How to Turn Off Google’s Gemini in Chrome

If you use Google’s Chrome browser on a desktop, it’s likely that a Gemini Nano AI model is currently active on your machine, utilizing approximately 4 GB of storage. This isn’t inherently negative, but if you were unaware and prefer not to have it, there’s a method to disable it.

The automatic download of this file for Chrome users began in 2024 when Google integrated Gemini Nano into the browser. A recent report by That Privacy Guy has brought attention to how many users are oblivious to this development—possibly due to the overwhelming influx of AI services and features in the tech landscape that many find hard to keep track of.

To remove the Gemini Nano file, launch Chrome on your computer, click the “More” menu in the top right corner (represented by three vertical dots), then navigate to Settings, followed by System, and toggle “On-device AI” to off. The Privacy Guy article mentioned that if you uninstall the Gemini Nano file directly from the directory, Chrome will silently and automatically download it again the next time you restart the browser.

A Google spokesperson informed WIRED that the rollout of the On-device AI toggle started in February to allow users to disable the features and remove the model. “Once disabled, the model will no longer download or update,” the spokesperson stated. The company also indicated that the system is designed such that Gemini Nano “will automatically uninstall if the device is low on resources.”

The model was incorporated into Chrome to enable on-device AI scam detection features. Additionally, it aimed to provide developers with a means to integrate AI-related APIs while keeping data on users’ devices instead of moving it to the cloud. These functions are distinct from Chrome’s AI Mode, which operates without the local Gemini Nano model.

Parisa Tabriz, Chrome’s general manager, highlighted in a post on X that integrating Gemini Nano “powers important security capabilities like on-device scam detection and developer APIs without sending your data to the cloud.”

While Google did announce the Gemini Nano integration into Chrome, some users who use Chrome for its status as the largest, most recognizable browser may have missed these details. This lack of a clear notification regarding a significant AI model running on their computers could be concerning.

Davi Ottenheimer, a seasoned security and compliance consultant, mentioned that despite closely following Chrome updates, he could have easily overlooked the Gemini Nano integration. “An on-device model could be a hidden minefield,” he remarked. The fact that Google initiated this integration in 2024 but only began offering users a way to disable it in February suggests that this feature was not initially designed for user interaction.

Just because you can remove Gemini Nano from Chrome doesn’t mean it’s advisable—or that doing so will enhance your privacy.

Local processing offers a more private method for leveraging AI capabilities. If you decide to eliminate the model, the functions it supports—including AI-enabled scam detection—will stop working. However, since Gemini Nano also facilitates local AI processing for third-party developers, blocking this functionality could impact how you interact with non-Google web services in the browser. A Google spokesperson told WIRED that turning off On-device AI will lead to “certain security features not being available, and sites utilizing the on-device APIs will behave differently.”

If neither option seems appealing, you always have the choice to switch to a different browser.