Easy Methods to Turn Off Google's AI Features in Gmail and Docs

Google and other tech firms are increasingly embedding AI into products whether users want it or not, flooding interfaces with new buttons and persistent prompts. If you're tired of seeing Gemini features cluttering your Google Docs and Gmail, there are straightforward ways to turn them off—though the process is more convoluted than it should be.

Hiding the Gemini bar in Google Docs#

The most obvious intrusion is the large Gemini toolbar that Google has been rolling out at the bottom of Docs windows. If you want to remove it without disabling anything else, the fix is quick:

• Click Gemini in the menu bar
• Hover over Bottom bar preferences
• Select Turn off

This will hide the bar entirely, though a Gemini button remains in the top-right corner.

Disabling all AI features across Google Workspace#

For a more comprehensive approach, you can kill AI features throughout Google's productivity suite. The method differs depending on whether you have a personal Google account (@gmail.com) or an employer-managed Google Workspace account.

For Workspace accounts: Your IT administrator controls which AI features you see. Individual users have little power to change this without IT help.

For personal accounts: The key setting lives in Gmail, not Google Docs—a counterintuitive design choice:

• Open Gmail and click the gear icon (top right)
• Select See all settings
• In the General tab, scroll to Smart features
• Uncheck the box

Google will prompt you to reconsider, but proceed anyway. Refresh your Google Docs window and the Gemini menu, audio button, and bottom toolbar will vanish.

Important tradeoff: Disabling this Gmail setting also removes other AI-powered conveniences like grammar suggestions, smart compose, smart reply, and autocorrect—though your browser's native spellcheck continues to work. If you rely on those Gmail features, you may need to accept Gemini in Docs.

Using a browser extension for complete removal#