Google does not provide a permanent switch that turns off AI Overviews in normal Google Search. On Android, the simplest supported workaround is to select the Web filter after you search.
- Search normally in the Google app or Chrome.
- Find the filters below the search box.
- Tap Web. If it is not visible, swipe across the filters or open More.
- Google will display a web-focused results page without the AI Overview.
The Web filter does not permanently disable AI Overviews. You may need to select it again when you start a new search.
Use the Web Filter in the Google App
When an AI Overview appears:
- Open the Google app.
- Enter your search.
- Look below the search box for filters such as Images, Videos, News, Shopping, or Web.
- Swipe horizontally if Web is not visible.
- Tap Web.
Google describes the Web filter as a way to display text-based links without features such as AI Overviews. This is the most direct option when you still want to use Google but prefer a traditional list of results for a particular query. Google confirms this behavior in its official explanation of AI Overviews on Android.
Use the Web Filter in Chrome
Chrome users can follow the same process:
- Search Google from Chrome.
- Wait for the results page to load.
- Swipe through the filters below the search box.
- Select Web, or open More > Web when necessary.
Chrome and Google Search are different products. Chrome displays the page, while Google Search generates the AI Overview. That is why changing unrelated Chrome settings does not provide a reliable AI Overview switch.
Can You Permanently Turn Off AI Overviews?
Not through a normal Google Search or Android setting. AI Overviews are part of the Search experience, and Google does not currently offer a complete opt-out.
You will not find a dependable AI Overview switch under Android settings, Chrome settings, Gemini settings, Google Assistant settings, Web & App Activity, Search history, or SafeSearch. The Web filter changes the results you are viewing rather than changing Google Search permanently.
Turning Off Search Labs Is Not the Same Thing
Some instructions tell users to open Search Labs and disable an AI experiment. That can turn off experimental features you chose to test, but it does not guarantee that normal AI Overviews will disappear.
AI Overviews can appear as part of standard Google Search independently of optional Labs experiments. If you have already disabled “AI in Search” in Labs and still see a generated summary, the setting has not necessarily failed. You are likely seeing the standard Search feature.
AI Overview, AI Mode, and Gemini Are Different
AI Overview is the generated summary that may appear automatically on a normal results page. AI Mode is a conversational Search experience designed around generated answers and follow-up questions. Gemini is Google’s broader AI assistant and platform.
Removing the Gemini app does not turn off AI Overviews in Google Search. Likewise, avoiding AI Mode does not guarantee that an AI Overview will not appear during a normal search. Our Gemini versus ChatGPT comparison explains where Gemini fits if you are trying to separate Google’s assistant from its Search features.
Does Incognito Mode Remove AI Overviews?
No. Incognito mode changes how Chrome handles local browsing history, cookies, and sessions. It is not a classic-search setting, and Google may still display an AI Overview during a private browsing session.
Use Incognito when you want its privacy behavior, not as a method for removing AI-generated results.
Does Clearing Search History Help?
Deleting Google Search history or turning off Web & App Activity does not provide a permanent AI Overview opt-out. Those controls affect stored activity and personalization rather than whether a results page can contain an AI Overview.
There is no reason to erase useful account history solely to remove the generated box.
What if the Web Filter Is Missing?
The filter row changes depending on the query and available screen space. Swipe across the filters below the search box because Web may be farther along the row. If it still does not appear, check More.
You can also open Google directly in Chrome and run another search. Updating the Google app or Chrome is reasonable when the interface appears outdated or broken. The filter’s position may change, so focus on finding its label rather than expecting it in the same place every time.
Use Another Search Engine for a Persistent Alternative
If you do not want to select Web repeatedly, you can send future searches to a different provider.
In Chrome for Android:
- Tap the three-dot menu.
- Open Settings.
- Tap Search engine.
- Choose another available provider.
This does not disable AI Overviews inside Google. It avoids them by sending searches from Chrome’s address bar to another search engine. Search quality, privacy policies, maps, shopping results, and other features vary between providers, so this is a broader change than selecting Web.
Installing another browser alone may not help if that browser still uses Google as its default search provider.
Can You Make the Web Filter the Default?
Google does not offer a normal Android setting that permanently makes Web the default filter for every search. Unofficial scripts, custom search URLs, and third-party tools may attempt to force web-only results, but they can stop working when Google changes Search. They may also introduce unnecessary privacy or permission concerns.
For most Android users, selecting Web when an AI Overview appears is the safer and simpler approach.
AI Summaries in Other Apps Need Different Settings
The Web filter affects only Google Search results. It does not control summaries inside Gmail or notification summaries created by a phone’s operating system.
If generated text is appearing above your emails, follow the separate instructions to turn off AI summaries in Gmail. On an iPhone, use the controls covered in turning off Apple Intelligence notification summaries. These are independent features, so changing them will not remove AI Overviews from Google Search.
Send Feedback About an AI Overview
When an overview is inaccurate or unhelpful, use the thumbs-down control beneath it or open the three-dot menu at the top of the overview. Add details about the problem and submit the report.
Feedback does not disable the feature, but it is the appropriate way to report an incorrect, biased, or otherwise problematic answer. For a normal results list without the generated summary, select Web afterward.
There is no need to uninstall Gemini, clear your search history, reset Chrome, or change Android system settings. Until Google provides a permanent opt-out, the practical choices are to use the Web filter when needed or choose another search provider for a more persistent alternative.
