How to Turn Off Gemini on Android, Chrome and Gmail (2026)

Want to know how to turn off Gemini? Google’s AI assistant now turns up on Android phones, in the Chrome browser and inside Gmail, and each place has its own switch. There is no single “off” button for your whole Google account, so this guide walks through each one in turn, using the steps on Google’s own help pages, and says plainly where Gemini can’t be removed completely.

Table of Contents

Quick answer

Android: stop Gemini opening (power button, “Hey Google”, lock screen), switch back to Google Assistant if your phone still offers it, or pick another default assistant. Chrome (computer): Settings > AI innovations > Gemini in Chrome, then turn off the “Show Gemini” options. Gmail: Settings > See all settings > General > Manage Workspace smart feature settings, then turn off Smart features in Google Workspace. Chat history: turn off Keep Activity in Gemini.

How to turn off Gemini on Android

On most Android phones Gemini is the default digital assistant, so it pops up when you hold the power button or say “Hey Google”. Google’s help page on managing the Gemini app on Android (external site) lists these controls. Menu names can differ a little between phone makers.

Switch back to Google Assistant

If your phone still offers the option, you can hand the assistant job back to Google Assistant:

Open the Gemini app and tap the Menu icon on the left.
Tap your profile picture or initial, then tap Switch to Google Assistant.
Choose Google Assistant and tap Switch to confirm.

After this, “Hey Google” and holding the power button open Google Assistant instead of Gemini. Your old Gemini chats are not deleted automatically (see the Keep Activity section below).

Choose a different default assistant, or none

Open your phone’s Settings app.
Go to Apps > Default apps > Digital assistant app.
Tap Default digital assistant app and pick another app, or None.

Picking None is the closest thing to fully turning off Gemini as your phone’s assistant.

Stop the power button opening Gemini

Go to Settings > System > Gestures > Press and hold power button, then choose a different action, such as the power menu. On Samsung and some other phones the path is different, so search Settings for “side button” or “power button” if you can’t find it.

Turn off “Hey Google” for Gemini

Open the Gemini app and tap Menu, then your profile picture.
Tap Settings > Talk to Gemini hands-free.
Turn off Hey Google.

Stop Gemini working on the lock screen

In the Gemini app, tap Menu > your profile picture > Settings > Gemini on lock screen, then turn off Use Gemini without unlocking.

Uninstall the Gemini app

If your phone lets you uninstall the Gemini app, you can remove it like any other app. Google notes that deleting the app does not automatically change your default assistant, so also follow the “default assistant” steps above.

How to turn off Gemini in Chrome

On a computer, Gemini in Chrome adds a Gemini button at the top of the browser and a keyboard shortcut. Google’s Gemini in Chrome help page (external site) explains how to hide it:

Open Chrome and click the three-dot More menu, then Settings.
Click AI innovations, then Gemini in Chrome.
Under Preferences, turn off Show Gemini at the top of the browser.
Also turn off Show Gemini in system tray and turn on keyboard shortcut on Windows, or Show Gemini in Mac menu bar and turn on keyboard shortcut on a Mac.

For a quicker fix, right-click the top of the browser and choose Unpin Gemini. Under Permissions on the same settings page you can also turn off Share current tab by default, Microphone, Precise location and Let Gemini browse for you, which limits what Gemini can see.

Gemini in Chrome is only offered in some regions and needs you to be signed in to Chrome, so you may not see this menu at all. Parents can turn it off for a child’s account with Family Link. AI answers at the top of Google Search are a separate feature: see our guide on how to turn off AI Overviews in Google.

How to turn off Gemini in Gmail

In Gmail, Gemini can summarize emails, help write drafts and find information. Those features are controlled by Google’s “smart features” settings, explained on the Google smart features help page (external site). On a computer:

Open Gmail and click the Settings gear at the top right, then See all settings.
On the General tab, scroll to Google Workspace smart features.
Click Manage Workspace smart feature settings.
Turn off Smart features in Google Workspace. You can also turn off Smart features in other Google products.
Click Save.

Turning off Smart features in Google Workspace stops Gemini features such as asking Gemini to summarize content and create drafts. It also stops a few useful extras, such as Gmail events (like flight bookings) showing in Google Calendar and personalised Drive suggestions, so weigh that up first.

There is a second, separate setting on the same General tab: Turn on smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet. Unchecking it turns off Smart Compose, Smart Reply, summary cards above emails and the automatic Primary, Social and Promotions tabs. Google lists Gemini under the Workspace setting, not this one, so you only need it if you want the other smart features gone too.

Work or school account? Your administrator controls Gemini for the organisation. You can still change your own smart feature settings, but only the admin can remove Gemini completely.

Turn off Gemini chat history (Keep Activity)

If your worry is privacy rather than the buttons, stop Google saving your Gemini chats. Google’s Gemini Apps privacy help page gives these steps:

Go to gemini.google.com and open Settings & help, then Activity. You can also go straight to your Gemini activity page at myactivity.google.com/product/gemini.
Near the top, click On.
Choose Turn off, or Turn off and delete activity to clear past chats too.

Even with Keep Activity off, Google says your conversations are kept with your account for up to 72 hours to run the service and process feedback. They just won’t appear in your activity.

Where Gemini can’t be fully turned off

Your whole Google account: there is no single master switch. Each app and device has its own setting.
Work and school accounts: only the administrator can switch Gemini off for everyone.
Phones where the app is built in: if you can’t uninstall the Gemini app, changing the default assistant and power button action is the most you can do.
Google Search: AI Overviews are not controlled by any of the settings above.

Prefer a different AI helper instead? Have a look at our list of free ChatGPT alternatives, or if you just want hands-free search without Gemini, try Google voice search on desktop.

FAQ

Can you turn off Gemini completely?

Not with one switch. You can stop it opening on Android, hide it in Chrome, turn off its Gmail features and stop it saving chats, but each is a separate setting, and work accounts are controlled by the admin.

How do I turn off Gemini and go back to Google Assistant?

Open the Gemini app, tap Menu, then your profile picture, and tap Switch to Google Assistant. If you don’t see the option, your phone may no longer offer it; set the default digital assistant app to None instead.

How do I stop Gemini popping up when I hold the power button?

Go to Settings > System > Gestures > Press and hold power button and choose a different action. On some phones the setting is called side button, so search Settings for it.

Does turning off smart features in Gmail remove Gemini?

Turning off Smart features in Google Workspace stops Gemini features such as summaries and help with drafts in Gmail. It also turns off some non-AI conveniences, like Gmail events in Calendar.

Does Google still keep my Gemini chats when activity is off?

Yes, for up to 72 hours, according to Google, to provide the service and process feedback. They won’t show in your Gemini Apps Activity.

Photo by Steve A Johnson on Unsplash

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How to Turn Off Gemini on Android, Chrome and Gmail

Quick answer