "Meta AI not available in this chat".

Note: Must be enabled for each chat separately.

Mute or delete the assistant thread

  1. Open the Meta AI chat, tap the name at the top.
  2. Choose Mute → Always, then optionally Archive or Delete chat.

Facebook, Instagram & Messenger — Meta AI

Meta AI can't be switched off entirely on any Meta app, but you can mute it, disable comment summaries, and object to your data being used for AI training (a stronger right in the EU and UK).

Mute Meta AI (Facebook / Instagram)

  1. Tap the search bar / Meta AI icon to open the AI chat.
  2. Tap the (i) info icon → Mute → Until I change it.

Object to AI data use

  1. Facebook: Settings & Privacy → Privacy Center → Privacy Topics → AI at Meta.
  2. Submit an objection request, or use Meta's Privacy rights requests page.
  3. Set your region so the correct options appear.

Note: Since December 2025, Meta uses AI chat data for ad targeting; opt-out is only guaranteed in the EU, UK and South Korea.

What about everything else?

The same patterns apply across most software. Google Workspace / Gmail: turn off both "Smart features" toggles in Gmail settings — that also covers Gemini in Drive, Docs and Maps for personal accounts. Android: Settings → Apps → Default apps → Digital assistant app → None. iPhone / Mac: Gemini and Copilot are normal apps — just delete them. Slack, Notion, Zoom and similar usually expose an "AI" or "assist" section in workspace or admin settings.

Disabling a feature rarely stops data collection — that's typically a separate "activity" or "training" setting. And turning AI off almost never lowers a subscription price that bundled it in.

Why we made this page

We're independent and not affiliated with Microsoft, Google, Mozilla, Meta or any AI vendor. We think choosing an AI and choosing to avoid one are equally valid — so the same honesty we apply to our comparisons applies here.