TecnoOrange 
Not everyone wants AI summarizing their searches. Sometimes you prefer to open pages yourself, compare sources, and form your own opinion. If Google’s AI Overview is getting in your way and you want to go back to classic search, you’re in the right place. I’ll show you all the ways to disable it, from the simplest to tricks you might not know about.
Table of contents
Table of contents
Why some users prefer Google without AI
Before explaining how to disable AI Overview, I completely understand why someone would want to do it. There are several legitimate reasons.
Reasons to disable AI answers
- Questionable accuracy: AI Overview makes mistakes and sometimes gives incorrect information with total confidence
- Loss of control: You prefer choosing your sources instead of letting Google choose them for you
- Privacy: You don’t like Google processing your searches with additional AI
- Habit: You’ve been searching one way for years and it works fine for you
- Perceived speed: Sometimes the AI box takes up space and slows down reading results
- SEO and work: If you work in marketing or SEO, you need to see pure organic results
I personally use AI Overview for quick searches, but when I’m researching something serious, I prefer to disable it and browse classic results. Everyone has their own way of working.
Pro-tip: You don’t have to choose one option forever. You can enable and disable AI Overview as needed, even several times a day.
How to disable AI Overview from Google settings
The official way to disable AI answers is from Google settings. It’s the cleanest method and works on all devices.
On mobile (Android)
- Open the Google app
- Tap your profile picture (top right)
- Go to Settings
- Tap General
- Look for AI Overviews or Resúmenes con IA
- Toggle the switch off
- Changes apply immediately
On mobile (iPhone)
- Open the Google app or Chrome
- Tap your profile picture
- Go to Settings > General
- Look for AI Overviews
- Turn it off
On desktop
- Go to google.com in your browser
- Do any search
- Next to the search settings icon (gear), look for AI Overviews
- Turn it off
- Alternatively: go to google.com/preferences and find the option there
Verify it’s been disabled
To check that it worked:
- Do a complex search like “best laptops for programming”
- If you no longer see the large AI Overview box, it’s disabled
- If it still appears, wait a few minutes and try again
Tricks to avoid AI Overview without disabling it
If you don’t want to permanently disable AI Overview but want to avoid it for specific searches, there are several tricks.
Add “-ai” to your search
Type your search followed by “-ai” to try to avoid the summary:
- “best bluetooth headphones -ai”
- “how to install Windows 11 -ai”
It doesn’t work 100%, but it reduces the chance of AI Overview appearing.
Use Google’s “Web” mode
- Do your normal search
- In the result filters (below the search bar), tap Web
- This shows only classic web results without AI Overview, images, or other elements
Use “site:” for specific searches
If you’re looking for information from a specific site:
- “site:TecnoOrange.es laptop battery”
- “site:brand.com specific product”
“site:” searches rarely show AI Overview.
Change Google to another language
In some languages or regions, AI Overview isn’t enabled. You can temporarily change Google’s language:
- Go to google.com/preferences
- Change the results language
- This may prevent AI Overview from appearing temporarily
Use the “udm=14” parameter
This trick is for the more technical:
- Add
&udm=14to the end of the search URL - Example:
google.com/search?q=laptops&udm=14 - This forces classic web results mode
Pro-tip: The most reliable method is simply using the Web filter after each search. It’s one extra click, but it guarantees clean results.
Alternatives to Google without AI
If you’re tired of fighting AI Overview, there are alternative search engines that don’t have built-in generative AI.
Search engines without generative AI
| Search engine | Advantage | Language |
|---|---|---|
| DuckDuckGo | Total privacy, no AI | Spanish |
| Startpage | Google results without tracking | Spanish |
| Brave Search | Independent, non-invasive AI | Spanish |
| Qwant | European, privacy-focused | Spanish |
| Mojeek | Own index, no generative AI | English mainly |
How to change the default search engine on Android
- Go to Settings > Apps > Default apps > Search engine
- Select DuckDuckGo, Brave, or your preferred one
- In Chrome: Settings > Search engine > Choose the alternative
In Chrome on desktop
- Open Chrome and go to Settings > Search engine
- Click Manage search engines
- Add the alternative and make it default
DuckDuckGo: my personal recommendation
DuckDuckGo doesn’t have AI Overview and focuses on privacy. The results are good for general searches, though for very specific things Google is still better. The DuckDuckGo app for Android is very complete and has a built-in tracker blocker.
Pro-tip: You can use Google with AI Overview for quick searches and DuckDuckGo for when you want clean results. You don’t have to choose just one.
FAQ: Frequently asked questions
Does disabling AI Overview affect other Google services?
No. It only affects AI summaries in search results. Gmail, Maps, YouTube, and other services work the same.
Can I disable it only on my phone and keep it on PC?
Yes. AI Overview settings are per device and per account. You can have it enabled on one and disabled on the other.
Does AI Overview re-enable itself automatically?
It shouldn’t. However, if you update the Google app or switch accounts, the settings may reset. Check it from time to time.
Does Google plan to remove AI Overview?
No. On the contrary, Google is investing heavily in expanding it. But they maintain the option to disable it, at least for now.
Is there a Chrome extension that blocks AI Overview?
Yes, there are extensions like “Hide Google AI Overview” that automatically remove the AI box. Search for them in the Chrome Web Store.
Conclusion
Searching Google like before without AI answers is possible and easy. Whether from settings, using the Web filter, or switching to an alternative search engine, you have several options. My advice: try disabling it for a week and decide if you miss it. If the answer is no, keep it disabled. If yes, enable it again. The important thing is that you decide how you want to search.